Regardless of the type of business, all workplaces have the potential for conflict to arise between employees. Workplace conflict can be caused by creative differences, miscommunication, and personality clashes, among other factors. In some cases, it becomes necessary for such disputes to be resolved by the company’s human resources (HR) department. Today we’ll take a look at some fundamental principles of conflict resolution for aspiring HR professionals.
When Should HR Become Involved in Workplace Conflict?
Disagreements between employees are common, and in the vast majority of cases there is no need for HR to become involved in mediating them. However, there are some circumstances where HR needs to step in. Some clear signs that intervention by HR is needed include:
- A disagreement becoming severe enough that it has an ongoing impact on the mood or job performance of the employees involved
- A dispute turning “personal,” with employees abandoning proper standards of professional respect and decorum and resorting to name-calling or insults
- A disagreement having a negative impact on the morale of other employees besides those directly involved in the conflict and reducing the overall productivity and effectiveness of the workplace team
Resolving Conflicts in HR Jobs
Providing a Neutral Point of View
Sometimes, disagreements over relatively unimportant things can disproportionately escalate because people’s emotions and egos come into play. “Winning” the dispute may become important not so much because of whatever the dispute was actually about but because an employee feels disrespected by a colleague or feels they cannot back down from the dispute without looking foolish.
With this in mind, it’s imperative that HR provides a neutral perspective in conflict resolution – not just neutral in the sense of being unbiased, but also emotionally neutral, rationally focused on the facts of the conflict rather than any emotional “baggage” that it carries with it in the minds of the employees.
Facilitating Communication
If you’re an HR professional and it’s becoming necessary for you to help resolve a conflict in the workplace, you’ll often find that successfully resolving disputes comes down to clearing the air and finding common ground.
To help this happen, HR professionals should sit down with both parties in a conflict and invite them to explain their point of view. Encourage them to express themselves with “I” statements rather than “you” statements – avoiding making accusations and keeping the focus on specific issues rather than personalities.
After hearing from both sides of the dispute, the HR professional should then summarize the conflict as they understand it and get agreement from both parties that this understanding of the conflict is accurate. Once everyone agrees about the nature of the problem, you can move on to resolving it.
Finding a Solution
After coming to an understanding about the nature of the conflict, invite the parties to join you in brainstorming possible solutions. It’s important to avoid simply dictating a resolution to the conflict if at all possible, because this is more likely to create feelings that HR has “taken sides” and makes the employees less like to “buy in” to the solution.
In most cases, the best workable solution will be some sort of compromise – and getting the employees to compromise may be easier than you would expect. Most people do not enjoy conflict in the workplace, and when presented with a way out that will allow them to get back to work in peace, they will take it, even if it doesn’t mean getting their way in every particular.
Applying Company Policies
When you need to become involved in a workplace dispute as an HR professional, it’s important to make sure that you consider and apply any official company policies relevant to the matter. Adhering closely to existing written policies helps prevent employees from feeling that they were treated unfairly or that HR has made an arbitrary decision.
If, after investigating the dispute, you find that an employee’s behavior warrants disciplinary action under company policies, you should carry it out. This isn’t to say that there’s no room for judgment calls or considering extenuating circumstances. However, you should keep in mind that setting aside established policies runs the risk of creating a precedent (making other employees believe they can ignore policy) and can also contribute to perceptions of unfairness or favoritism if policies are not applied consistently and equally.
How to Get Jobs in Human Resources
Modern businesses rely on HR professionals in many ways. One of the most important duties of HR professionals is to mediate conflicts in the workplace. If the idea of a career helping to make workplaces function better appeals to you, then consider starting an HR career by enrolling in the Associate of Science in Human Resource management program at Interactive College of Technology. You’ll get real-world experience with a 135-hour externship and have access to valuable certifications that have the potential to fast-track your career. Want to know more? Contact us today for further info.
