Most will strive to find a natural balance with co-workers in an office environment. But there is always the possibility of conflict, especially during stressful times. In most cases the conflict will naturally dissipate, assuming that everyone involved is thinking about the broader picture. When, however, any sort of conflict starts to get disruptive, action must be taken.
If you’re a manager you’ll know when your workforce is not operating smoothly. Drops in productivity are a sure sign, or in extreme cases you may even see employees engaged in a heated exchange. It goes without saying that the situation needs to be sorted out sooner rather than later.
Dealing With Conflict As A Manager
Keeping a workforce at peak performance is important, and conflict can be the proverbial spanner thrown into the cogs of an otherwise finely tuned machine. But contrary to what some might think, it is almost never the right managerial approach to deal with conflict aggressively. In fact, an aggressive approach might be throwing fuel on an already volatile fire.
The first step is to separate the conflicting parties, take them aside, and gain an understanding of where the conflict lies. If the conflict is based around work, getting to the root of the issue is paramount. It is, naturally, not a good idea to side with one party or the other, but rather to take an unbiased stance and hear both sides of the story. Once the situation is laid out, a mutually beneficial solution can surely be found.
If the conflict is based around a clash of personalities, it may just be best to simply reassign the parties to other groups. This may not seem like the best approach, but in some cases employees will just get along better with some than they do others.
Dealing With Conflict As An Employee
Conflict may also exist between you and a co-worker. If this is the case, the first step is understanding where the conflict lies, and for what reason. If you are willing to be reasonable, surely your co-worker will be willing to do the same. Just remember that words said and action taken in anger are often regretted. Taking a breather, spend some time with something you enjoy like mobile Roulette apps and approach the situation again with a clearer head is best. You don’t want to make a work relationship irreparable.
If you find that resolve cannot be found directly, it is time to involve a manager. Always keep in mind that pointing fingers, or shifting blame, is not a good stance. Accepting responsibility for your own faults is necessary when trying to find a common ground. Also keep in mind that you are still going to have to share an office with the person, and that making peace will avoid future potential awkwardness.
If you are sure that no common ground can be found, asking to be reassigned is a reasonable final solution. Just be sure that you’re not demanding to be reassigned before a proper effort has been made to find resolve.