Handling Tension Among Employees
People are always different
People are always different. They differ in behavior, views, beliefs, preferences, and approaches, so dont expect your subordinates will always be friends with one another.
Disagreements have negative effects on the companys productivity. Employees involved in conflicts tend to lose focus on work. Some even end up tendering resignation because of the hurt, or maybe the shame, caused by these conflicts. So it is a must that managers know when to intervene and how to solve problems in the most effective way.
Offer positive and constructive feedbacks
It is always important that when you appraise, you comment on your employees hard work and accomplishments. In the office, the comments that matter the most regarding an employees performance all come from the manager. The managers words will always outweigh those of other people, and this will lessen, if not prevent, gossiping or backstabbing. Also give pointers for improvement.
Promote humor
You know how bad it is if the workplace is always silent, pressured, and serious. This will stress the team more and drain their energy fast. So promote humor to lighten up the mood at work. When having a meeting, try beginning with unfreezers. Occasionally tell jokes. However, you have to make sure that your subordinates will still see you as their boss and not as a clown. You also have to make sure that sarcastic, malicious, discriminatory, and other jokes that mar the name of the company are not allowed.
Emphasize the proper way of discussing problems
Explain to your subordinates the importance of being polite and also of choosing the right words whenever talking out problems with their colleagues, so as not to ignite a conflict with anyone and to resolve the problem immediately. To be more effective and for them to know that this is going to be expected of them, be their role model in the company. If employees will see that their boss is tactful, open, and fair, there would be no reason for them not to be.
Establish clear expectations
Your employees will be performing at their best if they know what is expected of them. This way, they will be informed of their exact responsibilities, which will lead to proper coordination with their colleagues.
Pay attention to the problem
You will be able to come up with the perfect solution if you know what the problem exactly is all about. Is the problem purely about their duties? Is it about the workers wrong attitudes? Or is it about the company policies that are not applicable to some employees? Talk to those involved and be a good listener.
Know when to mediate
Managers dont have to get involved in every conflict among subordinates. There are some misunderstandings that you can just leave for the employees to resolve on their own. However, if you think that the tension already affects their work and the companys productivity and integrity, then it is already time for you to meddle.
Meet the concerned parties
If you were already informed that there is conflict in your team, it would be better to meet with the people involved. Never hold a discussion when one of the concerned people is not present. By talking to these people, you will be able to know how they behave toward each other and how serious the problem is. Also, by talking to them, they will be able to know that you are willing to be of help in solving whatever problems they have.
Ask for opinions
Issues among your team can be easily dealt with. However, if you need time to think the problem over, you can also ask for opinions from people you trust and who have experienced this kind of situation at work. Their advice might be of great help.
by: S. Guthery
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