Conflict management at work: how to address it?
Workplace conflicts
Conflict is a complex and sometimes painful situation often involving several employees. Workplace conflicts are not uncommon: differences of opinion, disagreements over work methods, or pressure to meet targets. Especially since you don’t get to choose your colleagues and must work with all personality types. How the conflict is managed is crucial as it will determine the course of events. It is worth noting that positive outcomes can very often result from conflict resolution.
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In 2020, 89% of French employees had already experienced a conflict that escalated!
Understanding workplace conflict
Conflict is an integral part of professional life. It must be resolved fairly quickly since it is dangerous to let it fester. Depending on how it is managed, its effects can be either constructive or destructive. Conflict is neither inherently good nor bad, and its consequences can be positive by fostering cooperation, or negative by creating a toxic atmosphere.
The HR function spends an estimated 1 day per month managing workplace conflicts!
Maintaining a professional framework
To know how to manage a workplace conflict, you must set aside the emotional and affective aspects. This helps maintain an objective perspective. It is imperative not to let the parties involved resort to personal attacks, as this could escalate the situation.
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The different types of workplace conflict
Generational conflicts
They have existed since the dawn of time: older people are old-fashioned, young people don’t care about anything! In addition to the usual differences, the relationship with technology, which has developed rapidly in recent years, adds another layer. Times are changing and sparking certain tensions along the way. It should be noted that senior employees have a vertical view of hierarchy, unlike younger ones, and the latter often blur the lines between personal and professional life. The foundation is understanding who you are and who the other person is for better collaboration.
French managers receive little training in conflict management.
Personality conflicts
Some personality types are irreconcilable, but employees can still work together without conflict. The key? Showing empathy and understanding. In this scenario, it is advisable to encourage the people involved to put themselves in others’ shoes and set aside their judgments. These are often ego-related issues. It is essential for HR to pay particular attention to the candidate’s personality during the recruitment process.
Conflicts of interest
Whether they involve obtaining a bonus, a salary increase, or a promotion, power struggles do exist within companies. When a rivalry reaches this stage, there is cause for concern. There is a divergence in the interests of each group or individual.
Structural conflicts
This type of conflict is related to hierarchy and each person’s role, salaries, or even workspaces. They should not be taken lightly as they can become entrenched over time.
Value conflicts
These are more sensitive as they are intimate and connected to the individuals themselves. They concern religious beliefs, work philosophies and attendance, as well as working methods. Generally speaking, any conflict involving deeply opposing values has little chance of finding a positive resolution.
Warning: it is important to distinguish between major and minor conflicts.
Knowing how to anticipate workplace conflicts
Preventing destructive tensions
Knowing how to anticipate conflicts has become a key challenge for maintaining good working relationships through proactive behavior. Identifying misunderstandings and potential palpable tensions is essential. Regular feedback and active listening to team members are useful approaches. Active listening involves using full attention to understand the entirety of what another person is experiencing, and its objective is to communicate more effectively in order to identify what is truly important to all parties involved.
Defusing conflicts
Statistics on workplace conflicts have been trending negatively for several years. To effectively combat conflict, it is necessary to improve employees’ working conditions and better support them on a daily basis, because no one can truly thrive in a company where the atmosphere and environment are toxic.
Implementing tools to facilitate interpersonal communication (suggestion boxes, for example) will help develop peer recognition and serve as a powerful driver for boosting team harmony and performance. Creating an open discussion space to encourage speaking up and exchanges on difficult topics can be a valuable asset. These best practices eliminate conflicts and also reduce workplace stress by eliminating unspoken issues. Building a caring and safe environment helps prevent conflicts. Similarly, showing recognition to each individual is a powerful way to acknowledge an employee’s strengths and demonstrate trust.
Consider metacommunication
It is the art of communicating about communication. It is a beneficial conflict management tool. It provides many insights into the stakes of an exchange and helps position oneself in alignment with the person opposite. It makes the implicit explicit and smooths exchanges. Metacommunication involves rephrasing “what I meant was” but also explaining and justifying the why “if I’m telling you this, it’s because I…” This offers the possibility to step back, better understand the other person, and regulate exchanges.
There are 2 types of metacommunication:
- Explicit and verbal: it consists of giving clear indications about the desired mode of interaction with the other person;
- Implicit and non-verbal: it encompasses all elements associated with speech: tone, smile, facial expression…
It provides many insights into the stakes and helps position oneself in alignment with the person in front of us.
Intervene in the conflict
The key to successful workplace conflict management is impartiality. A well-managed conflict strengthens employees’ relational intelligence and mutual trust. In all cases, the objective is non-violent communication between the two employees to better understand each other. It is essential not to take sides and to move beyond determining who is right and who is wrong. It should be noted that managing a conflict alone is delicate. Calling in a third party is often essential for lasting conflict resolution, and the preferred contact depends on the nature of the conflict.
Post-conflict stage
After a confrontation, releasing the pressure is mandatory. The conflict must be analyzed, and its stakes and reasons understood. By analyzing its origins, we can better determine whether it was a simple misunderstanding or a deeper issue. Nevertheless, reconciling the opposing parties is not always easy. It is therefore important to recreate bonds between the protagonists: bringing them together and reminding them of the team’s purpose is important! Highlighting the importance of individual missions to achieve objectives and setting a perspective. Egos must step aside in the face of challenges to be met. To strengthen the sense of cohesion, groups should be created to work on cross-functional projects such as organizing recreational activities or improving quality of life at work.
8 out of 10 employees have already been active participants or simple witnesses of a conflict in the professional sphere.
Can workplace conflicts be prevented?
Unfortunately, no! However, it is possible to resolve them quickly if they are addressed in time. Resolving them is good, but anticipating them is even better! Workplace conflicts are meant to be overcome. A positive approach will transform the conflict into an opportunity for dialogue and perhaps even a driver of creativity.
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