Here is some guidance from CIPD for managers on how to manage conflict in the workplace. The quality of a work environment has a noteworthy impact on your teams wellbeing and simple differences in perspectives can lead to misunderstandings and conflict. CIPD emphasise that managers can adress conflict early to prevent escalation, managers should also be aware of their own management style and how this impacts team dynamics.
Preventing workplace conflict:
- Intervene at an early stage- this can help stop escalation. A positive and proactive approach will improve morale, increase retention and reduce sickness absence.
- Getting to know your team better can help you anticipate conflict, understand personal pressures, foster positive relationships and adress problems.
- Be aware of simmering tensions- you can do this by being aware of team relationships, challenging innapropriate behaviour, talk to individuals about the source of disagreements and speak to staff consistently so they feel comfortable raising issues with you.
- Aknowledge and challenge when individuals are causing stress to others- for example a collaegue may be over critical, avoid tasks or gossip about others in the office. Be prepared to step in and speak to indiividuals once you notice a problem.
- Be clear about team conduct expectations and role model positive behaviours
- Don’t get involved in office gossip- intervene in malicious gossip, spell out expectations and keep employees personal issues private and confidential.
Performance management:
Use performance management to prevent workplace conflict by making it a positive, supportive process not a cause of conflict. Make sure you set realistic deadlines for each team member, keep a regular feedback cycle, address poor performance at an early stage and try to understand underlying issues behind poor performance. In terms of performance improvement plans make sure that key issues are made clear and discuss any additional supports you can offer.
Informal ways to resolve conflict:
- Be proactive and initiate informal discussions when you spot an issue
- Engage in challenging conversations to show staff you are taking the conflict seriously which will protect the open and respectful culture of your organisation.
- Have individual conversations with team members involved making sure you always act with integrity, stay open minded and don’t jump to conclusions.
- Act as a facilitator and bring both sides together to communicate once you’ve gained a clear understanding of the nature of the conflict.
- In some cases it might be best to remove/separate team members to prevent escalation.
- In some cases a brainstorming session and discussions with the team can help you to find possible solutions to the conflict.
- Follow up on conflicts to check that they have truly been resolved and maintain positive relationships with team members involved.
Formal resolutions to conflict:
Even with every effort to manage the conflict the situation may continue to develop or be thayt serious in nature that formal procedures have to be followed. At this point formal investigations, disciplinary procedures have to be used. Employees can raise a grievance or the bullying and harassment procedure should be actioned.
You can find out more about workplace conflict, how to manage it and how it relates to manager behaviour here:
https://www.cipd.org/uk/knowledge/guides/workplace-conflict-people-manager-guide
