7 Strategies for Handling Conflict or Disagreements in the Workplace!

7 Strategies for Handling Conflict or Disagreements in the Workplace!

Conflict or disagreements in the workplace are a very common occurrence. It is not unusual for conflicts or disagreements to arise due to different personalities of employees, their varying opinions, and work pressure. However, if these conflicts or disagreements are not resolved, they can have a negative impact on employee performance, morale, and the overall environment of the organization. Therefore, conflict management in the workplace is extremely important. Particularly, as an HR manager, managing conflicts or disagreements is a crucial responsibility.

In this blog, we will learn why conflicts or disagreements occur in the workplace and how they can be managed. We will also explore Employee Management App Hazira can help you to solve this problem, how?

What's in today's blog:

What is Conflict Management?

A study has shown that 85% of people face some form of conflict or disagreement in their workplace! (Source: Prothom Alo) In fact, whenever multiple people come together to do something, disagreements will arise. Whether in personal life or at the workplace, disagreements are inevitable. Therefore, conflicts cannot be permanently eliminated; they will return repeatedly! This is why conflict management in the workplace becomes necessary.

Conflict management is a process through which conflicts or disagreements among employees in the workplace are identified and resolved quickly. In this process, the HR manager or owner can play a key role.

Causes of Conflict or Disagreements in the Workplace

  • Different Opinions: Each employee may have their own perspective and different methods of completing tasks. It is often this diversity that leads to disagreements.
  • Work Pressure: When the workload in the office increases excessively, a lack of communication and misunderstandings occur among employees, which leads to disagreements.
  • Misunderstanding: Unnecessary debates over work can arise among employees, which is a major cause of misunderstandings. As a result, conflicts or disagreements occur.
  • Limited Facility: When all employees in an office want to use limited resources at the same time, conflicts can arise.
  • Leadership Issue: Ineffective leadership or favoritism can create or escalate conflicts. Unfair treatment of one employee by another or multiple employees is considered a major cause in this case.

Why is conflict management necessary?

If conflicts are not resolved at the right time and in the right way, they can ruin the workplace environment. In the long term, they can also damage the team dynamics in the workplace. However, with effective conflict management, the work environment improves, and the team becomes more efficient.

7 Effective Conflict Management Strategies in the Workplace

1. Identify the root cause of the problem.

As an HR or owner, your first task is to identify the root cause of the conflict or disagreement. Finding a solution without understanding the cause would be meaningless. Therefore, when a conflict arises in the workplace, find out the underlying cause. For example, if an employee feels that their work is not being properly evaluated, discuss with their supervisor or team leader to find a solution.

What HR Manager Should Do:

  • Speak individually with the relevant employees.
  • Try to understand the issue.
  •  As a third party, remain neutral.

2. Have open discussions with all parties.

Resolving any conflict requires discussion or dialogue, which is extremely important. A friendly environment must be created where everyone can freely express their opinions without fear. Clear instructions and regular discussions are needed to eliminate misunderstandings among employees.

What HR Manager Should Do:

  • Choose a neutral location.
  • Encourage all parties to express their perspectives.
  • Do not dismiss or belittle anyone's thoughts.

3. Reach a consensus to determine the solution.

Create a win-win situation for conflict management, as a conflict cannot be fully resolved without mutual agreement from both parties. Ensure that both sides are satisfied with the outcome.

What HR Manager Should Do:

  • Listen everyone's opinion: Listening to everyone's opinions is crucial in conflict management. This helps in understanding the issue better and makes employees feel that their opinions are valued.
  • Act Neutrally: Maintaining a neutral perspective is very important. Bias can further deteriorate the workplace environment.

4. Leverage technology for support.

In today's world, technology can play a significant role in conflict management. For example, the shift planning feature of the Hazira app ensures that every employee has a clear understanding of their working hours, which can reduce misunderstandings related to work schedules. The app also includes features like in-out time clocks, a document vault, reminders, and more.

So, as an HR, you should use a simple and cost-effective employee management app.

5. Organize training and workshops

If necessary, organize regular conflict management training and workshops for employees. This will enhance leadership and problem-solving skills among employees.

6. Encourage teamwork, not just individual efforts.

To avoid any kind of conflict and maintain harmony in the workplace, a team-oriented environment is essential. Team activities foster mutual respect among employees. Therefore, provide guidance to form both small and large teams.

What HR Manager Should Do:

  • Increasing mutual respect among employees: Creating a respectful environment is one of the key responsibilities of an HR manager. Regularly bring employees together through team activities.
  • Plan an outing. Organize team outings such as indoor and outdoor sports, picnics, brainstorming sessions, or evening snacks and chats. In short, create more opportunities for employees to work together.

7. Focus on achieving goals.

Remember, conflicts or disagreements should never be the primary focus in an office. The team must always be reminded that their main goal is the growth and development of the organization. 

As an HR manager, always ensure that quick action is taken in such complexities. Conflicts or disagreements should be addressed as soon as they arise. Don’t assume they will resolve on their own! Delaying action can cause the issue to escalate further. 

My own experience of a problem and its solution!

In a software development project, two teams were working together. Due to the pressure of work and lack of proper direction, disagreements arose between them. Team members started blaming each other, which caused the progress of the project to nearly halt. No one was fulfilling their responsibilities properly.

Solution:

Our HR team decided to organize a meeting. In the meeting, each team member was given the opportunity to voice their concerns. Over time, through discussions, they realized that the main issue was related to time management and task distribution. They then created a shift plan using the 'Hazira' app. The app ensured that everyone’s tasks were properly distributed and monitored to ensure they were completed on time. That solved 90% of the problem. The remaining issues were resolved with the natural flow of work. Interestingly, an employee who had been planning to leave the job a few days ago is now the most hardworking member of the team!

Disagreements in the workplace are a common occurrence, but if handled correctly, they can bring positive outcomes for the organization. Through effective conflict management, a healthy work environment can be created. Therefore, as an HR manager or owner, ensure that there is a strong and positive relationship among everyone in the workplace.

A simple and affordable solution for your organization - Hazira.

Hazira is one of the most cost-effective employee management apps in the country. From a single app, you can access various support features for employee management, such as-

  • Daily Attendance
  • Employee Information Vault
  • Work Shift Planning
  • Report
  • Payroll Management
  • Digital Contract Signing
  • Document Vault
  • Custom Settings
  • Free Customer Support

Why we are saying it is cost effective, lets see-  Four Packages of Hazira & their prices -

01. Basic Package - 

Company Size - 0 to 20 Person

  • ৳1500/ Month
  • ৳15,000/ Year

02. Standard Package- 

Company Size - 21 to 50 Person

  • ৳3,000/Month
  • ৳30,000/ Year

03. Premium Package-  

Company Size - 50 to 99 Person

  • ৳4,500/ Month
  • ৳45,000/ Year

04. Enterprise Package - 

Company Size - 100+ Person

Start your journey with Hazira in three easy steps!

1st Step- Register or sign up on Hazira: 

First, as the owner of the company Register & start your journey with Hazira. Immediately after registration, a verification email will be sent to your inbox. You need to verify your email using it. 

(If you don't find the verification email in your inbox, please check the spam folder.)

2nd Step- Set up your company: 

Once the verification is complete, log in. Now, set up your company on Hazira by providing all the necessary information about your company or business.

3rd Step- Enjoy the various features of Hazira: 

Afterward, you will be able to see Hazira's dashboard. Enjoy the various features of Hazira easily and at an affordable price! Hazira is available on both web and mobile applications. 

Web Application: You will need to use the web application to carry out your organization's administrative tasks.
Hazira's Web Application

Mobile Application: The Hazira mobile app will make managing your organization's daily tasks even easier. Download the Hazira mobile app to simplify employee management. 

Android App

IOS App 

Watch the demo video to learn more about all the features and activities of the Hazira app.
Demo of Hazira- Employee Management Application
30 Day's Free Trial!

On Hazira, you can start a free trial for the first 30 days. After that, choose a package that suits your business needs and achieve success. So, don't wait any longer—come to Hazira today!

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