5 Effective Conflict Resolution Strategies for the Workplace

In even the best workplaces, conflict is an inevitable part of professional life. While a certain level of disagreement may stimulate innovation and learning, unchecked conflict can be detrimental to the overall health of an organization. Unresolved, disagreements may lead to high turnover, diminished productivity, pervasive stress among employees and, ultimately, a significant loss in revenue.

Managing disagreements at work, therefore, is not merely about maintaining peace; it's crucial for the sustained success and growth of any business. Effective conflict resolution can transform challenges into opportunities for growth and development. The question is, what should businesses do when inevitable conflict arises?

In this article, we explore five conflict resolution strategies businesses can adopt, with reflections on which strategy to use depending on the severity of the dispute.

Leverage HR as a Dispute Mediator

When the direct manager’s intervention is not enough to quell a conflict, involving HR should be the next step. These professionals are generally better equipped with training and conflict-handling strategies, which may help facilitate a fair dialogue between disputing parties. This approach is especially effective when conflicts arise between two employees who might lack the soft skills to conduct a productive conversation and might need a third party to impose boundaries and foster a respectful, constructive environment conducive to mutual respect.

Organizational leaders should bear in mind that even with the right training, these professionals might not always have the complete set of skills needed to address complex conflict, conflict involving several people or conflict stemming from structural causes. Another limitation that should be taken into account is that because these professionals are a part of the company, they might not be viewed as impartial by one or both parties involved in the problem, due to personal relationships, perceptions of favoritism or gossip, for example. This might affect how much information these parties disclose and how satisfied they are with the outcome of the negotiations.

Invest in Team-Building Exercises

When we talk about conflict resolution strategies in the workplace, team building consistently stands out due to its proven effectiveness in easing everyday tensions. The key is fostering authentic, vulnerable connections between team members. Regular team-building activities not only help prevent conflicts, but also strengthen relationships, even mending trust damaged by disputes. And the more laughter these activities spark, the better. Here are a few ideas for organizations to incorporate into their conflict management strategy:

Drawing Games

Online platforms such as Skribbl or Gartic Phone are very popular to play in team meetings and can be just as fun to play in a remote team setting. The game involves team members interpreting other team members’ drawings with no context, which can make for a fun gathering—and potentially foster workplace harmony.

Escape Rooms or Scenario Games

One highly regarded conflict resolution approach is to gather the team and make them collaboratively solve problems under pressure, as this is often ideal for fostering teamwork and understanding different perspectives within a group setting.

Encourage the Team to Experience Something New

Consider planning a unique team-building activity, such as a group cooking workshop, an escape room challenge, or an interactive problem-solving session. Activities that differ from the usual routine can create positive memories and foster connection, which may enhance team dynamics.

While team-building exercises are sometimes seen as overused, they can be effective in relieving tension and fostering collaboration, especially when they encourage the team to work together towards a common goal.

Provide Training

This conflict resolution strategy is especially effective in the case of interpersonal disputes. By equipping employees with conflict resolution training, organizations empower their workforces to address disagreements before they evolve into significant issues. Training aimed at developing communication skills for teams often includes sections on active listening—where participants learn to listen for understanding rather than rebuttal—as well as emotional intelligence and persuasive negotiation techniques. Consider implementing tailored training programs that incorporate real-life examples employees might be experiencing, making the learning process directly applicable and immediately useful. Learn more about why conflict resolution training is essential for healthy organizations.

Another key action organizations can take to prevent conflict is to adequately train their leaders. Solid leadership training is important for organizations to communicate best practices to their leaders. It not only lays the foundation for the soft skills discussed above, but it also helps guide new (and even experienced) leaders on when and how to apply them, making it one of the most effective conflict reduction strategies.

Consider Making Structural Changes

Sometimes, despite implementing well-established strategies to resolve conflict, issues persist. When this happens, it may signal deeper structural problems within an organization, such as unclear job roles, silos, poor communication and uneven workloads. Consider a hypothetical situation at a digital marketing agency to illustrate this point.

In an effort to improve resource allocation, the agency created a new department focused on resource enablement. Mary, known for her innovative approach, was tasked with overseeing this department, prioritizing new hires and seeing that they are equipped for success. However, her initiatives quickly overlapped with those of Susan, the head of HR, whose team managed similar training programs, such as onboarding and ongoing professional development. The overlap between departments led to confusion, with Susan's team feeling undermined, and tensions rose as both teams struggled for control. Distrust grew and heated conflict soon spread across both departments.

Brian, the chief operating officer, who had spearheaded the change, realized that managing and resolving conflict in this case required more than just mediation; it demanded a structural shift. To resolve the tension, Mary’s department was integrated into HR’s reporting line, with clear communication from Brian to both teams. This gave HR ownership of the overall training process while also incorporating Mary’s fresh, innovative ideas. By finding common ground, Mary and Susan were able to collaborate, balancing innovation with tradition.

This example highlights that strategies for conflict resolution sometimes involve more than interpersonal interventions; they require structural changes, redefining roles, improving communication protocols and rebalancing workloads. These adjustments can greatly reduce friction and lead to smoother organizational operations.

Use Neutral Third-Party Facilitators

Like most problem-solving in business, implementing conflict resolution strategies in workplace settings is not straightforward and might involve applying a combination of conflict-handling approaches to find the best fit. It’s very important to understand, however, that some conflicts, due to their complexity or sensitive nature, are best addressed by professionals. When there is a risk that the dispute can escalate into a legal battle, involving a neutral third party may be worthwhile.

Although it might look at first glance that an outsider would be less effective because they are not part of the organization, the opposite is often true. Not only do these professionals bring extensive experience in handling conflict, but as outsiders, they can help create trust with both parties involved in the conflict and add impartiality in all phases of conflict resolution. These highly experienced individuals are also able to identify where structural change might be needed, providing informed recommendations for effective change management.

In the case of complex, recurring conflict, this may prove to be a very cost-effective solution in the long-term. Serious conflict, when left to simmer, tends to contaminate the morale of the entire organization, diminishing productivity and contributing to turnover. By effectively addressing conflict, routing it toward resolution, the cost may be recouped many times over in terms of increased productivity, retention of valuable staff and innovation that stems from a company performing at its best.

It’s very important to understand, however, that some conflicts, due to their complexity or sensitive nature, are best addressed by professionals.

Choosing the Right Neutral Third Party

Careful consideration is crucial, and selecting the right partner is critical to the success of any conflict resolution strategy. By choosing JAMS Pathways as your impartial third-party provider, your organization may benefit from over 40 years of experience in conflict resolution, customized to meet your organization’s unique needs. Our training programs are carefully tailored to the specific challenges your team faces, considering individual experiences and proficiency levels. Whether your managers are just starting out or seasoned leaders, we offer both beginner and advanced leadership training to equip them with the skills needed to effectively resolve conflicts within their teams. Explore our comprehensive range of training options and discover how we can support your organization’s growth here.

For complex, delicate conflicts, our conflict resolution professionals apply practical conflict-solving strategies. With their diverse set of skills, they can handle each situation with the appropriate sensitivity, providing a supportive space for relationships to be mended. Our conflict resolution program typically follows a phased “PATH” approach:

• Preliminary assessment: In this phase, thorough interviews are held not only to assess the details of the issue at hand, but also to evaluate company culture and hidden dynamics. By employing the right communication strategies for conflict resolution, trust can be established and participants can open up to our facilitators. This step is crucial to getting all the necessary information, leading to successful resolution.
• Analysis and early intervention: After assessing the details, a custom set of interventions, such as guided discussions, training and workshops, is designed for a successful intervention. If structural change is needed, recommendations for change management are laid out for a smooth transition.
• Targeted topics, workshops and conversations: In this phase, the determined programs take place and change happens. The right conflict resolution techniques, paired with skillfully guided conversations, foster deep, meaningful exchanges across contentious lines.
• Highlighting progress and mapping next steps: Finally, accomplishments are reviewed and strategic plans are laid out for sustained progress post-intervention.

If your organization is experiencing conflict, we can help. Contact us so we can provide a preliminary assessment.

Investing in professional resolution services, such as those available through JAMS Pathways, can increase the likelihood of your team or organization transforming its conflicts into opportunities for growth and collaboration. This approach can also support organizations in pursuing not only resolution, but innovation and unity, which have the potential to positively impact performance and contribute to the bottom line.

Remember, implementing is not just about solving problems; it's about opening the door to a more resilient, capable organization poised for success.