The ‘root’ to resolving workplace conflict - an insight into our process

The root to resolving workplace conflict

Every first phone call we receive from a client organisation paints an individual problem scenario of workplace conflict. And while there are unique aspects to each situation, many will share common themes that help guide us along the appropriate route to resolution and closure for all stakeholders.

A return to work clouded in anxieties, interpersonal clashes within a whole team, an under performing manager - all of these could be perceived as being ripe for mediation. But conflict has roots, often buried beneath the surface, which can make an immediately obvious solution hard to spot.

Mapping the conflict picture

The key is to try and map the ‘conflict picture’, complete with roots and branches, to indicate which interventions will work most effectively and in which order. We also look at risks (such as imminence of a grievance being raised or a person leaving) and what is the end goal we want to reach. This isn't to say that all workplace conflict can be ‘solved’ in a scientific manner - we’re dealing with people here - but it certainly helps gain a handle on the situation.

For example, if there is a fallout within a group of employees, it is worth examining whether there is a line management issue underneath, or perhaps a hotspot between two individuals that is causing others to take sides. Informal one-to-ones with each member of the team can go a long way to making everyone’s concerns feel heard and to pinpoint the conflict anchor.

By taking things a level deeper, it may become obvious that conducting a group mediation ‘cold’ might not be the best approach; it could be better to mediate between two people at the centre, and/or provide some coaching or training for the manager to take ownership of their team’s respectful co-worker behaviour. When all the pieces are in place, in the right order, the situation can be brought to a close for everyone to move forward.

In this way, mediation becomes one of many tools available to employ at the appropriate time. Training, either before or after a conflict situation, is very effective in moving towards a culture where tensions are addressed early (and therefore do not require costly time and resource to handle), and where mediations and investigations are carried out by competent internal individuals.

We have over 20 years expertise in helping organisations with workplace mediation, investigations and training, using our network of UK wide specialists. If you have any conflict questions, or a current case or would like to speak to us about, we’d be happy to hear from you. Contact us at information@peopleresolutions.com