We may ever face conflict at some point in our day, whether professionally and personally. Thus, conflict at work may occur anytime without anticipated.

Every workplace will eventually face some conflicts. Recent research indicates that 85% of workers experience some form of workplace conflict.

However, the most significant ones are often based on opinion differences. The workplace is rife with conflict. Then we should prepare to deal with it.

Here are some tips on how you and your employees can best handle workplace conflict.

Find The Root Cause Of The Problem

The first step in resolving conflict is clarifying its source. Getting to the root of the issue will help you understand how it began.

Don’t make assumptions about the conflict or play with the rumors. It is possible to blame an issue at a specific point without discussing the cause of the problem.

Ensure you obtain as much information as possible on each side’s outlook. Continue asking questions until you are confident that all the conflicting parties understand the issue.

Catch The Conflict Early

When a conflict arises among your team members, take immediate action. Instead of trying to avoid the clash, you better meet it head-on.

As a manager, don’t wait too long before addressing a brewing office spat. According to the interview on Financial Management Magazine, Alex Efthymiades, director and co-founder of Consensio, a London-based consulting firm focused said;

“Nipping things in the bud is incredibly important because if you don’t, the conflict will escalate and grow and turn into something very unmanageable,”

Creating an open and pleasant environment are essential. As a result, employees can speak up if they’re concerned about any issues.

Focus On The Problem, Not The Person

Another helpful tip for conflict resolution is to describe the issue. By not generalizing the problem, it can be easier to solve.

Focusing on each member’s personality can increase the chance of a toxic atmosphere. If it’s happened, it only ruins the conflict resolution you are already working on.

Avoid your preconceived attitudes about individuals. This behavior does not mean they do not have a legitimate obstacle.

Focus on identifying and resolving the conflict. If you can identify the issue, you can move on to fixing it.

Try To Listen

Every conflict has sides. Before deciding how to resolve a dispute, We have to listen carefully to each party’s argument.

Listening is more than just hearing. It is about giving your undivided attention to the person speaking and not interrupting until they are done.

Let both sides speak freely, without being interrupted by the others involved. Be attentive to their words and try to think how they think and feel how they feel.

Ask questions to make sure you understood what they meant to say and not just what you thought they were saying.

Active listening is critically essential to proper conflict resolution. We all like to feel like we’ve been heard.

Learn To Forgive

Confessing the mistake is the best first step. A sincere apology can erase your sorrow. If you were doing it just as a formality, it could lead to deeply held grudges that can only grow worse over time.

At the end of the day, conflicts will be something that every workplace will have to deal with at some point or another. If you have issues with your employers, you must keep searching for solutions and alleviate them soon. 

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Sources:

FM Magazines

The Myers Briggs