Northwest Staffing Blog

As a staffing firm serving employers in Everett and Seattle, we’ve seen how conflict in the workplace can be incredibly destructive. It is therefore critical that you intervene immediately at the first sign of it. Here are some tips for successful conflict resolution:

Don’t wish and hope the conflict will go away on it’s own.
Even when conflicts appear superficial, you need to deal with them immediately. An unresolved conflict can fester and lead to negative results for your company as a whole if not dealt with properly.

Meet with all parties involved in the conflict at once.
Meet with everyone together. Let each person explain the issue from their point of view, without commenting or interrupting them. However, do intervene if the employees start attacking each other.

Brainstorm solutions.
Listen carefully and brainstorm possible solutions to the problem. Go around the room and ask the people involved what they would like to see done to resolve the issue.

Don’t take sides, though. Tell the employees that you expect them to resolve the conflicts proactively as adults. If they are unwilling to do so, explain that you will be forced to take disciplinary action that can lead to dismissal for both parties.

Help to negotiate a solution.
At this point, both sides may better understand the position of the other, and an acceptable solution may be clear to all. If that’s the case, then be sure to set up a time in the near future to review the progress of the negotiated solution.

Mediating a conflict is challenging, but if not handled effectively, the results can be damaging. Teams break down and talent and time are wasted as people disengage. But by taking an immediate and pro-active approach, conflicts can oftentimes be resolved quickly and effectively.