Three Effective Tips to Manage Employee Conflict

Differing points of view add to a well-rounded workforce. However, it’s inevitable that employees will disagree and argue from time to time. It’s the nature of different people from different backgrounds working together under the same roof. So when your employees aren’t getting along, what should you do?

Three ways to manage employee disagreements

As their manager, you can and should step in and help your workers take steps to move past their conflicts. Just follow these three steps:

1. Get both sides of the story. Try to act as an impartial third party and find out what happened. Schedule time to speak with each employee individually. Keep an open mind and, based on employees’ accounts, try to gain a clear understanding of the situation. Keep your ears open for signs that point to harassment or discrimination, as this is a larger problem. If it’s a pretty clean-cut matter of he-said /she-said, you can take steps on your own to work with the employees and solve the issue. Otherwise, you’ll need to involve Human Resources.
2. Talk to employees together. Once you’ve met with them separately, have a meeting to talk to both employees together. Explain the importance of respecting other people’s points of view and that you want to help them reach a solution they can both agree with. Help your workers talk through the situation, see each other’s side and come to an agreement.
3. Act quickly. Whenever employee conflict arises, take care of it ASAP. You don’t want to let things escalate, as they can lead to negativity, decreased productivity, and difficulty for other employees not involved in the argument.

Be a little strict

Once the employees involved in the conflict agree to a solution, hold them to it. If the argument comes up again, pull the employees aside to discuss and understand the situation. Remind them of the solution previously agreed to. Don’t be afraid to take disciplinary action if you need to—it will help protect the work environment for the rest of your staff.

Looking to staff up?

You can help your workforce diminish conflict by getting the right workers in place. And a staffing agency can help. With thorough screening, you’ll get highly qualified staff who fit your company culture. To learn more, reach out to the staffing experts at Inter-Connect.