What are some tips for effectively resolving conflicts at work?
Conflicts at work are usually caused by communication problems between the boss and subordinates or between colleagues in the team. Much depends on the personality and character of employees, as well as on the nature of the tasks performed. Emotional work, which involves constant contact with other people, is usually associated with a lot of stress and tension that can be projected onto other people at work.
First of all, it is worth remembering that conflicts at work should not always be perceived as a problem, because it happens that a conflict is an opportunity that allows you to discover the needs of employees or their personal experiences that make everyday work difficult. That is why the most important way to resolve conflicts in the workplace is to thoroughly investigate the cause. It happens that employees have personal problems that affect their behavior at work. Conflicts about how to solve a given problem, the speed of performing duties, as well as ideas for a project can also be troublesome. It is therefore a good idea to create a working description of the conflict at work and, based on it, think about what is the root cause. Talking to people who argue about a given topic is of great importance. Such a conversation should be honest and conducted in a pleasant atmosphere. The most dangerous is the conflict between the employer and subordinate, because such a dispute may concern the remuneration offered, the scope of duties, errors at work. It is important to find an impartial person to help resolve the conflict. It should be noted that the methods to be avoided when resolving any disputes at work are avoidance, procrastination and coercion. People who avoid confrontation may decide not to come to work for a while, take a vacation or even leave the place of employment, so this is not an effective way to reach a compromise. In turn, proper overcoming of conflicts can lead to integration in the team. Good ways of resolving disputes are compromise, negotiation, mediation,
The question of how to resolve conflicts at work is a concern for both bosses and employees, as both may witness or participate in conflicts themselves. There are the following rules for resolving conflicts at work:
- disputes should be treated as normal, which may happen in any company,
- all data on the conflict should be collected,
- it is very important to cut yourself off from your emotions and subjective opinions about the dispute,
- follow the rules of constructive communication, i.e. respect the other person, allow them to express themselves freely, listen to the arguments of the other party,
- it is worth being ready to compromise
In a situation where the conflict concerns more employees, it is a very good idea to organize workshops or training on how to resolve conflicts at work and how to be a person communicating effectively with the environment. A dispute between a boss and a subordinate should be resolved in a calm, friendly and respectful manner. It is very important that both people analyze their behavior and arguments, and then consider whether they are really right. In fact, at the heart of dispute resolution is figuring out what led to the conflict and what can be done to resolve it.
Supported by Norway through Norway Grants 2014-2021, in the frame of the Programme “Social Dialogue – Decent Work”.
