When you think about how many hours you spend in a high pressure environment with the same group of people, it is no wonder that conflict is common in the workplace. Often born out of poor communication or uncontrolled emotions, conflict can be complex - but with the right approach it can always be resolved. Carry on reading to find out how to resolve workplace conflict and in turn, boost productivity, team rapport and happiness!
1.Identify and resolve as soon as possible
While you can’t always prevent workplace conflict, it is paramount to deal with it immediately if and when it arises. Staying silent will only make matters worse - especially if the person causing conflict doesn’t realise the emotional impact on you as an individual. Understanding where potential tension is likely to emerge can help you identify patterns and stop it at the source. Those in managerial roles should make a conscious effort to call out any instances of harassment/bullying in their team and be mindful of any competitive tensions that exist.
2. Communicate!
Nothing is going to get resolved if you don’t express how you’re feeling - even if it is a little uncomfortable at first. Does a certain colleague keep forgetting to send the deck over? Is your manager talking over you in meetings? Do you feel professional boundaries are being crossed? Whatever the case, don’t sit on it…explain the situation to a trusted manager to make sure it doesn’t keep reoccurring.
3. Listen to other perspectives
Part of communicating effectively is taking other people’s point of view into consideration. Have a meeting in neutral space away from any distractions and let each party air their grievances. Once everyone’s cards are on the table, the next step is to find solutions that are mutually beneficial. It might also be worth setting some ground rules to avoid future conflict.
4. Work together
In order to achieve harmony amongst colleagues, it is essential to understand each other’s goals and motivations. Working together towards a wider company goal, for example, will help you build better rapport and provide further insight into how the other person works.
5. Learn from your mistakes
Where there is conflict there is always a lesson to be learned - whether it highlights areas of improvement for the company at large, or a personal flaw that needs addressing. That’s why it’s important to reflect on the situation after the conflict has been resolved and consider how it started in the first place and what you would do differently next time.
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