Conflicts in the Workplace

Conflicts in the Workplace (bilateral)

Conflicts in the workplace are normal. Often a conflict situation only arises between two colleagues.

However, before even a two-person conflict compromises any operational concerns and processes, or impacts the performance or health of the people involved, you need to provide help for both parties to resolve their conflict.

If the manager is unsuccessful in supporting the two opposing parties in the resolution of their conflict, it makes sense to bring in an external moderator. Often half a day is already enough to guide the colleagues to understanding their conflict within a protected framework – and to resolve it constructively together.

Conflicts in a team

Conflicts in a team do not resolve themselves of their own accord. If they are recognized too late, the manager is no longer able to resolve the conflict by carrying out any mediating discussions.

To resolve conflicts in a team for the long term, all parties including the manager need the impartial mediation skills of a third party. Depending on the size of the team and the extent of the conflict situation, a period of 1 to 2 days needs to be calculated for an initial clarification of the conflict.

Conflicts between the team and its manager

There is a special conflict situation if a team is united against its manager, or a majority of employees set themselves up in opposition to their manager. The reasons could be, for instance, that a team rejects the new leader, or does not follow its leader’s instructions.

In this conflict situation, a mediator is necessary for resolving the conflict: The manager and leader is also part of the conflict and a resolution to the conflict is therefore not possible without this party.