When a group of people is brought together, there’s always going to be potential for misunderstandings, inappropriate behaviour, or misuse of authority.
And if you add in the stress from deadlines, negotiating outcomes, or accommodating different personalities, the chances for conflict in the workplace increase exponentially.
We asked three Sydney Hills Business Chamber members and experts in this field – Christine O’Brien, Nigel Rayner, and Pamela Aiello – to provide their insight on the topic.
Pave the way to resolution
It’s important to note that conflict isn’t always a bad thing – if handled appropriately.
Director at Targeted Training, Christine O’Brien, says “Conflict is a normal part of life and therefore naturally part of our working life.
The positive side of conflict is that it can bring about innovation, creativity, and critical thinking skills, as well as show you that your team members are engaged and invested.”
To create a harmonious workplace, all staff should be fully briefed on the culture and behaviour expectations of your business.
Director of Enrich HR, Nigel Rayner, recommends having “a Grievance Policy and Procedure in place for your business, which has been communicated and acknowledged by all employees. These should clearly outline the steps as to how grievances will be dealt with in your workplace.”
Also, ensuring staff know how to report transgressions in a private and safe way will support them in bringing matters to your attention early on.
“The earlier you can address the conflict and bring issues out into the open, the more chance you will have at a positive outcome,” adds Christine. “Conflict left to fester not only becomes more difficult to resolve, it can bubble over with devastating consequences, leading to weakened team bonds, damaged relationships, and words that are unable to be taken back once the conflict has been resolved.”
Truly understand the situation
Director at Bravo People Solutions, Pamela Aiello, suggests giving people a ‘safe space’ to air their grievances. “This can be as simple as taking them out for a coffee or setting aside a quiet office for a chat. A common misconception is that if you put conflicting parties in a room together, they’ll eventually sort things out. But usually they need to feel heard before agreeing to engage in finding a mutually acceptable resolution.
She further advises “Never assume you have all the information. The same set of circumstances can be legitimately viewed by two people in very different ways, based on their perception, attitude, and lived experience. It’s not enough to understand what caused the conflict. In order to resolve it, you also need to understand how each party was impacted differently by the same circumstances.”
Resolving the conflict
To ensure the best outcome, all parties involved should be fully aware of what the resolution process is.
Pamela offers the following framework: “Once you are ready to get conflicting parties in the same room to work on a resolution, make sure each is aware in advance of the ground rules for the meeting.
For example:
- Mutual respect
- Not talking over someone else, and
- Having the option to call a break when emotions get heated
All these rules need to be established and agreed to by each party before they meet to discuss a resolution.”
Christine points out a very important consideration in this process. “As a leader it’s important to remember your team members will have different ways of managing conflict and it is your responsibility to help facilitate this process, allowing for various approaches, communication techniques and conflict management styles.
“The most successful leaders will facilitate the conflict management process, with the team members in conflict remaining the key players in resolving these issues, versus a manager solving the problem for the team members.”
As for the more difficult situations, Nigel suggests “seeking help from others, such as a Human Resources Advisor, particularly if the conflict could involve bullying and harassment.”
The good news is, all efforts to resolve conflict don’t just solve one particular situation.
“Once a resolution is reached document that agreement,” advises Pamela. “This makes the resolution official and provides a guideline for all staff to avoid recurrences of similar conflict in future.”
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