The Institute for Conflict Management

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Conflict Resolution in the Workplace

Conflict resolution at the workplaceLinks to an external site. is broken down into several steps to simplify the procedure. Executing the steps will make it easier to identify problems, find possible solutions, and come up with an effective plan to resolve the problem. It is important for managers to put their ideas into action. This will help them build positive relationships with coworkers. By doing this, managers can guarantee an effective conflict resolution strategy and improved communication at work.

Step one - Setting the Goals:

Before beginning the conflict resolution planning process, make a list of goals that you want to accomplish during your period of management (the term does not have to be daily or weekly). Provide a time frame for each goal, which will help your managers keep everyone on track as they move through the various steps of developing a plan to achieve these goals. Identify the areas within the workplace that are experiencing issues that could cause an issue and set short-term goals to address these issues. It is also important to include an action plan with these goals to keep everyone accountable.

Step two - Assessing the Needs:

As part of resolving interpersonal conflicts at the workplace, it is important to assess the needs of your employees to ensure there is a balance of communication and cooperation. It is important for managers to have an understanding of their staff. For example, an IT manager might call an IT technician to troubleshoot a software issue or to attend to a technical issue that was affecting production.

Step three - Developing a Plan:

Now that you know what the situation is, develop a plan to address it. You may decide that it is in the best interest of individual departments to try to work out their differences without involving the others. It is also possible that some individuals within a department may need to be fired or moved to a different department altogether. In these circumstances, it is important to consider any potential implementing techniques that could be implemented to resolve this conflict resolution problem.

Step four - Controlling the Process:

Once you have developed a plan for resolving a particular conflict, put all parties involved in control of how the resolution takes place. If the parties involved must sign a binding agreement, document the terms so that no one can later claim that they had an improper role in the process. Also include a confidentiality agreement regarding who would be held responsible if there are any complaints about the effectiveness of the Conflict resolution process or about the results of it. This documentation can also be included on the CPI (Computer Information Policy) for reference in future situations.

Step five - Setting the Stage for Success:

Set up a meeting with your team to discuss ways that the Conflict resolution should go down and what will be the best way to implement the results. It is also good to begin implementing the changes once the groups have reviewed and agreed upon the common goal. You will be surprised to see just how quickly change can bring about positive results. Just keep in mind that it is important not to make changes that would increase the stress level of your staff. In addition, if you make changes, make sure that they benefit everyone.