Five Tips for Resolving Conflict at Work

2022-08-01T21:00:54+00:00

By Publisher

One could say that a workplace is a place that is utterly void of emotions. As such, there shouldn’t be any need for resolving conflict at work. However, this isn’t entirely true.While the office is largely a business place, emotions can also get involved. When that happens, conflict can arise. Therefore, to maintain professional sanity, you’ll have to learn the process of resolving conflicts at work.Here, we’ll be showing you the steps required to resolve conflict at work.1. Embrace conflictFirst, you need to admit that where two or more people are present, conflict is inevitable. Don’t live your life or go about your day thinking that things will always be rosy because they wouldn’t. So, while you’re at work, expect conflict to happen. This does not mean you should go around looking for it. But when it occurs, don’t get too flustered about the other person taking offence or offending you because it is perfectly normal. The best thing to do at this point is to calmly evaluate ways to resolve the situation when clashes eventually occur.2. Talk about itWhether you’re the one who was offended or you offended the other person, start the conversation regardless. You can’t move past the problem if you both pretend that the problem does not exist. So, talk and try to reach a compromise. Even if the other party seems hostile initially, you should remain calm and be determined to work something out.3. ListenThis part is so important that we cannot afford to lump it in with another point or omit it. If you want to solve a problem at the office, listen to the other person. Even if they offended you, their side is just as important as yours. For effective listening, ensure that you make eye contact and you look at them throughout the process without interrupting them. Also, avoid getting distracted by your phone or any other thing.4. Find common groundIs s/he always complaining about your work before the project is done? Are they constantly dissatisfied with your methods? No matter what it is, try to find common ground at work. This could mean that you’ll both have to make sacrifices. But, if that’s what needs to happen for you to move past the problem, please, do it.5. ForgiveIt’s not enough to merely find common ground. If you still harbour some resentment towards them, the conflict will likely pop up again in another form. So, forgive whatever they might’ve done to upset you and encourage them to do the same to you.