Workplace conflict, though quite common, is an uncomfortable situation that can rapidly turn into a significant problem if not dealt with. It can lead to increased stress in the workplace, decreased job contentment, higher rates of absenteeism, decreased productivity, and diminished morale and work quality.

Nonetheless, conflicts are unavoidable. The aim is not to entirely prevent them but to effectively address and handle them. By using appropriate strategies to resolve issues, individuals can prevent their differences from spiralling out of control.

“Establishing conflict management processes in a company is fundamental, as it helps reduce conflict instances among employees,” says Casper Hansen, an expert in resume writing from Resume That Works.

In this article, you are going to learn seven steps to manage and resolve workplace conflict:

1. Recognize the Issue
2. Collect Preliminary Information
3. Clarify the Origin of the Conflict
4. Conduct a Private and Candid Meeting
5. Establish an Objective and Formulate a Strategy
6. Assess Progress
7. Recognize and Apply Lessons Learned

A Step-by-Step Process to Manage and Resolve Workplace Conflict

1. Recognize the Issue

Despite the temptation to ignore the problem and hope it disappears, this approach is rarely effective and often exacerbates the situation. For example, a survey of 30,000 employees in 2019 revealed that almost one in three individuals had left their jobs due to conflicts in the workplace. The best initial step is to acknowledge that the problem is real. Confront it directly and commit to finding solutions.

2. Collect Preliminary Information

Take the time to examine the matter. Refrain from making premature judgments or arriving at a conclusion before obtaining all the necessary information. Delve deeper and gather more details about the incidents, individuals involved, issues, and the emotions of those involved. Engage in individual and confidential conversations with the parties concerned, and listen carefully to ensure that you understand their perspectives. Summarizing their statements and repeating them back can aid in ensuring clarity and comprehension.

3. Clarify the Origin of the Conflict

It is essential to clarify the nature of the problem with the involved parties. Identifying the source of the conflict is the primary step in resolving any issue. Defining the root cause provides important insights without making assumptions. Common causes of workplace conflict include:

• Inadequate Communication: A lack of communication leads to feelings of exclusion or lack of control.

• Lack of Skills: An employee’s deficiency in certain skills that another employee expects them to possess can lead to issues with work delivery, affecting morale and confidence.

• Inadequate Information: Frustration arises when an employee lacks the necessary data to perform their job. Ambiguous or incomplete information can also result in resentment.

• Remote Work: In instances of remote work where communication is predominantly text-based, there is more room for misinterpretation of tone compared to face-to-face interactions.

• Differing Values: Conflict may arise due to differences in opinion and personal values, especially when two strong personalities hold opposing views.

If none of the above seems applicable, search for underlying sources that may not be immediately obvious. For example, frustration with a colleague in a different time zone or receiving “urgent” requests late in the day might be contributing factors.

4. Conduct a Private and Candid Meeting

Before attempting to resolve any issue, find a secure, private, and neutral environment for discussion where all parties feel comfortable participating in an open and honest conversation. Adopt a positive and assertive approach. If necessary, establish ground rules to ensure that each side has ample time to express their viewpoints and feelings. Providing opportunities for individuals to acknowledge their hurt or anger publicly can help them feel heard. Subsequently, ensure that both parties agree on the nature of the issue. Continue asking questions until you are confident that all conflicting parties are on the same page.

5. Establish an Objective and Formulate a Strategy

When employees recognize that they share a common goal, it becomes easier for them to interact with one another. Once this is established, both parties should collaborate to devise a solution. Different people approach conflict in various ways, often deploying one or more preferred methods. The Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) identifies five conflict resolution strategies:

– Avoiding: Ignoring the conflict or withdrawing from it, hoping it will resolve itself.

– Competing: Resolving the conflict by asserting one’s interests, often at the expense of the other party.

– Accommodating: Sacrificing one’s concerns to meet the needs of the other party.

– Collaborating: Working together to find a mutually beneficial solution.

– Compromising: Each party sacrifices something to reach an agreement.

Identify common ground and determine strategies that both parties can agree on or compromise. Listen, communicate, and brainstorm together until all options are considered.

6. Assess Progress

Do not assume that an issue is completely resolved after a plan has been established. Continuously monitor the situation and evaluate whether the solution is effective. Schedule follow-up meetings to review progress, allowing both parties to discuss their actions and outcomes. Maintaining openness and honesty about progress can help keep everyone on track and motivated to pursue positive change. If the issue remains unresolved or resurfaces, take the necessary actions, including implementing preventive measures for the future.

7. Recognize and Apply Lessons Learned

Reflecting on the conflict resolution process provides valuable insights into team dynamics, communication effectiveness, and organizational resilience. Document and share these lessons with your team to build collective knowledge and inform company policies and procedures.

By following these steps, you can manage and resolve workplace conflicts effectively, fostering a more supportive and productive work environment. If you need more help and support to train your managers and leaders to handle workplace conflict, click here and set up a meeting with DHB Vision Strategists.

To learn more about dealing with conflict, especially with cross-generational teams, read this next: Managing Workplace Conflict: 5 Strategies For Multigenerational Teams

The post How to Manage and Resolve Conflict in the Workplace appeared first on DHB Vision Strategists.

Team building activities are a great way to improve employee engagement, foster collaboration, and enhance communication within a team. Here are five activities for staff meetings that require minimal setup and can be easily integrated into your monthly or weekly staff meetings. These activities are designed to be quick, engaging, and adaptable to both in-person and online settings.

1. Two Truths and a Lie

Time Required: 10-15 minutes

Objective: To help team members get to know each other better and build trust.

Preparation: No preparation is needed.

Instructions:

1. Each participant writes down two truths and one lie about themselves
2. One by one, each person reads their statements aloud.
3. The rest of the team guesses which statement is the lie.
4. After everyone has guessed, the participant reveals the lie.
5. Optional: This can be followed by a short discussion where participants share more details about their truths if they wish.

Virtual Delivery: This activity can be conducted both in person and online. For online meetings, participants can use the chat feature or speak their statements aloud.

2. Icebreaker Questions

Time Required: 10-15 minutes

Objective: Icebreaker questions help colleagues learn new things about each other and build connections. 

Instructions:

1. Pose an interesting icebreaker question to the group, such as:

• If you could switch jobs with anyone on the team for a week, who would it be and why?
• What’s your New Year’s resolution?
• If you met a genie, what would your three wishes be?

2. Have staff discuss the question in pairs or small groups for 5 minutes.
3. Bring the group back together and ask volunteers to share something interesting they learned about their partner.

Virtual delivery: For remote teams, use breakout rooms for small group discussions.

3. Office Trivia

Time Required: 10-15 minutes

Objective: To increase knowledge about the company and foster a sense of belonging.

Instructions:

1. Preparation: Create a list of trivia questions related to the company, its history, and its employees.
2. Execution:
   • Read each trivia question aloud.
   • Allow team members to write down their answers or answer verbally.
   • Reveal the correct answers and keep track of scores.
   • The person or team with the most correct answers wins a small prize.
3. Discussion: Encourage participants to share any interesting facts or stories related to the trivia questions.

Virtual Delivery: This activity can be easily conducted both in person and online. For online meetings, use the chat feature or polling tools for answers.

4. Team Storytelling

Time Required: 15-20 minutes

Objective: To promote creativity and teamwork.

Instructions:

1. Preparation: No preparation is needed.
2. Execution:
   • Start with a random sentence to begin the story.
   • Each team member adds one sentence to the story, building on what the previous person said.
   • Continue until everyone has contributed at least once, or set a time limit.
3. Discussion: Reflect on the story and discuss the creativity involved.

Virtual Delivery: This activity can be done in person or online. In an online setting, use a shared document or the chat feature to build the story.

5. Happiness Exercise

Time required: 10-15 minutes

Objective: This exercise helps colleagues connect on a personal level and appreciate what matters most to each other. Seeing the collective happiness notes can boost morale.

Instructions:

1. Have staff get into pairs or triads.
2. Give each group a stack of sticky notes.
3. Ask them to write down things that make them happy, one per note.
4. Have groups share their happiness notes with each other and discuss.
5. Collect all the notes and post them on a wall or online board.

Conclusion:

Team building doesn’t have to be complicated. With a few simple activities like these, you can strengthen relationships and collaboration among your staff right in your regular meetings. The key is choosing activities for staff meetings that are engaging, inclusive and relevant to your team. Have fun with it!

Incorporating these team-building activities into your regular meetings can significantly enhance team dynamics and foster a more collaborative and engaging work environment. That way, when larger team-building interventions are planned by the company such as family days, Christmas parties and retreats, they will be more effective.

If you are not certain how to get your managers to become comfortable using these types of activities, click here and let us help you.

The post 5 Team Building Activities For Staff Meetings appeared first on DHB Vision Strategists.

Managers and CEOs often do not prioritize team-building activities, perceiving them as a waste of time. Quite often (especially with the Caribbean region), team-building is only considered when a new strategic objective is being rolled out, during organizational changes, or simply because an obligation has to be met. Moreover, now that companies face uncertain economic times, employee activities such as team-building and training are usually the first on the chopping block. Here is a consideration that is ignored: when companies are downsizing, cutting staff or facing economic uncertainty, it is the most critical time to build up your team. This article will address the most common management concerns regarding team-building activities. The goal is to help you as a leader to see how team-building activities can significantly improve employee engagement and overall performance. 

This article will explore:

1. The Benefit of Team-Building Activities
2. Top Management Concerns and Solutions
3. How To Get Started

Benefit of Team-Building Activities At Companies

What does that mean? Well, firstly, enhanced efficiency, improved communication, collaboration, and trust among team members often lead to more efficient workflows. This, in time, can result in quicker problem-solving. Moreover, investing time in team-building can minimize conflicts and misunderstandings that often disrupt daily operations and consume significant time and resources to resolve. If you are honest, most times it is an ongoing problem of conflict and disgruntlement in the team that leads managers to consider team-building.

Your firm can also benefit from Improved team morale and engagement from team-building. This may also lead to higher employee retention rates, reducing the time and costs associated with recruiting and training new staff. Research indicates that companies with high employee engagement experience significant improvements in productivity and performance. The data from a Gallup Study shows that businesses with highly engaged employees are 23% more profitable than businesses with low engagement. Why? Engaged employees contribute to a high-performing culture where critical thinking, problem-solving, going the extra mile, and effective decision-making are valued.

What Are Management’s Concerns Around Team-Building Activities?

Management Concern #1: Perceived Lack of Time

Managers often feel that taking time out for team-building activities detracts from completing essential tasks and meeting deadlines. This is especially found in environments with high workloads and a strong focus on immediate productivity. The scheduling challenges of finding a suitable time for all team members further complicate the implementation of team-building activities. This short-term focus on productivity over long-term team development is a common barrier. However, manager must recognize that the long-term productivity gains from team-building activities outweigh the short-term time investment. 

Solution:

To address time constraints, flexible and integrated approaches to team building can be highly effective. Team-building does not always require lengthy sessions; short, regular activities integrated into daily or weekly routines can be just as impactful. Brief icebreakers, quick problem-solving exercises, or regular team huddles can build cohesion without significant time investment. Additionally, incorporating team-building elements into existing meetings or events can foster a collaborative atmosphere without additional time slots. You can do this by starting a regular meeting with a quick team-building exercise or through remote and digital options especially when your team is geographically dispersed.

These approaches save on time and logistical efforts while still achieving the benefits of team cohesion. Research from McKinsey & Company suggests that effective team collaboration can increase productivity by 20-30%. This shows that flexible and integrated approaches can address the scheduling challenges while still reaping the benefits of team-building activities. These time-efficient solutions address the issue of a lack of time.

Management Concern #2: Questionable Effectiveness of Team-Building Exercises

Managers may doubt the tangible benefits of team-building activities, viewing them as ineffective or merely “feel-good” exercises without lasting impact. Past negative experiences with poorly planned or executed team-building activities can also lead to reluctance to try again. Furthermore, without clear goals and measurable outcomes, managers may see team-building as a waste of resources.

However, numerous studies have shown that well-designed team-building activities can lead to companies experiencing significant improvements in team performance, communication, and morale. These activities have been linked to measurable improvements in key performance indicators (KPIs), such as productivity, employee engagement, and job satisfaction.

Solution:

To ensure effectiveness, structured and goal-oriented team-building programs are essential. Emphasizing the importance of setting clear, measurable objectives for team-building activities ensures they are purposeful and aligned with organizational goals. Tailoring activities to address specific team needs and challenges makes them more relevant and effective. Lastly, team-building programs should have in their design regular assessment and feedback mechanisms. These ensure that you can measure the impact of team-building activities and make necessary adjustments to improve their effectiveness. 

A report by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) highlights that team-building activities with clear objectives and follow-up evaluations are more likely to succeed. Based on the available research, it is clear that when done right, team-building activities can have the desired effect on performance.

Management Concern 3: Budget Constraints

Team-building activities can be seen as an unnecessary expense, especially in times of tight budgets or financial uncertainty. Managers might prioritize investments in equipment, technology, or direct business needs over team-building. Additionally, it can be challenging to justify the return on investment (ROI) for team-building activities, leading managers to deprioritize them in favour of more quantifiable expenditures. This happens especially when team-building programs are not designed with an assessment and feedback loop. The truth is though that many effective team-building activities require minimal financial investment. 

Solution:

Low-cost or no-cost activities can be both cost-effective and impactful. These may include team-building exercises during regular meetings, volunteer group projects, or outdoor activities. Virtual team-building tools and activities can be more affordable and flexible, especially for remote or dispersed teams. A report from Forbes highlights several low-cost team-building ideas that have proven effective, such as volunteer work, potluck lunches, and team sports.

How to Start Consistent Team Building Activities At Your Company

1. Start your team-building with your leadership. Change in your companies must be leadership-driven. If you want your managers to buy into the idea of team-building as a driver of success, you need to demonstrate it. Integrate a team-building activity into your regular management meetings
2. Retrain your managers. Give your managers the tools to assess their team dynamics to determine the pulse of the team. Additionally, train your managers to use team-building tools and strategies.
3. Engage the right consultant. Engaging the right person to design your team-building program is key. This is the only way to ensure that your effectiveness objectives are met.
4. Adjust Your KPIs. Demonstrate your commitment to improved team dynamics by making it an official part of your KPI system. This will relay the message that team-building is integral to your companies.

This article is written by Dana Hayes-Burke, Chief Business Strategist & Founder of DHB Vision Strategist and International Keynote Speaker.

The post Are Team-Building Activities a Waste of Company Money? appeared first on DHB Vision Strategists.

It seems like we’re finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Pretty soon all your staff is going to get back to the office together working to achieve those corporate goals. It can be an exciting time but also a frustrating time for both Team Members and Managers. Why? Because for over a year everything was different! Now “the new normal” is the only normal and the old normal seems strange.  So how do we get our team to be enthusiastic about the office again? How do you connect with each other in a meaningful way AND get the job done? Here are three powerful and easy strategies to help you:

1. Connection on a personal level. 

This does not mean becoming besties and blurring the lines of the organizational chain of command. Instead, it means humanizing the relationship and the chain of command that presently exists. How do you do this? By integrating into your weekly work meetings, a Q&A time where you find out how your team is actually doing. This is a leadership tool that every manager/supervisor must make a part of their process in a post-pandemic work. People will forget what you do for them but they won’t forget how you make them feel. So make your team feel seen and heard at every encounter.

2. Collaboration with your team. 

As a Manager or Supervisor, it is true that you have the ultimate decision-making power. You set targets, goals, and agendas for the department. However, to smoothen the transition back to the office, you need an inclusive approach. Give your staff the opportunity to actively weigh in on the goals and objectives for the department. Let them participate in setting goals for the first 2-3 months of your return to the office. The truth is, you are likely to end up with the goals and targets that you would have set anyway. The difference is that because they were included in the process, there is now greater buy-in. Buy-in means greater motivation to get the job done. Your staff will be happy to come to a space where their plans come to fruition.

3. Normalize the transition process. 

The worse thing you can do is pretend as nothing happened. A lot happened in the past year, not just for your business and workplace but individual lives. When everyone is back in the office remember that there will be a transitional process. Take the time to listen to the things that your staff says when they return to work. Observe the way that they’re functioning. Observe the way that they are interacting. You should allow that information to guide the way you set your agenda on a weekly basis. It’s not that your staff doesn’t want to be in the office. It’s that they’ve grown accustomed to doing the work their way and on their own set schedule. Now, they have reacquainted themselves with the new normal of work in the office.

Remember, as you show flexibility as a leader, you can more easily integrate the actions of everyone. That way, you can collectively cultivate a positive office dynamic. One that works not only for the individual but also your department and the achievements of your KPIs.

If, in reading these tips, you feel like you need additional support for your Managers so that:

1. they can become leaders who get results, 
2. leaders who motivate their team, and 
3. leaders who make this transition back to the office an easier one,

feel free to schedule a call so that we can discuss the available training option to help in this area of productivity and transition back to the world of the office.

Written by Dana Hayes-Burke

The post 3 Powerful Strategies to Transition Staff Back To The Office appeared first on DHB Vision Strategists.