The Importance of Developing Effective Conflict Resolution Strategies

Tension and disagreements at work are a fact of life but can impair productivity. Therefore, developing effective conflict resolution strategies is crucial. The destructive potential of unresolved conflict should never be ignored. Unless handled promptly and effectively, it can result in ongoing disputes, bad decisions, harassment and bullying. Teamwork and projects can be disrupted, and morale deteriorates, often leading to high levels of absenteeism and excessive staff turnover.

Conflict is of two types:

• Personality-based: These involve clashes between individuals due to stress, anger or frustration.

• Process-based: In these instances, the cause is more tangible. For example, a dispute may be task-related or the result of poor leadership decisions.

The following are among the most common causes of workplace conflict:

• Unclear responsibilities: Some team members become resentful because they feel they work harder than others who they perceive have fewer responsibilities.

• Differing priorities: Conflict can occur when workers are held up due to the people they rely on having other priorities like pursuing personal or organisational goals rather than departmental ones.

• Inadequate resources: Insufficient time, materials or skills to complete assigned tasks inevitably leads to frustration and, eventually, indifference.

Some Typical Conflict Resolution Strategies

Resolving workplace conflict requires patience, impartiality, emotional intelligence, open communication and active listening, qualities that are more easily exercised by a neutral third party. Whether tackled internally or by an organisational development specialist, the process should include the following six steps:

1. Investigate the situation: One cannot hope to solve a problem without determining its cause, so effective conflict resolution strategies must start by questioning personnel about their grievances and objectively analysing their replies to find what’s troubling those in conflict and what they believe to be the cause. Hearing and ensuring you understand everyone’s views is vital.

2. Find common ground: Identifying some goal that all parties wish to achieve will create the sense of unity essential to promote harmony and cooperation and to encourage those involved to look beyond their differences for the benefit of all.

3. Discuss possible solutions: The mediator should not attempt to impose solutions but encourage employees to suggest some potential remedies. Having previously found common ground, they should now find it easier to debate these between them and modify them as necessary.

4. Establish an agreed solution: The previous step will invariably produce several possible conflict resolution strategies. In this step, the participants must be encouraged to express their preferences and concerns through open dialogue and compromise to achieve consensus.

5. Allocate responsibility: For the chosen solution to work, everyone must understand and be prepared for their role in its implementation. Allocating roles to those best qualified to perform them will put an end to previous finger-pointing and encourage a new paradigm based on collaborative problem-solving.

6. Follow up: Even the best plans sometimes prove imperfect. Maintaining an efficient, productive operation and ensuring employees remain well-informed, sufficiently skilled and have the resources and support they need to succeed requires constantly monitoring the workplace and amending these strategies as necessary.

If your company is experiencing problems with discontented staff and poor performance, the Orgro team of industrial psychologists, psychometrists and business specialists can help. Contact us for professional services to develop effective conflict resolution strategies and realise your full performance potential.