Conflict Management 2.0: Signs and Strategies
Posted by Walid Abou-Halloun Date: Jun 21, 2018 10:10:55 AM
Conflict arises in the workplace when there is disagreement on certain issues and no willingness to meet each other halfway. As a team is comprised of individuals with different views and backgrounds, conflict is often unavoidable. However, managers can contribute a fair amount to minimising the disagreements in the workplace and in the damages to working relationships of staff members.
Depending on when a higher authority can step in and help resolve the conflict as needed, there are strategies to alleviate the problem and work it out in the fastest way possible.
Before the Conflict: Prevention
Conflict does not happen in an instant. There are early signs when a “storm is brewing” and when to take necessary measures.
Even when there is no impending conflict, it is always better to shape your workplace culture in a way that will promote harmony and understanding starting from within the team.
Look for these tell-tale signs of conflict when managing a team:
1. Rampant Gossiping
When people get most information from the grapevine, it is an indicator that there’s a problem that has to be addressed.
While gossiping can’t be fully eliminated in the workplace, management should act on it especially when it begins disrupting the workflow and interpersonal relationships of team members.
Moreover, the type of information that is being passed on is an indicator of the conflict that may arise.
Are the employees spreading false information about a workmate, or perhaps the management? Are they forming conclusions on a confidential matter about the company? These, if left unsolved, will create a toxic work environment.
To address this, weekly meetings, official statements, and frequent updates are vital. When you keep them in the loop, they will feel valued and involved in the company.
Transparency is key. Don’t deprive your employees of the necessary information to maintain order and understanding within the workplace. Most especially when an issue concerns them and their work. Without transparency and keeping every employees in the loop, the rumours will run rampant and who knows how the information will be twisted.
2. Clique Forming
While it is normal for groups to be formed within the workplace, the nature and activity of these cliques and how they affect the workplace must be properly managed.
When a circle is highly exclusive, sometimes discriminating, and goes beyond sharing common interests and friendship, cliques become unhealthy in the workplace. All the more if these groups turn to be the source of gossips and misconduct, then this must be escalated as a potential cause of conflict at work.
But don’t get this wrong—there are groups that are healthy and truly encourage teamwork. Peer groups like sports teams, interest groups, gym buddies, among others, help develop a good relationship among employees even outside of work.
This is where people management skills comes in handy. Employees form groups because of the need for a sense of belongingness and acceptance. An excellent manager recognises this fact and addresses this through team buildings, planning sessions, and showing fairness in all aspects of work.
3. Slow Production
Unproductive employees mostly have low morale and poor drive in the workplace. When workers are uninspired, they are dragging themselves to work everyday, dreading every minute they spend at work, and are simply looking forward to go home the minute they can.
That is if they can still tolerate the work environment. Worst case scenario is, of course, resignation. But both situations are not healthy for the whole organisation.
This results to slow production and poor quality of work, which is another tell-tale sign of conflict in the workplace.
Instead of focusing on delivering good results for the business, employees who have conflicts, whether personal or professional, will most likely become distracted and unmotivated ultimately affecting their ability to do their jobs effectively.
If you can tell that there’s something wrong within the teams, make it a point that communication is always in place. Conduct consultations, open forums, or simply let everyone know that your office is open to listen to any concerns that they may have.
Even simple conversations and asking how they are can make a world of a difference and ease a fair amount of tension in the workplace. Just remember, communication is the first aid to any conflict and the earlier the better.
4. High Turnover
This is the most common sign of conflict in the workplace. When employees leave, don’t simply dismiss it as a problem from their end. Instead, look at the kind of work environment and management your company has. Conduct an exit interview to find out their honest reason for leaving. Yes it is going to most probably be confronting. Yes it will most likely be negative. But in the end, see if there is any key takeaways that will benefit the organisation in the long run.
Conflicts are a common reason for employee resignation. In fact, a study reveals that employees spend an average of 2.8 hours per week dealing with conflict, which, based on the average hourly rate of $17.95, amounts to approximately $359 billion in paid hours.
A healthy work environment is the key to employee retention.
No one wants to work in a toxic environment where peer-to-peer or peer-to-boss conflicts are a norm. High turnover is an obvious sign of conflict and must be addressed as quickly as possible.
Gather as much as information as possible during performance evaluations and exit interviews. Take note of the concerns being put forward and understand where these issues, concerns or opinions are coming from.
Once you point out conflicts-in-the-making, then you will be able to prevent them from getting bigger and more destructive in the near future. A high turnover rate of employees is detrimental to the organisation. Existing employees may begin to question their reasons for staying, wondering what it is that the others are seeing or experiencing that is causing them to leave and should they be doing the same.
New employees begin to wonder what they got themselves into and start their new job with an already negative frame of mind and low expectations. And finally, the cost to hire and train new employees before they actually begin becoming productive.
You can also tap a recruitment company who can help grow your pool of talent as you need them. Read about the benefits of Recruitment Process Outsourcing Services.
During the Conflict: Intervention
Now, what if the problem has already escalated and it already manifests in the workplace? What conflict management strategies can you employ?
Simple intervention isn’t enough, as you need to have the necessary people skills and authority (if needed) to be an effective mediator.
Here are some conflict management styles you can explore:
- Collaborating or a “win-win” attempt to solving conflicts, where teamwork and cooperation are equally important. This strategy aims to work through the differences and provide optimistic and creative solutions to satisfy both parties.
- Compromising or simply put, meeting halfway. If there’s a disagreement, both ends will be weighed to serve a “common good” for the whole organisation. There shall be a mediator, commonly of a higher authority, to keep the discussions professional and proper. Cooperation between the two sides is important to achieve a resolution for the conflict.
- Accommodating strategy is more focused on protecting the relationship of the parties involved. This puts premium on the belief that the person is more important than the conflict itself. A high emotional quotient andother soft skills can be very useful for this strategy.
- Competing or resolving conflicts by placing both parties head-to-head through a healthy competition. This of course should be done professionally, with management involved, and musn’t promote retaliation and/or violence, especially when the situation has already escalated. Commonly, this strategy is used when the goals are extremely important, and where “winning” is the best way to prove a point.
- Avoiding is a strategy of avoiding conflict by withdrawing and delaying it. This way, there will be no winners nor losers. Though the risk of leaving conflicts unaddressed may make it worse, this strategy can work at times most especially when the conflict is small or if emotions are too high to be solved immediately.
After the Conflict: Counseling
Conflict management also involves proper monitoring and constant support even after a resolution has been made.
Remember, a conflict doesn’t end after the handshake. Parties involved will still undergo a “healing phase” which can also be very crucial when you want to maintain harmony and order in the organisation for a long time following the conflict resolution.
Avoid reopening the issue while people are still sensitive about it. Organise team buildings and other activities that can lift the tension among peers. Sometimes, a good sense of humor can also make the reconciliation process much faster and smoother.
Proper communication is always a good start. If needed, counseling must also be made available for your employees. Depending on the strategy you used, make sure that all people involved are assured that fairness is a top priority in the organisation and that all employees are treated with value and respect.
True Value of Conflict Management in the Workplace
Having the necessary skills for conflict management can do wonders for your organisation. These are key skills not only for managerial or executive positions, but for every employee in the company.
Conflict management could save your team and your business through the worst of times. More than ensuring a smooth and productive workflow, it’s keeping a good work relationship among employees that is the most beneficial of all.
If you’re considering to work on these strategies now for your organisation, you can tap people management experts with better knowledge on managing talent. They can be from outside sources to ensure objectivity and sound judgment. Or start with revisiting your policies and transforming your business into a people-centric organisation.
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