This article shares our experiences and good practices on conflict management and resolution in the workplace. The author Aleksis Nokso-Koivisto specialises in teamwork and interaction development. Nokso-Koivisto is an experienced manager who is familiar with the subject in many environments. He has long experience as a CEO and a workplace consultant, in the world of theatre and in his spare time he works as a group facilitator for relationship courses. Aleksis's strength lies in condensing theoretical perspectives into practical lessons.

Conflicts exist in the workplace and take up to 40% of managers' time

Workplace conflicts are inevitable and exist in all workplaces. They are also one of the biggest obstacles to productivity and employee well-being. Up to 20-40% of managers' time can be spent dealing with conflict. Effective conflict resolution can significantly improve the functioning and performance of the workplace and contribute to employee satisfaction.

Different types of conflicts

Before resolving conflicts, it is good to understand why they arise in the workplace in the first place.

Work-life expert Amy Gallo divides conflicts into four types: 

1. A status conflict arises when there is confusion about who is responsible. This can be due to a lack of clarity about the division of responsibilities or because a person feels entitled to lead instead of another.
2. In a task conflict, colleagues disagree about what should be done or do not agree on the goal of the job.
3. Process conflict is similar to task conflict, but it involves disagreements about how a project or task should be carried out. For example, team members may disagree on whether a decision should be made collectively as a group or whether it should be an individual's responsibility. Another example of a process conflict is when someone wants to use hardball with a client, while another advocates compromise.
4. In a relationship conflict, personal feelings play a significant role. Emotions can be expressed, for example, by scolding a colleague or raising one's voice. The parties may also experience a lack of respect.

Source Amy Gallo: Harvard Business Review Guide to Managing Conflict at Work, 2017.

Identifying conflicts

Workplace conflicts often start unnoticed, and identifying them early can prevent bigger problems. The most typical conflict situations in the workplace are presented below. Recognising these can help prevent and intervene in time.

Typical conflict situations:

• Resource sharing: conflict can arise when team members compete for limited resources, such as budget, equipment or even visibility of the project.
• Overlapping roles: unclear responsibilities can lead to more than one person feeling responsible for the same task, which can cause conflicts.
• Priority disagreements: employees may disagree on which task or project should be given priority. This can lead to conflicts, especially when it comes to resource allocation.
• Clashes of working styles: different working styles can cause friction, for example when one person values tight deadlines and another values creative flexibility.
• Communication problems: misunderstandings or poor communication can lead to frustration and conflict, especially in multicultural teams where language or cultural barriers can affect understanding.
• Resistance to change: organisational change, such as new policies or system changes, can provoke resistance and conflict among staff.
• Conflicts over promotions and pay rises: competition for promotion opportunities can cause jealousy and rivalry between employees.

How to resolve conflicts in the workplace in a constructive way

Conflict resolution usually takes place in two parts. First, you need to understand the underlying causes. It is usually good practice to talk first to the various parties and possibly others involved. Sometimes the conflict starts to resolve itself at this stage and there may not even be a need for active resolution in the form of mediation. The second part consists of discussing the conflict together. Let us now look at these elements.

 

Conflict resolution part 1: understanding the causes

Here are ways to understand the roots and dynamics of conflict.

A key role is played by face-to-face discussions with the parties. It is often fruitful to start by holding one-to-one meetings. The aim is to create a safe environment in which the parties can express their concerns and perspectives. Focus on listening openly and actively without forming preconceived ideas.

Ask more specific questions to better understand what factors the parties think have led to the conflict. The underlying causes may include communication problems, role ambiguity or work pressure. Use open questions and do not yet present solutions or your own views.

The discussions will help you understand the background to the conflict. Explore past events and situations that may have exacerbated or contributed to the current conflict. This may include looking at emails, notes or calendars.

Look for patterns or recurring themes that may point to deeper problems, such as power struggles, lack of resources or conflicts over values. This will help to identify the real core of the conflict, which may not even be recognised by the parties themselves.

Conflict resolution part 2: joint handling

Organise a joint meeting with the parties to the conflict. 

1. Getting started

Start the discussion by explaining why we are meeting and with some positive comments or praise for the parties: it is usually about everyone trying to do good, but in different ways. Explain that the initial aim is to understand the perspectives of the different sides, and only later will we move towards solutions. You can also point out that the aim is to find solutions, not to find fault.

Use a lot of "I" messages, such as "I've noticed", "I feel" or "It's important to me". This reduces the need to be defensive and builds a more open conversation.

2. Debate and listening

Take advantage of active listening: listen carefully to each speaker and repeat what they say if necessary to make sure you have understood correctly. Demonstrate your understanding of their experience and pay attention not only to words but also to non-verbal communication. Make sure everyone feels heard and valued.

Don't rush to find a solution. It is essential to understand the different perspectives of the parties and their underlying needs.

3. Summary for greater consensus

You can summarise and try to bring out the different points of view in a positive way. For example, you could use a breakdown like this:

• Observations: what the party concerned has observed happening or how others have acted.
• Emotions: what emotions this has aroused. In a work environment, you can use relatively mild emotional words, such as annoyed, offended or left out, depending on the situation. 
• Needs: what need does the person have? The need is often the underlying emotion. Usually the different parties involved have legitimate and understandable goals and needs that are just in conflict.
• Request or wish: what would or could the person wish for or ask of another or others?

The summary helps to create a common understanding of the root causes of the conflict and helps the different parties to see each other's perspectives. This creates a basis for finding solutions. 

The same breakdown also works if you want to share a more demanding issue about yourself with someone else.

4. Towards solutions

Often a conflict is resolved by finding a compromise or a completely new solution - and sometimes you don't even need one, it will resolve itself naturally as the parties understand each other. Here are some good practices for finding a solution:

• Give each party an active role in developing solutions. This will increase commitment to the solution. For example, you can ask the parties to suggest ideas for solutions.
• You can also find and propose solutions that benefit all parties or balance different needs.
• Remain constructive and solution-oriented in discussions. Focus on identifying and achieving the interests of the different parties and the common interests. 
• However, being solution-oriented does not mean that you should rush into choosing a solution, but that you can state the proposal and its different aspects and ask others what they think - in other words, continue to discuss the different ideas. Solution-focused means that you orient the discussion towards solutions, for example, talking about possible solutions rather than problems. 

If there has been an offence, an apology can be a good step towards reconciliation. It is a good idea to apologise clearly, without giving explanations for your actions. However, it should not be forced, but if the situation is right, give it a chance.

5. Next steps, roles and responsibilities 

Agree with the parties on clear steps to take forward. This will ensure that things start to work and good experiences are gained from working together.

For the future, clarify the roles and responsibilities of each party. This will help avoid duplication and confusion, and ensure that everyone knows what is expected of them.

After a while, ask the parties in person how things have worked out. This will help you identify if there is a recurrence of the conflict or other tensions that need to be addressed.

Summary 

Dealing with conflict is one of the most important tasks of a manager. Conflicts are easily hidden or, when they are detected, for one reason or another they are not addressed. The hope is that things will resolve themselves over time. This usually leads to conflicts getting worse. The key is to raise the issue and thereby start to address it. It is best not to rush the process or force a solution quickly, but to allow the discussion to proceed at the pace at which the parties are ready to proceed.

For more on advocacy, you can read our second article on the subject at LINK.

Conflicts are different, but they are usually rooted in recurring and fundamental phenomena, which are referred to as status, task, process or relationship conflicts. It is important to find the root causes and not just deal with the visible consequences. 

Dealing with conflict takes time and calm. Dealing with conflict results in a prosperous and functional workplace, so it's worth the effort!

Encourage everyone in your work community to be active in resolving and talking about conflicts and, above all, set an example that even difficult issues can and should be talked about!

FAQ: frequently asked questions

1. How to deal with a conflict involving a first person?

If the front person is involved in a conflict situation, it is usually an advantage to have an external person dealing with the matter. It is important to maintain professionalism and impartiality and to respect all parties involved.

2. How to deal with a person who refuses to participate in finding a solution?

Deal with the situation sympathetically, but firmly. Explain why it is important that everyone is involved. Offer the person the opportunity to talk about their concerns in private if they do not want to talk in a group. 

If the resistance continues, consider using an external mediator or mentor who can help to find the reasons for non-participation and offer new perspectives on the situation.

3. How should you react if one party gets angry or emotional during a conversation?

When emotions are running high, it is important to remain calm and professional. Give the person time to calm down, and if necessary, suggest a short break. 

As the conversation continues, focus on actively listening and confirm your understanding of the other person's feelings and perspectives. 

You can make a neutral observation that this seems to be a big issue for you, and go on to ask if you want to tell us more about it.

Don't rush ahead. The feeling will go down quite quickly anyway. In an emotional moment, it is not worth making a counter-argument or turning the discussion into solutions. Avoid provocative or critical comments, and try to give the emotional person space to share their thoughts.

You can use questions to move towards requests or requests. Even if the feeling is strong, there is usually a need behind it and the situation can eventually be resolved by a wish or request. The feeling itself does not usually need to be addressed, but it can be noted. Requests and wishes usually lead towards constructive perspectives

Once the emotional situation has calmed down, you can steer the conversation back to the issue at hand and find a common solution.

4. How to proceed if no agreement can be reached in a conflict, even though all parties have tried to find a solution?

Sometimes, despite efforts, no agreement is reached. Then it is good to acknowledge the situation and mention that we still have this issue on the table and suggest that the discussion be resumed later, when everyone has had time to reflect. 

At the same time, it is often good to agree on temporary measures or compromises that allow work to continue. In the meantime, you can explore getting help from HR, a consultant, a mediator or individual or group counselling.

Often, things mature in such a way that completely new solutions are found at the next meeting.There are situations where it is worthwhile to organise work so that the parties to the conflict do not work together. If the conflict cannot be resolved despite all efforts, it may be easier for everyone if the parties continue to work in different departments, for example.

5. What to do if the conflict is not resolved internally?

If internal attempts to resolve the conflict fail, consider hiring an external mediator or consultant. HR departments often help with this type of issue too. A professional can offer new perspectives and methods to help find a solution.