MANAGING CONFLICT AT WORK

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• MANAGING CONFLICT AT WORK
• Barbara Capstick
• HR Consultant Coach

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Barbara Capstick, FCIPD

• Honours degree in Law
• Masters degree in HR Management
• Chartered Fellow of CIPD
• Myers Briggs (MBTI) Practitioner
• Meyler Campbell Business Coach
• Accredited by CEDR as a Workplace mediator
• Founder of Capstick Saxton Associates Limited
• 25 years experience in business and people
  management
• Specialist in workplace performance and
  relationship issues.

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Overview

• This Briefing will cover
• The conflict life cycle
• The role of mediation, and
• Proactive conflict management tools, techniques
  and training.

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Causes of Conflict at Work

• CIPD 2007 Managing Conflict at Work Survey - the
  most common causes of disputes at work
• 1. General behaviour and conduct issues
• 2. Conflicts over performance, sickness
  absence and attendance and
• 3. Relationships between colleagues.

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The Conflict Life Cycle

• Stage of Conflict
• 1. Beginning
• 2. Early Growth

• Behaviour or signs
• Incompatible goals
• Tension starts to be noticed
• Confrontation
• Polarisation of positions
• Seeking allies

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The Conflict Life Cycle

• Stage of Conflict
• 3. Deadlock
• 4. Looking for a way out

• Behaviour or signs
• Blame being apportioned
• Entrenched positions
• Communications cease between the parties
• Acceptance that the problem needs sorting out

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The Conflict Life Cycle

• Stage of Conflict
• 5.Working together for a solution

• Behaviour or signs
• Collaborating
• Consensus

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Beware of Formal procedures!

• According to ACAS formal procedures have an
  important role to play, but many disputes could
  be settled without the need to pursue a formal
  grievance or disciplinary procedure.
• Once a formal procedure is triggered, positions
  become more entrenched and behaviour more
  adversarial. It is then more difficult to move
  people to a mutually acceptable solution.

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Tools and techniques to resolve conflict

• Understand the main causes of conflict, and the
  conflict life cycle, and
• Find ways to resolve the conflict.
• Mediation
• What is it?
• When should you use it?
• What are the main benefits?

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Mediation What is it?

• It is a process based on the principle of
  collaborative problem solving where an impartial
  3rd party, helps 2 or more people in dispute to
  attempt to reach an agreement.
• Its focus is on the future and rebuilding
  relationships, rather than apportioning blame.
• It is informal, flexible, voluntary, morally
  binding but with no legal status, confidential
  and usually unrepresented.

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Mediation when to use it

• At any stage in the conflict life cycle, as long
  as formal procedures are put in abeyance, or
• where mediation is a stage in the procedures
  themselves
• Also, after a formal dispute to rebuild
  relationships.

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Mediation when to use it

• Useful for a range of issues, including
• Relationship breakdown
• Personality clashes
• Communication problems
• Bullying and harassment.

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Mediation when not to use it

• Examples of situations where it may not be
  appropriate to use mediation
• When the manager should exercise their
  responsibilities to sort it out
• If one or both parties are completely
  intransigent
• The parties do not have the power to settle the
  issue
• The individual wants an investigation or
• A decision about right or wrong is needed.

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Mediation the main benefits

• According to the 2008 CIPD survey report of
  workplace mediation, 83 of respondents cited
  improved relationships between individuals as the
  main benefit in using mediation. Other benefits
  include
• Reduced stress (71)
• Improved retention (63)
• Reduced grievances (57)
• Reduced cost of tribunal claims (49)
• Reduced sickness absence (33)

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Other tools and techniques

• Facilitation to help a dialogue
• Coaching to raise self awareness and devise
  strategies to deal with conflict
• Personality profiling to help understanding of,
  and depersonalise differences
• Teambuilding activities to reduce tension and
  encourage bonding

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Training Development initiatives

• Proactive conflict management topics
• Courageous conversations
• Appropriate behaviour at Work
• Appraisal giving and getting feedback
• Coaching skills for managers
• Communication and rapport building
• Basic mediation toolkit

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Further information and resources

• www.acas.org.uk Code of Practice and Guidance.
  Also Helpline on 08457 474747.
• www.berr.gov.uk Detailed information on the
  new regulations and the transitional
  arrangements.
• www.cipd.co.uk Information on changes to
  discipline and grievance procedures.
• www.capsticksaxton.com Conflict management
  services, including diagnostics.

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About us Capstick Saxton Associates

• We help our clients with conflict in a number of
  ways
• HR Consulting and advisory services
• Coaching, including personality profiling (MBTI)
• Workplace mediation formal and informal
• Independent investigation of grievances and
  conduct allegations.
• Training (accredited for CPD), in leadership and
  management skills, including Proactive Conflict
  Management.