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5 Ways to Manage Workplace Conflict
13 Feb, 20231-2 minutes
With the average UK employee spending 36.5 hours a week at work, this means the experience needs to be a positive one.
However, with different personalities all working together, it is inevitable that sometimes disagreements will occur.
It is reported that 38% of employees in the UK experience interpersonal conflict at work in an average year.
Conflicts can be defined as anything from poor communication to an employee facing discrimination.
As well as the tense office environment a conflict creates, it can be costly for an employer to leave it unresolved. The total annual cost to employers in the UK, including management and resolution, is £28.5 billion.
With that in mind, here are our top 5 ways to manage workplace conflict.
Don’t let a conflict fester
If you are aware of an issue bubbling under the surface, don’t wait until it has exploded! It will benefit everyone involved if a conflict can be resolved before it becomes a major issue.
Conflicts rarely resolve themselves without some sort of intervention and festering conflict could affect the performance of every member of your team.
Nipping a potentially negative situation in the bud will also decrease its opportunity to reappear at a bad moment.
Take the time to listen to everyone
Even if you share the same opinion with one party involved, it’s important to take the time to listen to everybody’s side of the story.
Appearing to support only one side of the argument could leave an employee feeling ganged up on and delay the conflict being resolved.
If those involved can’t resolve the conflict without an external party, it is your responsibility to act as an unbiased moderator.
Focus on the situation, not personalities
During a conflict it’s important to put personalities to one side and focus on the situation at hand.
You could end up disciplining the wrong person if you make a preconceived judgement as to who is to blame, based upon their personality or history.
To act as an unbiased moderator you must solely focus on the facts of the situation and put any personal opinions of people to the back of your mind.
In your head, separate the people involved, their emotions and the problem so that your judgement isn’t affected.
Work with everyone involved to develop a solution
In order to successfully resolve a conflict, it is a good idea to work on a resolution plan with all parties involved.
Developing this kind of plan isn’t a one-size-fits-all process and including every party involved will give them the chance to suggest the steps that need to be taken.
This will also increase the chances of the resolution plan being a success!
Create a plan to avoid future conflicts
When a conflict is resolved it’s important to reflect on the causes to ensure that the issue doesn’t reoccur.
For example, if the conflict was the result of somebody not following instructions correctly, introduce a way of ensuring all responsibilities are clearly instructed to your team.
Having a plan in place to avoid future conflicts will create a happier working environment for your whole workforce.
Who is Spencer Clarke Group?
Since 2017, we've been changing the face of recruitment. From our employees, to the way we do business, to the culture within our office, we're determined to make a difference and create a positive impact on everyone around us.
Recruitment to us isn't just about matching candidates and clients; we’re passionate about finding candidates the perfect job which has the ability to boost their salary and standard of living, better their work life balance and improve their mental health.
Similarly, we understand the impact which an experienced and skilled employee can make to a business and we love seeing clients thrive through the hard work of candidates which we have placed with them.
We operate in two sectors:
In eleven specialisms:
Healthcare, Social Care & Nursing
Corporate Functions & Business Support
Planning, Development & Regeneration
Highways, Infrastructure & Engineering
If you’re searching for a new role, why not visit our job page to take a look at the latest opportunities? Alternatively, upload your CV and one of our experienced consultants will contact you when a relevant opportunity becomes available.
If you’re struggling to fill a role, why don’t you give us a call on 01772 954200 to see how we can help? One of our consultants will be happy to listen to the challenges which you are facing and advise on the best possible solution for you.
