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HR & RECRUITMENT SERVICES

Conflict Resolution

Managing differences.
Building better relationships.

What is Conflict Resolution?

With up to 30% of a manager’s time dealing with workplace conflict resolution, the stakes are high to better understand the drivers of the conflict and to put it right.

The costs of unresolved conflict are also stark. It drives absenteeism, presenteeism and often leads to long-term compensation claims. Our research also shows it is often at the heart of bullying, harassment and discrimination claims and other disruptive forms of team behaviour.

But how do you intervene effectively? That’s where we step in and can help.

Workplace mediation involves an independent and highly skilled mediator working with two or more team members experiencing conflict. They are fully independent of the organisation and can assure confidentiality and discretion in managing the matter. The mediator uses a formal and structured process to enable a constructive discussion of the issues that need resolution.

The mediation process promotes a dialogue to identify needs, explore options, and usually reach a mutually satisfactory outcome while supporting a more positive working relationship between the parties.

Mediation can be suitable when:

  • There has been a breakdown in a workplace relationship between team members
  • Independence and confidentiality are required to build trust and safety to discuss sensitive topics
  • The conflict has spilled over and is impacting a whole team
  • There has been a complaint raised by one or more team members against another
  • It is required as a step in a grievance process or a formal investigation
  • An internal resolution has been attempted but without success

A facilitated discussion is increasingly becoming the most popular way to resolve conflict between team members. Why?

While it remains structured and effective, it is slightly less formal, and people find it less daunting.  It also works well for larger groups experiencing conflict.

The process involves a skilled and independent facilitator assisting two or more people to meet for a constructive discussion on issues that need resolution. The facilitator supports a discussion that builds understanding of the issues, explores different interests and works toward finding preferred ways of working and communicating in the future.

Facilitated discussions can be suitable when:

  • A more informal approach is preferred
  • An arm’s length, independent and confidential process is still required
  • Difficulties have arisen between team members and a ‘lighter touch’ approach is preferred
  • Historic attempts to resolve the conflict have failed or stumbled
  • Several people are involved in a dysfunctional workplace dynamic

Conflict coaching is a one-on-one intervention that can be highly effective for people experiencing conflict.

It can work well leading into a joint conflict resolution process or be used afterwards to embed learnings and new communication skills. It also works well when someone wants to explore what may be driving a conflict dynamic they are experiencing with someone else.

Our workplace conflict coaching helps employees build key skills, including:

  • Psychological safety is needed to begin the conflict resolution journey
  • Awareness or recognition of other people’s perspectives and conflict patterns
  • Building self-awareness and accountability for historic patterns of behaviour
  • Gaining practical skills tips and tools for managing a dynamic more effectively
  • Learning about different communication and conflict styles in others
  • Dealing with the psychological impact of conflict
  • ‘Stretching’ through role-playing and practice
  • Embedding new skills and approaches to conflict

Sometimes whole teams can benefit from gaining a deeper understanding of workplace conflict: what drives it, and how to put it right. Delivered by our expert conflict resolution consultants, we have proven training modules that focus on:

  • Recognising the explicit and hidden costs of workplace conflict
  • Exploring healthy and unhealthy conflict
  • Knowing when and how to intervene based on risk
  • Understanding what drives conflict and how it becomes enmeshed
  • Learning the skills to unpack the key elements of conflict at work
  • Gaining a deeper understanding of different communication and conflict styles
  • Exploring the critical role of interpersonal trust in conflict and how to rebuild it
  • Practising how to have sensitive conversations that diffuse conflict
  • Learning how to support teams in the longer term and build a positive sustainable culture

Sometimes conflict is complex, layered and impacts a whole team. So where do you start?

We’ve found the best place to start is through a sensitively planned and stepwise assessment process that focuses on listening to the impacted team members and having them contribute to the remedial solution.

Our team dynamics assessment encourages team members to talk about their experiences of the team dynamic, in one-on-one interviews. We explore the strengths of the team, where they think things are not working well and, importantly, their perspectives on how to put things right.

This approach is highly effective at rebuilding trust, reducing conflict and gradually building greater team harmony and effectiveness over time.

How we can deliver our Conflict Resolution services

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Group or one-on-one

Gain valuable skills with your peers or individually.

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Video conference

Organise virtual group or individual sessions.

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Online modules

Go at your own pace with our online modules.

TOOLS & METHODOLOGIES

What tools can Converge offer your business?

Converge has an array of proven assessment and support tools that underpin all the services we deliver.

Assessments

Psychometric Testing

Within our coaching programs, we offer options for additional psychometric testing to allow for greater coaching insight and development. This includes, but is not limited to, the following:

  • Occupational Personality Questionaire
  • MLQ Plus
  • Hogan Assessment Tool
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App

Converge App

Combining the latest digital technology with an evidence-based approach, the Converge app includes several core tools to help your employees track and improve their mental and physical health, including:

  • Appointment booking
  • Health metrics tracking & personalised human dashboard
  • Health insights library
  • Employee support (FAQ’s and e-mail support)
  • Aggregated reporting to help you understand the shifting health and wellbeing trends of your people
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Assessments

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CONFLICT RESOLUTION

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