The number of tribunals is rising - at considerable cost to employers. But most conflicts can be resolved before they escalate.

Author: James Bradley, work-life services director, Employee Advisory Resource

Topic: Conflict resolution

OVERVIEW

• Conflict at work might go overlooked on the football pitch but the average employer simply cannot afford to turn a blind eye. According to a recent report by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) on managing conflict at work, the average cost associated with an employment tribunal claim comes to almost £20,000 per employing organisation each year, with employers spending an average of 15 days management time dealing with a claim.

• In 2007 the number of tribunals in the UK rose by more than 17,500, compared with the previous year, many of these claims would have been avoidable if the issues are dealt with and handled in the right way. 

• Organisations need to think about how their managers are managing conflicts and difficult relationships in the workplace. When managers are not given skills to resolve issues, they may bury their head in the sand hoping that the situation will disappear, but that is how problems escalate. The benefits of being proactive about conflict management are huge, with organisations who provide mediation skills training to manage conflict, receiving fewer employment tribunal cases than those that do not.

• Conflict will always arise within the workplace, it's a fact of life, but it's how you manage it that will determine the effect that the conflict will have on your organisation. It's important that managers are provided with the skills needed to resolve issues, as there are real benefits in ensuring employees have the necessary skills to effectively manage conflict and difficult relationships effectively.

WHEN TO USE THIS GUIDE

• When change is occurring in the business.
• When two (or more) workers don’t get on.
• When there is a grievance in the team against a manager or a colleague.
• When there is a lack of trust within the team.
• When there is no cooperation between groups of employees and management. 
• When reviewing the workplace culture.

10-STEP ACTION PLAN
 
1. Don’t expect individuals to manage people or situations without adequate training

Managing conflict in the workplace is not an easy task and all managers should have some level of training in this area. Training in conflict resolution can help managers to effectively manage the process, enabling them to identify the nature of a conflict and prevent situations escalating out of control, that could otherwise end in a tribunal.

2. Recognise the signs of conflict

Some of the signs may be more obvious than others, for example you may witness a heated exchange or an argument. Whereas others may be more subtle and less easy to spot, you may notice that a team member is no longer engaged, their motivation and enthusiasm levels drop, they may be less productive, not get involved in team activities or have time off due to sickness. Keeping the channels of communication open can make these signs easy to spot at an early stage before conflict gets out of hand.

3. Identify the cause of the conflict

There are various issues that can cause conflict between individuals and groups at work and these can range from bullying, an increase in workload, poor management, unfair treatment, lack of training and change, to name but a few. Conflict is sometimes caused by a deeper routed problem. You need to establish what the ‘real’ issue is and what the individual sees as an ideal resolution.

4. Be aware of the team dynamics

Everyone reacts differently in situations. Be conscious of how individuals in the team react in different situations, especially change and increased pressure, within the working environment. Knowing how to effectively communicate information to them, taking into account individual personalities and more importantly their sensibilities, will help build trust and should prevent heated conflict.

5. Don't ignore the problem, take responsibility

Failure to deal with a problem can project the image that the behavior is acceptable, you must deal with situations when they arise, and ensure that employees know that any concerns that they have will be taken seriously.

6. Offer support and advice

Make sure that employees know where they can go if they have a problem, be available to talk and listen. Also let them know what support is available – you might have an HR surgery where employees can pop in to discuss problems or ask questions, or offer access to an employee helpline.

7. Get support and advice

If you are struggling to manage a difficult situation or you are emotionally involved in the conflict, turn to your boss or a colleague. Alternatively think about the other procedures you have in place, such as access to information about managing conflict and access to the employee helpline.

8. Preventing conflict

It's important, especially after conflict has occurred, to prevent future conflicts within the workplace. Introduce formal procedures explaining and communicating your plans to employees to make them feel involved, this can also be achieved through consultation. 

Work together with the team to develop trust between management and employees. Build relationships with employees and be responsive to their personal and career needs and development opportunities, treat the team fairly and value employees.

FOR MORE INFORMATION 

Employee Advisory Resource
Contact: Tim Cuthell
T: 0800 027 4939
E: assistance@ear.co.uk
www.ear.co.uk

ADDRESS:

Building 10
Chiswick Park
566 Chiswick High Road
London
W4 5YB

About Employee Advisory Resource

Employee Advisory Resource introduced the UK’s first EAP in 1981. This new concept established the provision of specialist information services and telephone and face-to-face counselling for organisations to offer to their employees. Since that time, Employee Advisory Resource has developed and enhanced its services to become one of the leading providers of EAPs in the UK and across the world.

Employee Advisory Resource has over 25 years’ experience of providing work-life solutions, advice and support to staff who want to make a change in their working and domestic lives. Life happens – EAR helps. 

Currently, Employee Advisory Resource experts are advising more than 300,000 employees on a wide range of work and personal issues, helping to find solutions that enable them to be focused and productive in their work.