Addressing Conflict without Confrontation
By Amelia Forczak
Associate Marketing Project Manager at HR Solutions
June 2, 2010

By nature, most people try to avoid conflict. The thought of addressing conflict with a confrontation cannot only be worrisome, but also physiologically disturbing. The anticipation of such an event can often leave an uneasy feeling in the pit of the stomach, and a general nervous feeling that is hard to shake. To manage this unpleasant bodily reaction, many people choose to push thoughts of conflict away, avoiding their possible culmination in a confrontation. Unfortunately, oftentimes the source of conflict does not go away by itself. When left unaddressed, a person’s level of irritation can grow exponentially. What was once a minor frustration has quickly grown into a full-blown disturbance, causing a major problem. This type of conflict avoidance is especially common in the workplace, where pleasantries and cooperation are expected.

A pressing challenge for HR professionals is fostering an environment where open communication is highly valued, and conflicts are managed long before they reach a boiling point or before employees become Disengaged. According to the Talent Management article “The Downside to Virtual Teams” in February 2010, people will go to great lengths to avoid having unpleasant conversations in the workplace. Out of the 900 respondents in a recent study, 34 percent reported avoiding a crucial conversation for over a month, while nearly one in four has put it off for more than a year. When the conversation involved a manager, avoidance levels were even higher. Reasons for avoidance varied, but most were caused by fear of the conversation ending badly, causing a negative working environment.

A great solution to make employees more comfortable speaking up about concerns is to actively ask for feedback through employee surveys. Employees often feel much more comfortable providing honest feedback if they can avoid direct confrontation. Surveys provide a private and “safe” mechanism for people to address their concerns without the worry that their feedback could damage their relationships with colleagues. Through surveys, an organization can pinpoint the sources of conflict and hear firsthand how employees would like problems resolved. Since employees feel more comfortable giving their honest opinion, surveys frequently bring to light issues they are troubled by, but were afraid to vocalize.

An important part of the survey process is conducting employee focus groups after survey data has been compiled. This allows employees the opportunity to elaborate on their survey responses, thus providing valuable information on areas for improvement. Focus groups are generally lead by a third-party survey partner who meets with various employee groups without the presence of their managers. This encourages employees to participate in more candid discussions. Feedback from focus groups is then presented to executives who decide how to implement change.

If an organization is unable to conduct an employee survey, another solution is providing a companywide suggestion box. The human resources department and/or senior leadership should manage this initiative and encourage employees to submit anonymous notes explaining their concerns, or anything else they think HR and leadership should know. HR managers and senior leadership should also make sure employees know they are permitted to contact them directly if they prefer to speak in-person. Simply letting staff members know their HR department and leadership team are happy to help resolve conflict is a great way to promote organizational improvement.

When an organization responds to employee concerns and actively addresses them, it shows employees their opinions are truly valued. Making changes from employee feedback will strengthen employee confidence in speaking openly about their concerns, with and without the help of surveys. When the lines of communication are opened, it is possible for an organization to make positive changes that lead to higher Engagement levels, and greater business outcomes.

Grenny, Josheph. “The Downside to Virtual Teams.” Talent Management, Feb 2010.
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