Taking The Sting Out Of Conflict

Tactics for defusing most common workplace disputes

The most common causes of conflict in British workplaces could be defused or avoided altogether through better communication, according to leading UK law firm Dundas & Wilson.

Eilidh Wiseman, head of employment law at D&W, said businesses which foster a culture of genuine openness and honesty are most successful at avoiding time-consuming and often expensive internal disputes.

D&W carried out research among HR professionals into workplace conflict and found that the most common causes were:

The research also showed that two-thirds of HR professionals had no experience of using mediation at work – a method of early dispute resolution backed by Government.

Eilidh, an accredited mediator, said businesses facing the issues above should take steps to tackle problems before they escalate.

She offered the following advice for the top five conflict triggers:

1. Absence:

"Businesses must make it clear to their staff from day one just what will be expected of them – poor attendance can present a range of difficulties, not least of which can be other members of staff feeling resentful if certain colleagues regularly call in sick.

"There has to be a balance, though. A clear absence policy which deters "sickies" after a big weekend is useful; but assuming that everyone who calls in sick on a Monday morning is recovering will only serve to turn your staff against you. Consider offering flexible working, perhaps time off in lieu,which can help keep staff motivated while cutting back on unnecessary absences."

2. Unclear Policies:

"Businesses function best when everyone is kept in the loop. Policies which have been cobbled together on the hoof or are at odds with other policies are unhelpful. The application of a policy is just as important as the content. So managers should be trained on how they should consistently apply the policy.

If employees aren't sure what their employer's stance is on certain situations, what they are expected to do, when, or for how long, the resulting confusion may hamper productivity and has the potential to cause deep divides.

"Clear and consistent policies, on the other hand, implemented consistently by managers who understand them, are less likely to lead to confusion, tension, and ultimately conflict."

3. Communication

"Why do so many organisations employ corporate communications teams to project a face to the market, then forget about their own people? Telling people what's going on is crucial to avoid a combative relationship with employees, and in times of change – as is the case at the moment – effective communication can prevent people jumping to their own conclusions.

"Your employees won't always like what you've got to say, but most will respect you for at least being honest with them."

4. Relationships and personality issues

"A lot is said about diversity, but it is not just a buzz word and can be a very powerful tool in addressing relationship and personality issues. Diversity is about recognising the differences in your workforce, acknowledging each employee's individuality and applauding them for it. Employees should be encouraged to embrace diversity and be trained on the benefits both for them and the business of doing so. These include reducing workplace conflict, realising your employees' full potential, attracting and retaining the best people and creating a workforce which reflects the social profile of your customer base.

"Left unchecked, problematic workplace relationships can lead to claims of constructive dismissal, particularly if bullying or other harassment is involved. Even if it doesn't come to that, you can find that significantly less work actually gets done if people are distracted by personality issues."

5. Stress

"Stress covers a lot of bases, and has a huge range of causes, but it's important for businesses to manage stress levels if they are to fulfil their obligations as responsible employers. Bullying, discrimination, redundancy, unreasonable workloads – all of these things and more can cause stress and lead to serious conflict. Employment tribunals are no strangers to stress-related cases, so it's vital that employers take care to make sure staff aren't too tightly-wound through work."

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