How to resolve Conflict in the Office
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Friction can sometimes be a positive
thing, resulting in
action and impetus - creating an environment that is dynamic and
changeable. For
certain industries this
type of working environment might be the preferred choice, but there is
a fine
line between dynamism and harmony and although a successful company
will need a
mix of personalities and inherent skills, a clash of personalities in
the
office can also be distracting and unproductive.
Whilst it isn�t uncommon for there to
be clashes in the
office, it�s obviously important that any issues are resolved and don�t
fester
and create bigger issues as time goes on. Have
a look at some quick tips on Office
Resolution below:
- Involve
others � depending how many people and the personalities
involved, it can
be a good idea to bring in someone with authority to mediate, the
Managing
Director for example, as long as they aren�t involved in the dispute! A
mediator without authority can also work, although it would make sense
for this
individual to be a totally independent 3rd party.
- Goal
Setting � It�s important at the outset to explain the
possible outcomes to
all parties so everyone understands what the possible consequences are
before
the process begins. These scenarios might be that the matter is
resolved
satisfactorily for all parties, a decision will be made in favour of
one and
not the other and in extreme cases someone may have to leave if their
grievances cannot be resolved.
- The seriousness of
this last point will
often result in a far greater degree of flexibility from those
concerned and willingness
for a greater degree of compromise.
- What are
the issues � it is personal, is it about power, points of
view or
differences of opinion?
- The initial stage is
to identify exactly
what the issues are for each party.
Spending time asking questions and fully understanding the
problems will
enable the mediator to explain to each party what the other�s point of
view is.
This approach enables the emotional aspect of conflicts to remain
separate and
instead the crux of the problem is addressed separately with each party.
- If there is optimism
or hope that the
issues can indeed be solved then the next step would be to arrange
another face
to face meeting with the mediator. This is a high risk strategy and
there are
no guarantees of success but if there is any hope of resolution this
process
will be a necessary step. The hope is that all parties have an idea as
to what
the solution will be at this point, it has been discussed separately
and agreed
in principle, now it just has to be agreed by all parties at the same
time!
- Don�t
Push Me � It�s not always possible to reach a compromise, not
all parties
are going to realistic with their expectations and some staff might
just be
downright obstinate! If it isn�t possible to reach an agreement for all
parties
then you�ll have absolutely no choice but to decide between making a
decision that
is going to anger or upset one party, possible both or if choices are
extremely
limited then you will have to fire someone.
There are of course
legal considerations
here but there�s no use in threatening a course of action only to back
down
when the time comes to act. You run a very real risk that this type of
behaviour will become accepted and more prevalent if you fail to act as
promised.
Staff need to
understand that feuding can
have dire consequences and compromise should always be the first
option, as if
needed, you will not back down.
About the Author
Easy Offices
(UK) was formed in 1999 and since then has grown to become one of the
UK's leading specialist advisers on serviced offices, office space and
virtual offices around the country. We offer
solutions to both businesses and individuals. You
can access our service online, by telephone on 0808 231 8103.
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Article Published/Sorted/Amended on Scopulus 2013-08-29 09:11:26 in Employee Articles
