Nip it in the bud

Companies should provide long-term solutions, not quick fixes, to conflicts arising at the workplace.

- Zarin Bhathena

A cordial and healthy ambience in the workplace does not always come naturally. Often, it is the result of continuous efforts towards developing one. Every organisation goes through the crests and troughs of successes and failures during its life cycle. Many good decisions emerge from discussions and arguments, but sometimes these seemingly mild antagonisms can lead to conflict situations that need timely attention. Given below are a few tips that will help HR manage and resolve conflicts effectively:

Identifying conflicts and acting immediately

One must remember that conflicts need to be handled and not swept under the carpet. If one avoids recognising them, they could snowball and get more difficult to resolve. Organisational conflicts are of different types, mainly categorised into interpersonal, intra group, and intergroup. Interpersonal conflict can be managed by directly involving a person of authority acknowledged by both the conflicting persons. When it comes to groups, conflict resolution might need a more formal intervention by a senior manager or HR, depending on the gravity of the situation. Often managers react knee jerk, resulting in mere short-term firefighting. However, not identifying the root cause merely defuses the present situation and might cause it to recur in a bigger and uglier form. It is beneficial for the company’s growth if both the parties understand the problems and how they can be tackled. When the workforce is a mix of professionals and freshers, maintaining balance is key. Younger employees may tend to overreact at times, making the situation more difficult to handle.

Handling conflicts