In the perfect workplace, every employee and every manager would get along perfectly. In fact, there would never be conflicts of any kind. No one would steal anyone else’s lunch from the office refrigerator, no one would ever bring up politics, and no one would ever create a hostile work environment. Unfortunately, those workplaces are few and far between. Most will have a diverse range of personalities that inevitably come in conflict with one another. It’s also why, on average, managers spend 25% to 40% of their time dealing with workplace conflicts, amounting to one or two days of every work week. To avoid any conflicts escalating to messy employment disputes that lead to turnover, wasted productivity, or even a lawsuit against your company, know these strategies for handling workplace disputes like a professional mediator.
- Be Proactive With HR Initiatives The time for tackling disputes is well-before an employee files a lawsuit against the company, not in the wake of legal troubles. Use your human resources department wisely by consulting with them often and working to create proactive programs to efficiently prevent conflict. We’ve found that common Baltimore employment disputes can be avoided by taking initiatives like hiring a keynote speaker to discuss cultural sensitivity or participating in mediation training. By hiring a keynote speaker, you can give your employees the opportunity to hear a professional, outside opinion on how the company can function. In addition, ongoing manager training can give company leaders the tools to successfully defuse complex interpersonal disputes.
- Treat Everyone With Respect Employment disputes often arise because employees feel mistreated by management and the company. However, you don’t need our Baltimore mediators to tell you that employers should never yell, insult, intimidate, or bully employees in any way. Any of these behaviors can be ground for employees to file charges against a company. Even if these guidelines are obvious to most, employers also need to give employees common courtesies. Practice active listening and open communication, especially about decisions that impact them. If you create excellent relationships with each employee, they will be less likely to sue in the case of any disputes.
- Practice Fairness And Objectivity As you spend the majority of your week with your employees and colleagues, you will of course develop friendships with some over others. While the opportunity to create personal relationships with those your work with is wonderful, any manager or employer needs to avoid showing favoritism and bias. Whether or not you are personally friends with every employee, you need to treat them all fairly. Make sure that every company decision can be objectively justified and doesn’t benefit certain employees over others.
Maintaining a peaceful and productive workplace can be a challenge. With the right tools, you can resolve conflicts peacefully, keep every employee satisfied, and protect the company against potential liabilities.