Conflict resolution is a part of communication skills. You need to be observant, understand verbal and non-verbal clues, and how to use them accordingly. The one resolving the issue has to keep their emotions in check while doing their best to see from another’s perspective.
It’s a skill that will serve you in all walks of life, whether at your job or at home. Resolving conflict in the workplace maintains peace and ensures productivity. We’re happy to offer a crisp guide to conflict resolution.
What is conflict resolution?
Workplace conflict occurs when two or more people disagree on an opinion or goal. Conflict resolution resolves these differences and makes things smoother between the people involved. One has to ensure a conclusion is reached where everyone is satisfied with the work and the people involved don’t have hard feelings in the future.
The conflict resolver can be an outside party with a neutral perspective or someone involved in the conflict who is good at finding solutions quickly. If you can be a resolver in your disputes, you are fit for managerial positions, where you have to resolve others frequently.
How to resolve conflicts in the workplace
Take a deep breath
Before getting into the thick of the matter, it’s crucial to be calm and collect your emotions. So take a seat, breath steadily, and adopt a relaxed posture. An open body language signals your brain to be calm.
Find a quiet place for discussion
Gather the parties involved in the conflict. Have water at hand and aim for a distraction-free environment. Concluding is the main goal at present.
Give a voice to the conflict
Say out loud what the issue is. Do so without blaming others. Instead, share your perspective on what the conflict made you feel. In turn, ask the room to share theirs.
Once the issue is made clear, everyone can work towards a solution. If you’re the mediator and one party refuses to acknowledge or resolve the issue, pull them aside. Personally, ask them what’s making them hesitate. Once you know their perspective, you can reassure them and convince them to participate.
Look at it from the other’s perspective
No one enjoys getting involved in a feud. Most people would want to get along with their colleagues and employees happily. If a fight arises, it’s because of a misunderstanding.
Listen to everyone’s side. It will help you understand what’s causing them to act this way.
Note down the reasons
Conflicts can arise out of personal stress. By taking note of the trigger, precisely what caused the misunderstanding, you can avoid a similar fate in the future.
Reach a resolution
The parties involved have to compromise for a conflict to resolve. Rather than giving one person’s idea over another, they should work together to form a plan where everyone’s needs are met.
After compromising, it’s time to apologize and express gratitude. Finally, a promise must be made not to repeat the same behavior.
Check up from time to time
Long after the resolution, it’s essential to keep an eye on the parties involved in the conflict—Check-in at a scheduled date or week. See if the same problems have chances of arriving again. Ensure everyone is happy with the resolution and the parties don’t feel resentment towards each other.
Final Thoughts
Ideally, we find a resolution, and a similar conflict doesn’t happen in the future. However, suppose a challenging party has no interest in compromises or continues to do the same thing in the future. In that case, it’s time to involve higher management or HR. Conflict resolution is a key skill in HR. At BCJobs, you can find potential hires with the skill.
About the Author
BCjobs.ca is Western Canada’s largest job board, with a majority of the jobs coming from Vancouver. For nearly 20 years, BC Jobs has connected job candidates with companies looking to add talent to their teams. If your team is looking to recruit, BCJobs.ca is the right tool for you. Our job board has grown through virtual career fairs, branding, and partnerships. Contact us at community@bcjobs.ca today.
