Employee conflict in the workplace can have significant damaging effects on your business. Not only can it make the environment more challenging to be in, but it can also hurt productivity, attendance, and profitability. The longer a workplace remains in a toxic state, the more difficult it is to reverse course.
By resolving to solve employee conflict issues as soon as possible, you can get your business back on track in time for the New Year. To help you take advantage of this perfect time to start anew, here are some tips to make workplace conflict a thing of the past.
Lead by Example
Your employees will not respect your position on employee conflict if you are unable to adhere to your own principles. Conflict management can be mitigated by setting a proper example of what is and is not acceptable. Don’t hold employees to standards that you are not willing to maintain yourself.
Act Early
It is easier to manage workplace conflicts when they are addressed early. The longer an issue is allowed to fester, the more entrenched it can become in your business’ culture. Over time, a problem between two people will grow to involve more employees. As word of the issue spreads, some employees will naturally choose sides, expanding the issue into other areas.
As tension mounts, you may find some of your employees choosing to leave the company instead of tolerating the situation. Many of your top talents can find work with other businesses in your industry and may exercise that ability if the workplace becomes unbearable.
Create a plan to manage conflicts as they arise. This can include mediation with supervisors or members of human resources, additional training on conflict management in the workplace, as well as disciplinary actions if necessary. Regardless of the content of the plan, it is important for it to be clearly defined and readily available to those working for your business. Maintaining a standard with clear expectations and consequences can alleviate any confusion regarding what will or won’t be tolerated.
Be Decisive
While a conflict may not resolve overnight, it is appropriate to set clear boundaries and expectations regarding employee behavior. However, you can’t solely rely on these rules if you aren’t willing to follow through with appropriate consequences should they be broken.
Create a disciplinary plan regarding how issues will be addressed if employees are not willing to work with the new program. Give them an opportunity to succeed, but also be willing to make the tough calls should someone repeatedly fail to align with the new workplace standards.
At times, the best course of action – after other corrective measures have been tried – is to release a problem employee from their position. While this may not be an appropriate first step, it can be necessary if an employee repeatedly ignores the new standards and any attempts to correct the behavior.
Again, if managed early, the damage to the rest of the business may be minimal, allowing you to bring in a new employee that promotes an ideal work environment.
If you think now is the right time to bring on someone new, the professionals at Advance Staffing Solutions have the knowledge you need to find the best fit for all of your new conflict-free workplace. Contact Advance Staffing Solutions today and see what they can do for your business.