Overlooking conflict among office personnel is like disregarding a strange noise from your vehicle engine – ignore it at your peril.
Office relationships can spiral out of control when your employees simply aren’t on the same wavelength. Fortunately, an effective communicator can restore order among the staff.
Unfortunately, this responsibility rests with the person at the top. Managing office politics may be difficult, but it’s crucial to averting chaos when negative emotions impact the workplace.
Hold open discussions
The first step is to mediate the dispute immediately to prevent the conflict from infecting the whole office. In order to lift office morale and restore productivity, the innovative business owner will resolve discord through holding open discussions and then committing to solutions.
Treat the proceedings like a court trial, in which the evidence and statements are evaluated in an impartial way. Having an outside adviser to referee the process may lend a necessary air of authority to the proceedings.
Generally, this proactive approach commands respect and generates positive feelings. While some employees may disagree with the final decision, they will appreciate the opportunity to present their case.
What’s best for the organization?
Your role is to resolve the conflict for the greater good. Instead of siding with one employee over another, you need to be clearly on the side of doing what’s best for the organization, just as your employees should be.
Conflicts can destroy the office camaraderie needed to achieve your corporate vision. By resolving them, you’ll once again focus your employees’ attention on common goals.
