Conflict in the workplace is inevitable and anyone in a leadership role knows that leadership and conflict go together. Conflict will rarely resolve itself, in fact it is far more likely to escalate if it is not dealt with proactively and managed appropriately. A good leader has the ability to recognise the signs of conflict and bring about a rapid resolution.
Signs of conflict
There will be occasions when conflict is very apparent with aggressive behaviour displayed. However, in most instances it will not be so overt and recognising early signs can be harder to identify. There are some warning signs that you can look out for these include: a drop in motivation; changes in behaviour (employees become less sociable and make derogatory remarks); a fall in productivity; rising sickness absence and dissatisfaction in staff surveys.
Factors causing conflict
There are two major factors that cause conflict to arise are poor communication and an inability to control emotions. When conflict occurs in the workplace it can trigger strong feelings and emotions in a person and lead them to be extremely reactive and in worst cases even destructive.
How to manage conflict in the workplace
Communication is key, having a clear organisational communication plan that allows for continuous feedback between employees and management will create an open working culture, where employees feel able to raise any issues or concerns that they may have. This can really help to resolve issues at an earlier stage before emotions escalate into a conflict situation.
Review policies and procedures to ensure that what is acceptable behaviour is clearly outlined and then remember to communicate these to all employees. Over time people will forget policies and procedures so updating employees is essential and embedding values and behaviours in to the company culture is also important.
Always respond to a conflict situation swiftly, fairly and appropriately. Be consistent don’t let one thing slide and jump on another. By being proactive and acting appropriately, employees will soon understand what is and isn’t acceptable and will respect and trust your leadership. Other managers will also need training on dealing with conflict and how to deal with difficult conversations.
On occasion you may find you are unable to resolve a conflict, before considering formal procedures such as a grievance or disciplinary, it might be worth bringing in a conflict coach to coach individuals to resolve conflict themselves. At Dakota Blue we have conflict coaches who are skilled in enabling individuals to better understand their way of managing conflict, giving them the tools to address conflict themselves, therefore negating the need for company intervention and formal procedures.
You really can use every conflict as a learning opportunity, to take on board different perspectives and it can help to stimulate innovation.
Unresolved conflict will lead to a disengaged workforce, often with increased absences and a downturn in productivity. It can also result in a toxic work environment with a high turnover of staff and potentially even legal claims. If conflict is managed well it can reconcile differences and promote collaboration.
If you are dealing with conflict in your workplace and would like confidential advice then please contact us.