How to Effectively Deal with Conflict in the Workplace
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Transcript of How to Effectively Deal with Conflict in the Workplace
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How to Effectively Deal with Conflict in
the Workplace
Presented by:Laura P. Jordan
Phone: (503) 242-4262Email: [email protected]
Atlanta • Boston • Charlotte • Chicago • Cleveland • Columbia • Dallas • Denver • Fort Lauderdale • Houston • Irvine • Kansas City • Las Vegas • Los Angeles
Louisville Memphis • New England • New Jersey • New Orleans • Orlando • Philadelphia • Phoenix • Portland • San Diego • San Francisco • Tampa • Washington, DC
www.laborlawyers.com
Fisher & Phillips LLPATTORNEYS AT LAW
Solutions at Work®
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ROADMAP:
• Workplace Conflict Resolution
• Dealing With Difficult Employees
• Scenarios• Summary
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Why Conflict Resolution?
THE WORKPLACE IS THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACE TO BE IN AMERICA– United States
Department Of Justice, 1994
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Conflict in the Workplace
• Workplace Conflict– Can be a serious problem in the workplace– Will result in a loss of productive employee
time– Could result in civil/administrative litigation
• Costs of defense• Costs of an adverse determination
– Personal liability of managers and supervisors
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How to Resolve Conflict
• Manage• Identify Opportunities• Meet Challenges Head-On• Communicate• Pay Attention to the People
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Manager’s Role
• Prevention through good company culture, training and education
• Proactive and responsive to complaints• All reasonable steps necessary to prevent• Prompt, thorough and effective
investigations• Appropriate follow-through
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Key Manager Responsibilities
• Be a positive force/influence• Communicate Effectively• Uphold Performance Standards• Model Appropriate Workplace Conduct• Filter issues to determine what needs to
be raised with HR or management
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Key Manager Responsibilities
• Be a positive force/influence– You are the face of the company– Negative attitude/interactions reflect on the
entire organization– Most employee disputes can be dealt with
early or avoided through positive communication
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Key Manager Responsibilities
• “Positive Communication” requires that you actively engage your employees.
• It is not okay to ignore issues in the workplace.
• How do you actively engage your employees?
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Key Manager Responsibilities
• Communicate Effectively– Clear notice of expectations – Opportunity to meet
standards – Feedback on performance
• Performance evaluations• Disciplinary action• Positive praise where
appropriate
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Key Manager Responsibilities
• Uphold Company Performance Standards– Impose a duty on employees– Find a benchmark that can be used to
measure performance– Requires more professionalism than what the
law requires
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Key Manager Responsibilities
• Model Appropriate Workplace Conduct– The manager’s conduct is the standard for
employees • Employees will not conform to policies if manager
does not conform • Ignoring issues undermines the policies
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Key Manager Responsibilities
Filter of Issues/Disputes• Not every workplace dispute needs to be
reported to HR or senior management• Look at the totality of the circumstances
– Is a protected status implicated? – Are factors other than one’s ability to perform
a job at issue? – Not sure whether to involve HR?
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Managing Employees
• Treat Employees With Dignity And Respect– Find an office or conference room for privacy– Start with general, open-ended questions– Avoid questions that suggest a bias– Avoid editorial comments or legal conclusions– Any matter that is potentially significant (such as
harassment, discrimination, family leave, retaliation, wage and hour or workplace safety) must be reported to HR
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Managing Employees
• What to Document– Performance Assessments
Both formal and informal performance evaluations should be documentedTie the evaluation to job-related standards
– Performance Management/DisciplineGive the employee specific information about performance problems and the steps to correct the problems
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Identify Opportunities
• Nip it in the bud!• Ears and eyes open• Look for the real
issues• Beware of motives• Objects in the mirror
are closer than they appear!
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Meet Challenges Head-On
• What elephant?• Avoiding a problem is
not likely to make it go away
• More likely to grow out of control if not addressed
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Communicate
• Two-way process• Skill• Clear• Timely• Effective
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Communicate
• Consistent• Personal• Positive• Respectful• Motivational
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Pay Attention to the People
• Don’t get carried away by other distractions
• A little bit of employee relations goes a long way
• More and more important in this economic environment
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Identifying Issues
• Silence, bickering, pettiness
• Lack of team approach
• Complaints• Other symptoms
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Resolving Workplace Issues
• One-on-one• Group• Third party• Goal setting• Common benefits• Or else
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Dealing with Difficult Employees
• Direct• Professional• Deal with issues• Avoid traps
– Legal– Personal
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Reality
• Every manager has a tendency to put off those difficult conversations hoping the problem will disappear
• Whether vulgar language, excessive gossip, inappropriate dress, personal hygiene, or performance issues, every manager will face difficult employee issues
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Reality (continued)
• Supervisors need to be skilled and understand what is legal
• More than that, they need to understand what will work– How to begin the conversation– How to confront difficult employees– How to create an atmosphere that engages
employees– How to discover the truth and learn what is really the
cause
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Reality (continued)
• Attitude problems• Rule breakers• Does not play well
with others• An excuse for
everything• Keeping a record• Intentionally difficult
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Reality (continued)
• Address the facts• No tolerance for threats, accusations and
defiance• Productive ways to counsel employees• Keep your emotions under control• Focus on the problem, not the person
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The Right Approach
• We are all in this together
• Do you want to be a part of the team?
• Do you want to succeed?
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Scenario
• Attitude problems– Identify the real
issue–Motivation–Address as
appropriate
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Scenario
• Rule breakers–Testing?–Showing off?–Pushing the
limits?–Leader of the
group?
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Scenario
• Does not play well with others–Source of
conflict–Motives?
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Scenario
• An excuse for everything–Has it worked?–Real issues?–Find a cure
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Scenario
• Keeping a record–Always pretend
you are being recorded
–Warning bells–Don’t be scared–You’re the star!
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Scenario
• Intentionally difficult–Agenda–Defense
mechanism–Zero tolerance
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Scenario
• Constant Complainer–Negativism–Setting an
example–Subject of
dissatisfaction
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Scenario
• Handwriting on the Wall–Waiting to act–Correct timing–Decision point
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Stay Legal
• All actions subject to review
• Identify attempts to mischaracterize
• Watch for fraud• Watch for buzzwords• Create your own
record
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Key Points to Remember
• Manage employees• Deal with complaints and problems• Realize “perception” is as important as
reality• Remember the goal is to prevent, resolve
and avoid claims – not to “win”
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Thank You!
Follow up and final questions?
Presented by:Laura P. Jordan
Phone: (503) 242-4262Email: [email protected]
Atlanta • Boston • Charlotte • Chicago • Cleveland • Columbia • Dallas • Denver • Fort Lauderdale • Houston • Irvine • Kansas City • Las Vegas • Los Angeles
Louisville Memphis • New England • New Jersey • New Orleans • Orlando • Philadelphia • Phoenix • Portland • San Diego • San Francisco • Tampa • Washington, DC
www.laborlawyers.com
Fisher & Phillips LLPATTORNEYS AT LAW
Solutions at Work®