Badly managed workplace conflict is a major cause of staff turnover and costs your business money. Government research shows over 65% of employee performance problems are the result of strained relationships rather than a lack of skill or motivation.
While conflict is inevitable in all organisations healthy debate and conflict managed in a respectful manner can lead to greater ideas and new ways of doing things. Demonstrating not all conflict is bad. However, disrespectful behaviour and unhealthy conflicts can contribute to poor team morale, breakdown in relationships and the stifling of ideas and innovative thought.
Poorly managed workplace conflict can contribute to behaviours that have the potential to intimidate, threaten and harm all parties. This can contribute to an unsafe workplace and significant fines and penalties apply for employers who don’t meet their occupational health and safety obligations under the Safe Work legislation.
Unresolved conflicts can also lead to complaints of discrimination under the Anti-Discrimination legislation, and bullying which is covered by the Fair Work legislation. It makes good business sense to prevent conflicts from escalating, and to up-skill your managers and staff so they are able to communicate effectively and resolve conflicts in a manner that restores the working relationship.
Moira Jenkins is a CINERGY conflict coach, and has post graduate qualifications in conflict management and negotiation. At Aboto we have considerable experience in helping managers and employees manage conflict in the workplace, and learn to communicate better in order to address conflicts effectively. We are experienced in assisting organisations manage ‘high conflict’ clients and staff, and can teach your employees and managers how to better respond to ‘high conflict’ emails, telephone calls and behaviours in a safe and reasoned manner.
Good business management involves effective conflict resolution. Up to 30% of a typical manager’s time is spent dealing with workplace conflicts. Managers need the skills to intervene appropriately in conflicts that are impacting on the workplace (before a complaint is lodged). However, many managers receive little or no conflict resolution training, and are not confident in addressing conflict situations, especially with ‘difficult people’. Because of this, many conflicts are not addressed until an ‘explosion’ occurs, and then organisations have to also deal with the fall-out of this ‘explosion’ such as complaints of bullying, threats of litigation, and workers compensation claims to name a few.
At Aboto we have experience in mediating conflict between staff in a way that helps restore professional relationships and prevent escalation of the issues. We can help managers, supervisors and team leaders better communicate and manage conflict in a productive and professional manner. We can up-skill your managers and staff in conflict and dispute resolution techniques as well as good communication skills. We can assist you better understand, and deal with ‘high conflict’ people.