How to Resolve Conflict Effectively

Workplace conflict — though fairly common — is an uncomfortable situation that can quickly escalate to a major problem if left unaddressed. It can result in increased workplace stress, decreased job satisfaction, higher rates of absenteeism, lower productivity, and poor morale and quality of work.

But conflicts are inevitable. The idea is not to try to prevent them completely but to resolve and manage them effectively. When people use appropriate strategies to address issues, they’re able to keep their differences from getting out of hand.

“Establishing conflict management processes in a company is fundamental, as it helps reduce conflict instances among employees,'' says Casper Hansen, an expert in resume writing from Resume That Works.

Below is a step-by-step process to help you manage and resolve conflict in the workplace.

4. Have a private and honest meeting.

Before trying to resolve any issue, find a safe, private, and neutral place to talk so that all parties involved feel free to participate in an open and honest discussion. Don’t choose the office of either party or a location near them.

Establish a positive and assertive approach. If necessary, set ground rules. Ensure that each side gets enough time to express their views — and feelings — regarding the matter. Creating time for people to publicly acknowledge hurt or anger can help them feel heard.

Then, get both parties to agree on what the issue is. Obtain as much information as possible on each side’s outlook. Continue asking questions until you’re confident that all the conflicting parties are on the same page.

5. Determine a goal and develop a plan.

Employees will find it easier to interact with one another if they realize that they have a common goal. Once that’s established, both parties should collaborate to develop a solution for the problem.

People approach conflict in various ways. A person may have one or more methods they prefer and use regularly. The Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) is a psychological tool used to measure an individual’s inclination towards a specific method of handling conflict.

These are the five conflict resolution strategies from TKI.

• Avoiding: Someone ignores the conflict or withdraws from it in hopes it will resolve itself or die down eventually. Oftentimes, this strategy is used when the discomfort of confrontation overshadows the potential reward of resolving the conflict.

• Competing: An individual resolves a conflict by asserting their own interests and “winning” at the expense of the other party. It only works in situations that are not amenable to collaboration.

• Accommodating: One party sacrifices their own concerns to meet the needs of the other party. This approach can appear to be a gracious way to concede, but it may also lead to unresolved issues if used excessively to maintain peace or avoid conflict.

• Collaborating: This strategy involves working together to find a solution that meets the needs of all parties involved. This style is most effective when there is a need to find a mutually beneficial solution that requires a high degree of coordination.

• Compromising: Parties that compromise are each willing to sacrifice something in order to reach an agreement. It’s the middle ground between competing and collaborating. In this strategy, every party gives up a bit of what they want and no one gets everything they want.