The workplace can be a stressful place. There are constant projects, deadlines, and compromising. It’s no wonder that with any job comes conflict. Knowing how to deal with workplace conflicts that arise is not only crucial for safety but also ensures that the environment stays one of collaboration and productivity. JōbSource is here to give you the ultimate how-to for handling conflict resolution.
Understanding Conflict Resolution
No matter how welcoming the environment is at your work or how much you and your coworkers like each other, there’s always going to be times when you don’t get along. The first step to conflict resolution is understanding at some point there will always be issues. By understanding this, when problems do arise, you’ll be more forgiving. These conflicts usually have less to do with the individuals and more to do with how people respond to stress and working together.
Listen First
It’s natural that in a disagreement, we always tend to think we’re right. Rather than immediately challenging their way of thinking. Take a minute and listen to what they have to say. Everyone brings their unique viewpoint and set of skills to what they do. That means that they might have a solution to a problem that you haven’t thought of. Let people explain themselves first, ask questions, and process how doing things their way might work. If you still disagree with them, then you can voice your opinion.
Talk It Through
Talking through the conflict is the next step. You can’t solve anything by ignoring each other. Set a time and place to discuss the conflict. Listen to each other and then present your points. Make sure you keep a calm tone and level-head. Rather than using your time to talk to attack the other person or their competence at work, focus on the problem. Is their way of looking at the problem wrong? How does it affect you? And is there a better way to resolve things?
Compromise
Conflicts at work rarely end with one side winning. If they do, that’ll only cause problems down the line. In workplace conflicts, compromise is the solution. Instead of entirely focusing on the negatives, try to find places where you agree with the other party. Use those agreements to find a solution that works for both of you. If you are unable to reach common ground, you can always take the expertise of a Workers Compensation Lawyer who can better guide you through the whole compromise process. More so they can help highlight commonalities and praise the aspects of the opposing party’s that you connect with. If possible, try to avoid conflicts as much as possible. If it is a safety factor, try using Lockout Tagout Locks and other building safety equipment to make your employees feel secure. Now, if your protocols do the meet the results, compromise the issue. By seeking compromise and a peaceful resolution, you show that you’re someone who is more interested in bringing the situation to a satisfying conclusion rather than trying to prove how you are right.
Lead and Provide Guidance
If you run a team or are a manager, you have to be extra careful when dealing with conflicts. Team unity is a careful balance, by quickly taking sides in an argument, you risk upsetting that stability. While you should implement the tips we’ve already gone over, you need to do so differently. You can get help from your industry peers to understand to how to manage the team. You can also get help from resources such as LXCouncil (come to LXCouncil.com for all you need to know about peer groups) to guide the team better. By making fair, but firm decisions and finding solutions for the conflicts and workplace issues, you show that compromising and team happiness are important while demonstrating that you will be the one to determine the outcome of the situation. If need be, put strict rules as well to ensure your team’s well-being as well as prevent future conflicts related to the same issues. For example, say your teammates are not completely following safety rules at a workplace like the manufacturing industry, you can make guidelines for wearing safety gear such as cm-7m military gas mask, face shield, gloves, goggles, boots, etc., and enforce the rules effectively. And if it is a verbal conflict, guide the conversation, place emphasis on the positive, connect areas of agreement, and find a result that all sides will accept.
The Key of Conflict Resolution: Forgive and Forget
The most important part of any workplace conflict is to understand that these happen, and they need to be forgiven. People get heated in arguments and especially when it’s something they care about. Accept this fact and move on from it. End any conflict by reaffirming positivity and collaboration, then move on. Holding onto animosity from a disagreement will only ensure that more of these happen in the future. If you find yourself to be the one suing hurtful words or actions, take the time to apologize and commit to finding more productive ways of handling things in the future.
When the need for conflict resolution arises, utilize these tips to mitigating the impact. Finding an agreed-on solution is always ideal. Remember work is work, no matter how stressful it gets, it’s never worth regretting what you say or do to someone. Likewise, knowing how to deal with coworkers with a less deft touch is essential and will ensure that you maintain a healthy working relationship after the fact.
If you find that you need a change in career or a new workplace, JōbSource is here to help. We have new jobs posted all the time and tons of exciting opportunities. Explore our postings online or visit one of our branches to meet with a highly-trained recruiter.
