Whether an employee is upset with their manager or staff members are not on speaking terms, conflicts in the workplace can take a toll on productivity and morale. If you’re in human resources or a leadership position, understanding how to resolve and prevent disputes is a key part of professional development. Here’s a closer look at how to deal with disputes more effectively. 

How to Handle Workplace Conflicts

1. Identify the Source of the Problem 

A conflict’s beginning is sometimes obvious. You may witness a heated argument, for instance, or hear about a disagreement through the grapevine. However, it isn’t always easy to identify the cause of the problem. Before you can successfully resolve the issue, you need to understand it.

Ask the employees appropriate questions, including how the conflict began and whether there were problems before this. Also, ask when they first started to feel upset and how the issue escalated. Be sure to divide your attention equally between the involved parties.

2. Set Clear Guidelines 

It’s essential to set guidelines for what is and isn’t acceptable workplace behavior. Misunderstandings and differences often lead to conflicts that were avoidable.

Design a framework to outline how decisions should be made, including guidelines on teamwork, leadership techniques, professional development expectations and opportunities, and talent management. It’s also wise to ensure there’s a chain of command in place for handling concerns and questions efficiently.

3. Practice Empathy 

Communication breakdowns are a leading cause of conflicts in the workplace. It’s essential to practice empathy and understand each party’s feelings, needs, and motivations to address and prevent conflicts successfully.

Also, encourage staff to do the same by attempting to see situations from each other’s perspective. Encourage open, honest, and tactful communication to help staff level with one another.

4. View Conflict as an Opportunity 

Viewing mistakes as learning opportunities is a major factor in professional development and success. It’s also essential to improving conflict resolution and prevention.

Try to see conflicts as lessons. For instance, if team members are upset because they don’t feel their ideas are being equally valued, consider having more collaborative and team-building sessions to hear everyone’s voices. If a staff member feels they’re being discriminated against, it may be time to invest in more workplace diversity education for the staff. 

If you’re interested in learning more about conflict mitigation and other professional development topics, turn to ACA Business Club St. Louis. Based in Chesterfield, MO, this professional networking, development, and marketing firm is dedicated to helping individuals and companies progress. Call (314) 628-0690 to speak with a friendly team member about how they can help you achieve your goals. Visit the website to learn more about joining the business club.