Though workplace conflict may be unavoidable, the ways in which it’s addressed can have long-term impacts on an organization’s culture, engagement, reputation, and productivity. In EVERFI’s recent webinar in partnership with HR.com, From Tension to Teamwork: Addressing Conflicts in Today’s Workplaces, we tackled how HR leaders can effectively navigate the different kinds of conflict. The event was led by two subject matter experts: Elizabeth Bille, Executive Vice President and General Manager of EVERFI Workplace Training, and Mark Vickers, Chief Research Analyst and Data Wrangler at the HR Research Institute at HR.com. Here are some key takeaways from that discussion:
1. Not all Conflict is Inherently Bad
Workplace conflict is any disagreement or difference in ideas or approaches that impacts work. Conflict is to be expected since workplaces are made up of people with a variety of personalities, ideas, and backgrounds. Those differences, when expressed in a respectful and constructive way, can spur innovation and therefore should be embraced. Examples may include suggesting a different approach to tackle a project, asking questions, and raising legitimate concerns. Positive and healthy conflict can boost productivity and overall morale enabling growth due to the sharing of new ideas, prevent a lack of organizational growth due to observing the status quo. It’s unhealthy conflict that HR leaders should keep an eye out for, and they need to be mindful of warning signs to avoid escalation.
2. Build Awareness about Employee Differences
Just as employee differences can positively benefit an organization, it’s important to recognize when differences can lead to unhealthy conflict. This includes misunderstandings about different cultural practices, personality clashes, varying communication styles, even generational differences. Anything from simple misunderstandings to deliberate harassment can cause hostility and friction. Assumptions related to differences, and expecting the worst about someone’s intentions, can impede resolution. An attempt to see the most respectful interpretation of one’s intent is key here. HR leaders and supervisors have a role to play in building awareness about employee differences, which could involve inclusion training to remind employees of how to navigate an organization representative of a variety of backgrounds and perspectives.
3. Monitor the Warning Signs and Critical Impacts of Conflict
Negative conflict can impact not just individual well-being, but the health of a business as a whole. These effects can include productivity dips, disengagement, absences, turnover, and more. A conflict may also lead to legal claims against an organization, which can result in reputational risk and have damaging, lasting effects. As a result, it’s critical that managers and leaders understand the different ways in which negative impacts can manifest and why they’re occurring in the first place to unlock the root of an issue.
4. Managers Should Lead by Example
Team leaders play a critical role in reducing unhealthy conflict by laying the groundwork for positive interaction and addressing issues in an appropriate manner. This includes structuring team meetings to reduce tension and foster dialogue. Managers should immediately address behavior that’s inappropriate and also take accountability for their own missteps. Finally, they should promote shared responsibility for constructive conversations and the role that individuals play in fostering a positive corporate culture overall. The webinar includes a number of specific tactics shared for each of these areas, and attendees worked through a robust, realistic scenario with many conflicts involved.
Reduce Conflict with Workplace Training
Training can play a critical role in lessening unhealthy conflict by helping employees understand differences, have respectful interactions at work, and identify harassing and other inappropriate behavior at the source. This can help them to change their own behaviors, address the actions of others, and contribute to a positive workplace. EVERFI’s workplace training offers courses spanning topics like preventing harassment and discrimination, workplace violence prevention, inclusion, and bystander intervention that have positive framing, are engaging, and promote safe and inclusive workplaces. Learn more about how EVERFI’s courses can help you achieve your goals by clicking here.
Interested in watching the full webinar? Click here to gain access to the on-demand recording.