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Step 1
Recognize the signs of conflict. If you're not a major player in the conflict at work, you may not even realize it's happening. Pay attention to employees and notice if anyone seems defensive or frustrated. If employees aren't completing work, it's a sure sign of a problem.
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Step 2
Discuss issues before they become a major problem. Allow for employee input before making major changes in the company to reduce problems. Make sure that all employees feel comfortable enough to raise concerns with you. Really listen to employee concerns and, if you feel they are valid, try to address them. Worker dissatisfaction can build up over time and it's better to head things off before they explode.
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Step 3
Educate your staff on problem resolution techniques. A seminar can be a great way to teach your employees the proper way to solve a problem. Bring in an outside company to train workers. Training seminars should allow for interaction, through group activities and role play.
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Step 4
Create a system for resolving conflict. When you have a system in place, employees are clear about what they should do when they experience a problem. Employees should have a place to turn. If the employee doesn't want to talk to a manager or supervisor about a problem, she should be able to turn to the human resources department. You may want to create a form for employees to use to voice concerns.
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Step 5
Improve communication between employees. Most problems arise from poor communication. By improving communication, you should see that conflicts decrease. Group training sessions are one way to improve communication between workers. Hold training sessions where workers must work together to solve problems.
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Step 6
Hire a professional mediator if necessary. Occasionally, a conflict may be too big for you or anyone in the office to resolve. In cases like this, it's a good idea to bring in a mediator to help resolve the issue. Sometimes solving one big problem also solves many other smaller ones.
