1. Conflict Management November 2017
Our vision “Achieve a high level of Value and Quality for our Customer whilst maintaining a healthy and thriving business for our staff and wider stakeholders.”

2. Understand what conflict is
Objectives
Understand what conflict is
Understand what causes conflict and key steps in managing it
Understand what the ‘problem solving cycle’ is and how to use it
Understand how to prevent future conflict
Opportunity to reflect on how you manage conflict and how effectively you do it
Our vision “Achieve a high level of Value and Quality for our Customer whilst maintaining a healthy and thriving business for our staff and wider stakeholders.”

3. What is conflict management?
Our vision “Achieve a high level of Value and Quality for our Customer whilst maintaining a healthy and thriving business for our staff and wider stakeholders.”

4. Conflict with your Manager Conflict with a Colleague
Conflict is an issue or difference that causes a disagreement between individuals and / or groups. Disputes at work can take different forms
Conflict with your Manager
Conflict with a Colleague
Dispute with another Department
Our vision “Achieve a high level of Value and Quality for our Customer whilst maintaining a healthy and thriving business for our staff and wider stakeholders.”

5. How do you think you and the Company could benefit from resolving disputes in the workplace?
Our vision “Achieve a high level of Value and Quality for our Customer whilst maintaining a healthy and thriving business for our staff and wider stakeholders.”

6. Increased productivity A pleasant working environment
Stronger working relationships
Happier staff
Less work related stress
Personal and professional growth
Decrease in sickness absence
Cost and time saving
Our vision “Achieve a high level of Value and Quality for our Customer whilst maintaining a healthy and thriving business for our staff and wider stakeholders.”

7. Workplace conflict tends to fall into two categories: Individual Group
Our vision “Achieve a high level of Value and Quality for our Customer whilst maintaining a healthy and thriving business for our staff and wider stakeholders.”

8. A clash of personalities
Individual
Everyone at some time will have problems or concerns with someone else at work, they may be:
A clash of personalities
A strong difference of opinion over work issues
An overspill of personal issues from outside work
Our vision “Achieve a high level of Value and Quality for our Customer whilst maintaining a healthy and thriving business for our staff and wider stakeholders.”

9. Their managers style is too strong or too weak
An employee may have problems or concerns with their manager because they feel they:
Their managers style is too strong or too weak
They favour other colleagues when assigning tasks (favouritism).
Our vision “Achieve a high level of Value and Quality for our Customer whilst maintaining a healthy and thriving business for our staff and wider stakeholders.”

10. Sometimes known as ‘them and us’ can be caused by:
Group conflict
Sometimes known as ‘them and us’ can be caused by:
A general resentment or anger towards senior management
Poor morale and low levels of motivation
This also includes conflict between departments due to a lack of understanding or disrespect for work of different departments.
Our vision “Achieve a high level of Value and Quality for our Customer whilst maintaining a healthy and thriving business for our staff and wider stakeholders.”

11. Causes of conflict
Managers have a responsibility to look at the reasons for conflict and take measures to prevent it.
Our vision “Achieve a high level of Value and Quality for our Customer whilst maintaining a healthy and thriving business for our staff and wider stakeholders.”

12. Causes of conflict: Poor management Excessive work loads
Relationships at work
Inadequate training
Poor communication
Poor work environment
Our vision “Achieve a high level of Value and Quality for our Customer whilst maintaining a healthy and thriving business for our staff and wider stakeholders.”

13. So what should you look out for: Lack of motivation Behaviour
Productivity
Sickness Absence
Our vision “Achieve a high level of Value and Quality for our Customer whilst maintaining a healthy and thriving business for our staff and wider stakeholders.”

14. Conflict at work takes different forms
Recap
Conflict at work takes different forms
Managers should look out for any early warning signs before they escalate
Managers should be open and communicate regularly to with their staff to prevent conflict
Managers need good skills to and confidence to deal with conflict
Our vision “Achieve a high level of Value and Quality for our Customer whilst maintaining a healthy and thriving business for our staff and wider stakeholders.”

15. The problem solving cycle
Name
problem
& set goals
Evaluate
The Plan
Analyse the
problem
Create an
Action
Plan
Collect
data
Problem
resolved
Analyse
The data
Analyse
Solution
Search for
Solutions
Our vision “Achieve a high level of Value and Quality for our Customer whilst maintaining a healthy and thriving business for our staff and wider stakeholders.”

16. Using the problem solving cycle
Exercise 1
Using the problem solving cycle
Our vision “Achieve a high level of Value and Quality for our Customer whilst maintaining a healthy and thriving business for our staff and wider stakeholders.”

17. Preventing future conflict Set the right tone An open door policy
Regular meetings
Effective systems for consultation
Use our policies
Disciplinary & Grievance
Managing Performance
Absence Management
Our vision “Achieve a high level of Value and Quality for our Customer whilst maintaining a healthy and thriving business for our staff and wider stakeholders.”

18. Treat all employees as equally important
Stand up for our values
Treat all employees as equally important
Recognise the need for work life balance
Take incidents of harassment and bullying seriously
Work together
Working groups of managers and employees
Employee representatives
Our vision “Achieve a high level of Value and Quality for our Customer whilst maintaining a healthy and thriving business for our staff and wider stakeholders.”

19. Recap
The process in which a manager should resolve conflict will depend on its severity
The problem solving cycle can help you approach conflict in a systematic way
You can use the lessons learnt by conflict to prevent it happening again
Our vision “Achieve a high level of Value and Quality for our Customer whilst maintaining a healthy and thriving business for our staff and wider stakeholders.”

20. Conflict Management Case Study
Lee is a manager in a medium size Company with 7 people reporting to him and has had to deal with conflict recently.
A few months ago 2 of Lee’s subordinates had a falling out over work tools, this was strange as they had always been good friends.
When do you think is the best time for Lee to take action?
Our vision “Achieve a high level of Value and Quality for our Customer whilst maintaining a healthy and thriving business for our staff and wider stakeholders.”

21. When the conflict starts to affect Sam or Brian’s work performance
As soon as Lee notices that there could be a problem
When Sam or Brian raise an informal complaint
When Sam or Brian raise a formal complaint
Our vision “Achieve a high level of Value and Quality for our Customer whilst maintaining a healthy and thriving business for our staff and wider stakeholders.”

22. Signs of conflict – Sam has been irritable and confrontational lately, which isn’t like him
Causes of conflict – Sam agrees he has been struggling with the pressures of his new role and its really getting on top of him.
Preventative action – Lee has arranged for Sam to receive some extra training and support and has encourage him to talk to him directly if stress is affecting him in the future
Our vision “Achieve a high level of Value and Quality for our Customer whilst maintaining a healthy and thriving business for our staff and wider stakeholders.”

23. Key steps to managing conflict Face conflict head on Intervene quickly
Use official processes
Seek advice if required
Our vision “Achieve a high level of Value and Quality for our Customer whilst maintaining a healthy and thriving business for our staff and wider stakeholders.”

24. Exercise 2 – self assessment quiz
How do you manage conflict in your team… and how effectively do you do it?
Exercise 2 – self assessment quiz
Our vision “Achieve a high level of Value and Quality for our Customer whilst maintaining a healthy and thriving business for our staff and wider stakeholders.”

25. Understand what conflict is
Objectives:
Understand what conflict is
Understand what causes conflict and key steps in managing it
Understand what the ‘problem solving cycle’ is and how to use it
Understand how to prevent future conflict
Opportunity to reflect on how you manage conflict and how effectively you do it
Our vision “Achieve a high level of Value and Quality for our Customer whilst maintaining a healthy and thriving business for our staff and wider stakeholders.”

26. So, how well do you now think you understand conflict management?
Please take a few minutes to answer the questions designed to ascertain your understanding of the topics covered.
Our vision “Achieve a high level of Value and Quality for our Customer whilst maintaining a healthy and thriving business for our staff and wider stakeholders.”