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oo few organisations take a proactive approach
to conflict. Unresolved conflict destroys teams
and can bring an organisation to its knees. Effective
use of early dispute resolution reduces the amount
of aggressive, defensive and negative conflict in your
organisation. You will get back those wonderful,
positive and promising people who you recruited.
You will see relationships that were deteriorating re-
energised and people working together again.
If a review of your conflict history contains damaging
disputes and a general scepticism about HR’s ability to
handle conflict fairly and well, take a holistic approach.
Prevent conflict by training staff and managers to have
difficult conversations, avoid bullying and harassment,
and have constructive performance management
processes. Enhance everyone’s listening and win/win
problem-solving skills and build their awareness of
conflict and needs-based negotiation.
Set up an internal mediation service to manage
escalated conflicts that can’t be handled locally. Use
a strong publicity campaign to promote early dispute
resolution and the mediation service. And close
difficult issues via formal investigation by proper
training such as a QualifiedWorkplace Investigator
course.
Ensure HR departments are
mediation-ready
HR professionals are comfortable with recruitment,
salaries and benefits, but less comfortable and less
able when people come and lay their conflicts bare.
Mediation skills courses enable HR staff to listen
effectively, to empathise, and to get people to talk to
one another, and where possible secure a win/win
resolution. Help HR diagnose conflict in a consistent,
fair manner so they identify the right solution for the
situation. A conflict diagnosis checklist will identify the
appropriate dispute resolution process to match the
situation.
Manage conflict proactively
HR teams are still regularly involved in a range
of conflict situations which damage staff relationships
and leave HR exhausted. Train HR advisors in short,
challenging, highly participative conflict management
and mediation skills workshops with a focus on
existing issues and situations. Cambridge University
did this, and their HR team now feel it has made them
significantly more effective at delivering early, effective
interventions in a difficult environment.
HR alone should not be responsible for conflict
management and dispute resolution at work.
dispute
resolution
processes to
cut conflict
costs
T
Katherine Graham
http://www.articlesbase.com/human-resources-articles/5-dispute-resolution-processes-to-cut-conflict-costs-6006179.html