Written by Nicola Gater | 17th December 2024

Conflict is inevitable in the workplace. Wherever people work together, differing personalities, opinions, working styles, and goals are bound to clash. In fact, CIPD reported a quarter (25%) of UK employees (around eight million people) have experienced workplace conflict in the past year.

However,  almost half of these employees (47%) let it slip under the radar. When left unresolved, even  minor disagreements can fester and escalate if not addressed at the earliest opportunity.  This can create an uncomfortable and complex situations for managers,  as within their teams they may see higher absenteeism rates, lower productivity, poor morale and potentially legal and reputational costs.

Managers play a crucial role in preventing issues from getting out of hand and maintaining a positive work environment. When addressed effectively, conflict can lead to stronger teams, better communication, and innovative problem-solving. Here, we explore good practices for managing workplace conflict, with a focus on mediation.

Understanding conflict in the workplace

Tensions can flare up between colleagues or between an employee and their manager for various  reasons, often falling into three categories:

  1. Interpersonal conflict can stem from personality differences, different communication styles, unclear instructions or misunderstandings.
  2. Intragroup conflict is a team dispute that can arise when people aren’t clear on their responsibilities or have conflicting ideas about how to achieve goals.
  3. Intergroup conflict occurs between different teams or departments in your business, fuelled by lack of collaboration, competition or misaligned objectives.

Five good practices for effective conflict resolution

  1. Active listening

Listening is essential to tackling conflicts head-on. Ensure all employees feel heard by listening without interrupting, asking questions and reflecting back on what you’ve heard to confirm understanding. Often, just feeling heard and understood can diffuse a lot of tension.

Building good relationships with team members through active listening can help anticipate and address conflicts early.

  1. Assertive communication

Assertive communication is about encouraging employees to express their thoughts and feelings clearly without being aggressive or dismissive. Encouraging open and respectful conversations, for instance an employee saying “I feel frustrated when deadlines aren’t met because it affects my workload” is far more productive than pointing fingers and blaming others.

  1. Problem solving

This involves focusing on the issue, not the person. As a manager you can frame the conflict as a shared challenge to overcome, working with employees to understand the root of the problem and exploring how you can address it together.

  1. Negotiation and compromise

Teach your team to negotiate by exploring each side’s priorities and finding solutions that meet as many needs as possible. This may require some compromise but can lead to outcomes everyone is happy with. Sometimes finding a middle ground is the best way forward.

  1. Workplace mediation

Mediation is an effective tool for resolving workplace conflict at any stage, including after a formal dispute. It involves an impartial third party,  a trained mediator, who works with the disputing employees to help them listen to each other and reach a mutual and manageable agreement as to how they will work better together in the future.

The mediator is not there to judge, place blame, or determine who might have been right or wrong. There are there to be supportive and encourage the employees to speak honestly and openly about their concerns and feelings.

Rather than impose a solution, the mediator facilitates a problem-solving discussion to help the employees find their own solution.

Mediation is a faster, less stressful way of resolving conflict. It can help improve relationships between employees by supporting them to work through the issue together. Mediation in the early stages of a dispute can stop it from escalating and avoid the costs involved in defending employment tribunal claims.

Of course, there will be some instances in which mediation is not suitable and a formal response is required, such as in cases of discrimination and harassment where disciplinary procedures are more appropriate.

The mediation process

  1. Preparation

The first step in the mediation process is for the mediator to meet with each person separately to understand their experience of the conflict, their position and what they want to happen next.

The mediator will ask both employees to agree to a joint meeting.

  1. Joint session

Everyone meets together to share their perspectives in a controlled, respectful setting. The mediator facilitates  the conversation, ensuring all voices are heard.

  1. Confidential meetings

The mediator may need to hold separate, confidential discussions with each employee to delve deeper into their needs and explore possible solutions.

  1. Negotiation

The mediator guides the employees toward a resolution, helping them identify common ground and compromises.

  1. Agreement

Once a solution is found, it’s documented in a written agreement that all employees involved commit to.

Best practices for mediation

When it comes to workplace mediation, preparation and execution are key to ensuring a positive outcome. Mediation isn’t just about solving the issue, it’s also about fostering a culture where employees feel heard, valued, and supported.

Choose the right mediator

The success of mediation will depend on the mediator. Choose  a skilled, neutral professional without any ties to the organisation, who can navigate sensitive issues without bias.

You will want to find mediators with formal training in workplace mediation and conflict resolution.

They of course should have a proven track record in resolving workplace disputes, understanding the nuances of employment relationships and workplace dynamics.

Preparing for the mediation process

Effective mediation starts before the session begins so that everyone involved understands what to expect and enters the process with the right mindset.

First of all you should set out the process to the employees, , explaining how mediation works, the roles of each participant, and the importance of confidentiality. Here you can address any questions or concerns upfront. Mediation cannot happen unless all parties agree to take part.

Let participants know that the goal is collaboration – not assigning blame. They should come prepared to share their perspectives honestly and work toward a resolution.

The mediator should familiarise themselves with the background of the conflict, including any prior attempts at resolution.

Create a safe and supportive environment

Mediation will only be successful if employees feel safe and supported. This means creating an environment where they feel comfortable speaking openly without fear of judgement or retaliation.

To do this, we recommend you hold the mediation session in a safe, private location where participants feel at ease, ideally not their normal workplace  where other employees could be in earshot.

You should establish clear rules for respectful communication, such as no interrupting, no personal attacks, and keeping the focus on the issue rather than the individuals.

Provide ongoing support

Without proper follow-up, any agreement can unravel which is why mediation shouldn’t end when the session is over.

Make sure to put the resolution in writing, outlining the specific actions each person will take and any timelines involved.

You could schedule follow-ups to review progress, which will allow you to address any lingering issues. If the conflict resurfaces, revisit the agreement or perhaps consider further mediation.

Consider training and prevention

Mediation works best in a workplace that values proactive conflict management. Give your teams the tools they need to handle disputes constructively, for example providing conflict resolution training to teach skills like active listening, assertive communication and problem-solving. Insights Discovery is worth considering as an effective way to understand peoples differences.

Ensure your organisation has clear well-communicated policies for addressing workplace conflicts, including when and how to involve mediators.

Fostering a positive workplace culture should be a priority as a healthy environment reduces the likelihood of serious conflicts arising in the first place.

Proactive approaches to conflict resolution like mediation can strengthen your team, reduce stress by resolving issues before they escalate and boost productivity. If you have any questions about conflict resolution or would like support finding a mediator, please get in touch with our team at [email protected]