HOW TO HANDLE CONFLICTS OR BAD WORK RELATIONSHIPS

People are not strangers to conflict. Humans encounter it in their daily lives – with their friends, families, and, more importantly, in their professional lives. Nobody is the same, and in work relationships, when our various motivations, processes, and goals collide, conflicts arise. Employees who don’t get along and who don’t know how to build great work relationships will exist in any company from time to time, due to differences in their personalities, lifestyles, opinions, or some other factor. 

Conflict in the workplace causes a great deal of frustration, pain, discomfort, sadness, and anger. Even minor conflicts can quickly escalate out of control, resulting in resentment and a toxic work environment. As a result, managers and employees must be able to manage and recover from conflicts.

Here are 5 steps to help you handle conflict between your employees at work.

5 STEPS TO HANDLE CONFLICTS AND BAD WORK RELATIONSHIPS AMONG YOUR EMPLOYEES

• Determine The Source Of The Conflict

Clarifying the source of conflict is the first step in resolving it. It’s easy to make assumptions about conflict, especially when rumors are flying. But don’t make any. Instead, determine what is causing your employees to disagree. Continue to ask questions until you are confident that all parties involved understand the issue. There could be a number of reasons why your employees are hostile. Getting a sense of what’s at the heart of the problem is critical to successfully resolving it and avoiding future conflict.

• Find A Private And Safe Place To Talk

To have a productive conversation, you must first find a safe environment in which to encourage open and honest communication about the issues at hand. Choose neither party’s office nor a location near them. And, while you’re there, make sure that each party has enough time to express their thoughts on the subject.

• Actively Listen And Allow Everyone To Speak

Allow each party the opportunity to air their views and perceptions about the issue at hand after gathering both parties in a secure and private location. Active listening is critical to effective conflict resolution. We all want to know that we’ve been heard. Allow each party equal time to express their ideas and concerns without favoring one over the other. Listen carefully to ensure you understand their points of view. You can do so by summarizing and repeating their statements back to them. Dismiss any office gossip and refuse to believe anything you hear. 

• Look Into The Situation

Don’t take sides in any way. This will only fuel the fire and exacerbate the situation. As a business leader, you must maintain as much objectivity as possible. Take the time to investigate the case after listening to both parties’ concerns. Do not pass judgment or make a final decision based on what you have only heard. Investigate further to learn more. Also, look for any underlying conflict sources that may not be obvious or noticeable at first.

•  Resolve

When managing conflict processes, you must have a common goal, which is to resolve the issue and prevent it from resurfacing. After determining the source of the conflict, speaking with both parties, and investigating the situation, you must sit down with both parties and reach an agreement on the best solution to the problem. And, in order to reach an agreement on the best solution, you must first identify the solutions that each party can accept. Find some common ground. Determine the roles and responsibilities of each party in resolving the conflict. Ask them to come up with solutions to the problem and ways for all parties to move forward. If necessary, provide guidance or talking points to assist each employee in approaching the other person in a positive manner. 

Employees do not need to be best friends; they simply need to do their jobs. Don’t rule out organizational changes entirely. When it comes down to it, reorganizing teams can sometimes improve employee focus and the workplace dynamic. Allowing the employees involved time to “cool off” before working together again may be beneficial.

Never assume that the issue is resolute. Effective communication should be the norm in business. So, keep an eye on the problem and see if the solution is working. If the problem reappears, take the necessary steps.

BOTTOM LINE

Managing and resolving conflict at work is critical to achieving organizational objectives. Unresolved conflict can have serious consequences for workplace morale, productivity, and company culture. So, if you notice any issues or disagreements among your employees, look for the best ways to handle the situation. The steps listed above can help you learn how to resolve workplace conflicts. You can also work to reduce conflict by hiring the right people.

Got more tips on how to handle conflicts or bad work relationships? As always, I welcome your thoughts, experiences, and comments.