The workplace is sometimes host to considerable tension among employees, an often-difficult situation for superiors to manage. Jacynthe Dicaire, CHRA and member of the Quebec Institute of Mediation and Arbitration, offers us solutions to regaining that healthy work environment.
What role should the manager play in workplace conflict resolution?
To better support their employees, managers have every reason to question their roles in the situation. They are the first people employees come to for help, but they will often not be aware that there is a conflict, or try to minimize it by saying that it is normal.
Being aware that a problem exists is the first step to solving it. But some managers are convinced that all is well even if there are clear warning signs, such as high turnover and absenteeism rates, lower profits than average or little employee engagement. Managers must also show consistency between what they say and what they do, because they act as role models.
Are some conflicts harder to resolve than others?
Determining the cause of conflict is sometimes difficult. Conflicts of values take longer to resolve, considering values are beliefs ingrained in people. Conflicts of needs are easier to understand, and therefore faster to resolve.
What can managers do to end conflict?
In general, they have the skills to go at it alone. By listening to individual workers and understanding their needs and expectations, a manager can use this information to work towards resolving the issue. The more the manager is involved in listening to employees, the more the working atmosphere will be good!
It is important to listen without giving advice, without taking sides with one or the other party and without making judgments. We must also show transparency and admit our own mistakes.
Is failure sometimes unavoidable, despite the manager’s best efforts?
There is no magic recipe with human beings. Sometimes, it is good to test out several approaches, but maybe none of them will work. There will always be some conflicts that simply cannot be resolved, particularly when they involve workers with difficult personalities. Occasionally, resigning becomes inevitable.
What are the advantages of calling upon a mediation professional like yourself?
When cliques begin forming in an organization and people are no longer speaking to each other, a third party coming in from the outside can be a neutral point of reference in the situation. This is a worthwhile investment for a company, because the lack of employee motivation to work well together comes at a high cost!
How do you bring peace between employees?
Holding individual meetings with employees allows them to pay attention. The idea is to seek everyone's interest in reaching an agreement.
When the conflict involves only two or three people and has not lasted for years, two or three meetings should suffice. If communication is broken, it takes about four or five meetings to rectify the damage. For group conflicts, it may take several months to change the ways of thinking and behaviours of employees. We will work on the annoyances, of course, but also on facing fears and accepting change, and help employees ultimately communicate better.