Navigating Conflict: 3 Keys Of Promoting Safety In Today’s Hybrid and Remote Work Environments

Managing different types of conflict in hybrid and remote workplaces

Whether commuting to a centralized office or logging in from remote locations, most people want the same things from work. They want to be fairly compensated for performing high-quality work that improves company performance while contributing to a friendly, supportive, and collaborative work environment. 

No one wants to be bullied or harassed at work. 

And yet, according to the Harvard Business Review, 30 percent of the U.S. workforce experiences workplace bullying and harassment at the hands of their colleagues, co-workers, and bosses. Neither can we ignore violent incidents involving clients, customers, visitors, or patients.  

Human resources (HR) executives know they must provide the best possible work environment where people feel physically and emotionally safe to do their jobs effectively. However, identifying and responding to workplace bullying in comparatively new remote or hybrid settings can be uniquely challenging. 

While most people are familiar with blatant examples of workplace harassment, like yelling or belittling at work, modern workplaces – and the digital communication that empowers them – are more subtle and nuanced. 

For instance, the seemingly harmless use of “ALL CAPS” in a message or over-criticizing someone in the work settings in a public channel can be a form of digital bullying.

JD Supra explains that online communication is often more casual and conversational, causing people to forget that they still need to be professional and polite in their tone and messaging. At the same time, text messages, Slack channels, and other communications platforms allow people to quickly and instantly reach co-workers or employees, who are a point of contact at a company (when communicating as a client), creating a dynamic where harsh and hastily composed critiques flourish. 

Regardless of the work arrangement, everyone deserves safety at work. Here are three priorities that can help HR leaders promote safety for on-site, hybrid, and remote workers. 

#1 Policy

Creating safe work environments starts with company policy. Developing rules, guidelines, and norms set appropriate employee expectations and establish consequences for bad behavior. This might include: 
 

• Creating a clear policy of respectful communication: This policy would articulate the company's expectation for civil and respectful discourse on all topics. It should emphasize that discrimination, harassment, or offensive comments of any kind will not be tolerated.
• Developing a remote work code of conduct: Companies can implement a policy that outlines acceptable behaviors in remote work. This could include guidelines for communication and interactions during virtual meetings and rules about sharing political or other potentially divisive content in work-related chat or email.
• Implementing a robust complaint mechanism: It is vital that employees feel safe reporting any incidents of harassment or inappropriate behavior, whether they occur in person or virtually. An anonymous reporting system could be established, assuring that all complaints will be thoroughly investigated and dealt with in a fair and timely manner.

#2 Privacy 

Instances of harassment get more digitally oriented as more of people’s personal information, political or religious affiliations, family ties, and other sensitive data become readily available online from a network of people-search sites that collect expansive dossiers on every adult American. When exposed/sold for a small fee, this information can provide fodder for bullying and compromise online and physical safety. 

Offering services that remove employees' personal details from the internet can help safeguard people from online hostility. As its level grows, companies are increasingly seeking such privacy protection, not just for public-facing roles or executive employees but for entire teams.

In addition to providing tangible resources that help employees preserve their privacy by removing their personal information from the internet, HR leaders can also teach employees privacy best practices from maintaining good online hygiene habits, securing their various account credentials, and restricting their social media footprint to being able to identify and report top cybersecurity threats.  

#3 Prevention 

Cultivating physically and emotionally safe workspaces is predicated on prevention. Every company is unique, and so are its potential sources of conflict. Therefore, companies must develop tailored harassment and violence prevention programs that account for their specific realities. This requires: 
 

• Recognizing organizational culture: The first step in designing a tailored violence prevention program is to understand the specific dynamics of your organization. This could involve assessing the nature of the work, workplace diversity, typical stressors employees face, and the overall organizational culture.
• Identifying potential flash points: By understanding the specific realities of an organization, potential flash points can be identified. These might include contentious team meetings, performance evaluations, or times of organizational change.
• Maintaining open communication channels: Having open and clear communication channels is key. This allows employees to voice their concerns and report incidents without fear of retaliation. 

Harassment Is Everyone’s Issue 

Managing different types of conflict in a modern hybrid or remote workplace requires a multifaceted approach; embracing the unique challenges and opportunities of such work environments.

When companies imbue the necessary qualities like a culture of psychological safety, clear policies on respectful communication, tailored programs to prevent harassment and violence, as well as a steadfast commitment to protecting employees' online privacy, they are more likely to retain staff, be rated as effective by executives, and achieve bottom-line results as people are empowered to perform high-quality work in a safe, collaborative environment.

Dimitri Shelest is a Tech Entrepreneur and the CEO of OneRep. Dimitri is an avid proponent of privacy regulation framework and likes to explore cybersecurity and privacy issues as a writer and reader on various platforms.