Remote Work: How to Manage and Resolve Conflict

Conflict is not a stranger to any human being, even in the remote workplace.
Remote Work: How to Manage and Resolve Conflict
By
Leon Edmunds

Conflict is not a stranger to any human being. People experience it in their day-to-day lives. It can be with their friends, families, or their professional lives. In the workplace, the conflict has a huge negative impact on many people. Not only does it cause an immense degree of discomfort but also sadness. Additionally, it causes anger, pain, and frustration. And, this is a normal aspect of life.

Today, the world is a big global village where there is a massive expansion in workforce diversity. Companies and firms have teams of employees from all walks of life with dissimilar cultural and rational or intellectual backgrounds and assorted outlooks.

In the workplace, individuals have different perspectives on similar issues. And, it is easy for disagreements to occur in such a surrounding. In fact, conflict is one of the major reasons for employee burnout at work.

So, if you are working in a remote area, what steps should you follow to resolve a conflict? Well, this article strives to elaborate on some of the tips and techniques you can use to manage and resolve conflict.

The necessity of remote work in the Covid-19 pandemic

With the Covid-19 pandemic claiming the lives of many people all over the world, it is advisable to distance yourself from other people whether at home or in the workplace. But since many people have been advised to work from home excluding those in the critical job sector department, this is one of the most efficient and effective conflict resolution steps you can use to manage and resolve conflict.

When working far from other people, it is difficult for you to disagree on something since everyone is in a different location. You will only need to outline your viewpoints and come to a final decision on how to tackle or handle a particular issue.

This aids in ensuring work productivity hence achieving the company goals. Additionally, it inhibits the spread of the coronavirus as everyone is keeping safe at their places.

Clarify where the beginning of the conflict is

Before getting to resolve and manage conflict, there is a procedure that you ought to follow to ensure that it does not come up again or to find an effective approach to deal with it when it comes up again.

The first step in the conflict management process is clarifying what the conflict is and how it came to be. The objective of this step is to get both parties to consent to what the disagreement is. To do so, you ought to discuss the needs that both parties need to meet on both sides of the issue and ascertain conjoint or mutual understanding.

Ask questions and listen actively, let everyone have their say

When clarifying the beginning of the conflict, you need to gather as much information as you can from the perspective of both parties. This tactic answers the question,

‘What is an approach to solving problems peacefully?’

Ask as many questions as you can until you are sure that both parties participate. This is one of the fundamental steps in managing and solving conflict. You ought to be keen and pay attention to what each of these parties has to present or say.

This can help you better comprehend how the conflict came about, and the management tactics in the conflict processes that you can use to solve this issue.

So, do not take sides and let each party present their claims as well as assertions.

Investigation

After taking the statements of both parties, investigate the matter, try to find out what led to this conflict on the basis of the statements you have been able to obtain.

Probe or inspect the matter to find the solutions you can use to resolve it. Or, look for ways that you can embrace to ascertain that you can handle it when it comes up in the future. There are various stages of conflict:

  • Latent stage. Parties involved are not aware of the conflict.
  • Perceived stage. Both parties are cognizant that the conflict exists.
  • Felt stage. Stress and anxiety are experienced.
  • Manifest. Conflict is open and an observation takes place.
  • Aftermath. Resolution and dissolution of the outcome.

These stages can help you have an in-depth investigation of the matter.

Discover ways to meet the common goal

Now, you need to determine the techniques that you can use to meet the common objective. This management process involves paying attention, interacting, and brainstorming with both parties.

Work with both teams to ensure they meet the common goal, that is, to handle this situation in a professional manner and embrace tactics that will hinder it from coming up again. You can use the leaps model of communication to warranty that there is a mutual understanding between the two parties.

Agree on the best solution

When looking for an efficient and effective conflict management solution, you first ought to ask yourself, what is the basic conflict in everyday use? Answering this question can help you find the best solution that you can use to curb conflict in your company.

Conflict enables the people in an organization to understand that each individual has different viewpoints and it is difficult for them to agree in a similar manner on everything. So, when finding the best solution, ask both parties to come up with a conclusion on the ideal resolution. Look for solutions that both parties can adapt to. Identify the common ground and task each party with the responsibility of maintaining the solution.

Evaluate how things are going

After some time, assess how both parties are faring. Check out whether the solutions you have come up with are effective and if both parties do not encounter any difficulties trying to maintain them. Is there effective communication between them? How are they handling their responsibilities?

If all seems to be fine, well and good. But if not, ask yourself, “What is the second step of effective communication?” This can enable you to better figure out the techniques you can use to warranty that there is no animosity between the two parties.

Settle preventative strategies for the future

This is the final stage in resolving and managing conflict. You need to outline preventative strategies that you can use to handle this situation, assuming it comes up in the future. Ensure that the strategies you come up with are effective and can prevent the issues from further arising.

In conclusion, conflict is a normal life aspect that helps people in a company get to know and accept the people working with them. People have different perceptions that they use to handle certain situations. And because of this, disagreements are apt to happen in an organization, hence leading to a conflict. Nonetheless, above are some tips that you can use to learn how to solve a conflict in the workplace or anywhere else.

About the author

Leon Edmunds began work in 2006. Since then, he has tried his hand at SEO and team communication management. He also writes for blogs and works as an academic writer at Edu Jungles, a professional essay writing service. His main interests are content marketing, communication skills development and blogging. Every day he is looking for new ideas to help people achieve their career goals. His team works as one ideal vehicle.

Facebook, Instagram


Grow a happier, more productive remote company culture - try Hi5 for free today >