Disputes at work will arise from time to time and being able to deal with this type of conflict and facilitate a resolution that everyone agrees with is a great skill to have. In fact, according to CIPD research published by People Management, 25% of UK employees, an estimated 8 million people, have experienced some form of workplace conflict in the last 12 months. These figures show how important it is therefore to understand how to resolve disputes at work. These instances of conflict might be a simple misunderstanding between colleagues, or it might be something more serious that you want to resolve informally before it leads to a grievance. Workplace disputes can create a tense environment, affecting productivity and morale among employees and have a myriad of knock-on effects. With that in mind, effective dispute resolution is crucial to maintaining a harmonious and productive workplace in which all colleagues can thrive. We’ve set out below some approaches you can take to help navigate your way through and resolve disputes at work.
Understand the cause
Before you can try to resolve a dispute, it’s essential that you understand any underlying issues and the root cause of the problem in the first place. In order to gain this understanding you’ll need to communicate well, listen and show empathy. Encourage all parties to express their perspectives without interruption, you can do this individually or as a joint meeting. Make sure that you ask open questions to gather as much information as possible about the issue. Taking this approach will help you to identify what lies behind the dispute or conflict, as often any behaviours or actions that you see are purely symptomatic of something deeper.
Stay Calm and Composed
Understandably emotions can run high during disputes. It is therefore essential when trying to deal with disputes or conflicts between colleagues that you stay calm and composed. Take deep breaths, maintain a neutral tone of voice, avoid using accusatory language that places blame on one party or the other and make sure that your body language is non-threatening and respects personal space. By taking these steps you will help to defuse the situation and encourage a more rational and constructive conversation to resolve the problem rather than it being allowed to escalate further.
Establish Ground Rules for Discussions
Discussing the dispute is usually the best way to reach a resolution but it’s important to shape that conversation properly. Set ground rules for any discussion in order to create a respectful environment for resolving the dispute. These rules will usually include allowing only one person to speak at a time, avoiding personal attacks, and agreeing to listen to each other’s points of view. Ground rules ensure that the conversation remains focused and respectful, facilitating a more productive resolution process.
Win-Win Solution
The ultimate goal of dispute and conflict resolution should be to find a win-win solution whereby all parties feel that their concerns and issues have been addressed to their satisfaction. This sometimes involves the parties in the dispute compromising to some extent or finding a new approach that satisfies everyone involved. Having a collaborative approach in which all parties work together to find a solution rather than feeling that an outcome is forced upon them or isn’t something they agree with is definitely the most effective approach to take.
Use a Neutral Third Party
Sometimes, disputes cannot be resolved internally within a business for all manner of reasons. Sometimes friendships or other relationships will get in the way, sometimes people are perceived by one party or other as not being impartial, or in a small business there might simply not be the resource or capacity for someone to play the role of peace maker. In such instances, involving a neutral third party, such as a mediator or independent HR representative, can prove to be helpful to move the dispute forward in a positive way. A neutral party can provide an unbiased perspective and facilitate the resolution process, ensuring that all parties are heard and a fair agreed solution is reached.
Document the Resolution
Once a resolution to the conflict has been reached, it’s important to document what has actually been agreed. This ensures that all parties are clear on what has been decided, if there are any expectations of them and this will help to prevent future misunderstandings. The documentation should outline the agreed upon solution, any actions to be taken, and any agreed timescales for these actions. You can create a simple document that both parties sign to confirm they accept the resolution or email them with relevant bullet points to summarise the agreement and ask that if they have any objections they should let you know.
Follow Up
After the resolution, follow up with all parties involved to ensure that the agreed upon actions are actually being implemented and that the dispute has been fully resolved. This shows that you are committed to maintaining a positive work environment and helps to build trust. It also ensures that the parties involved in the dispute are held to some degree of accountability and matters aren’t simply addressed and then forgotten about.
Learn and Improve
Every dispute is an opportunity to learn and improve so ask yourself some questions. Does the dispute highlight any wider issues within the workplace that you might also need to address before they reach the stage of conflict? Could things have been done differently in the first place to prevent the dispute from arising? What worked well during the resolution process and can you use this insight going forward to improve your processes? Taking this time to reflect is important and should ensure that if any disputes or conflicts do arise in the future that they are handled in the best way possible.
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Why not also check out our blog on a similar topic Mediation At Work
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