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Dealing With Conflict Issues With Members of Your Staff

One of the contributing factors to workplace conflict is interpersonal gossip among employees. If this is allowed to run rampant in your office, the results will invariably be unpleasant and contain a great deal of conflict. As a supervisor or business owner, you should keep gossip at a minimum by making it clear that it is not welcome as well as by refusing to indulge in it yourself. Fostering an air of teamwork among employees is also recommended to those who want to discourage conflict in their offices. For instance, if you nurture a competitive environment among your employees rather than focusing on the merits of teamwork, you will be setting the stage for conflict among co-workers.
Begin With an Initial Meeting in a Neutral Environment
When conflict among employees becomes evident, it is important to address the issue as soon as possible so that it does not continue to grow. Meeting privately with the individuals in question should be the first step toward conflict resolution. Taking sides during these discussions will not be conducive to the resolution process, so resist the temptation to side with one employee over another, even if that is how your honestly feel. Your participation at this stage should be primarily that of listening.
Attempt to Reach a Solution Together
The next stage is to conduct a resolution meeting with both employees present in which you all work together for ways to not allow conflict to interfere with workplace production. Clear ground rules should be set for the discussion in order to maximize positive results. For instance, each employee should be allowed to speak his or her piece without being interrupted, called names or outright blames for being the source of the problem. The discussion should be kept on track rather than allowed to veer off into unrelated issues or subjects.
Retain Objectivity With a Professional Mediation Service
A professional mediation service may be the best way to deal with employee conflict because the mediator will be a purely objective participant. Sometimes, others in the office, including members of the management team, can be too close to the situation to effectively be a factor in working out an optimal solution.
Keep Good Records Throughout the Process
If either employee refuses to back down or will not agree to a sensible compromise, you may have no choice but to initiate disciplinary action. If written employee policies have been violated, it is advised that you strictly follow company protocol in dealing with the violations. Keeping a log of all actions taken during the conflict resolution process will protect you from possible legal action if the situation becomes so bad that one or both employees have to be terminated.

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