Friday, January 2, 2015
Staff mediation at work
Leading a team is an easy task when things are going smoothly, but it’s how you lead when times get tough which is what really defines you as a manager. A good small business leader knows when and how to handle employee conflicts. If you’re new to managing your own staff, you may be unsure or daunted by the idea of having to get involved and resolve the issue between the employers. But there really is no need to be, even if you aren’t a natural mediator, the following tips will help you approach conflicts in a proper and productive way that will ensure a fast and even resolution for everyone involved.
Know when to get
involved
Most of the conflicts that occur can be dealt with between the
individuals involved, without outside intervention. In most cases, you probably
won’t need to step up unless an employee asks for your help or the dispute
itself is affecting the daily life within the business.
If you do get
involved, do so promptly
When the time comes, step in promptly and limit delays. The sooner you
can start to evaluate the situation, the sooner you will be able to help your
employees reach a resolution. This will minimize any potential negative
outcomes.
Stay neutral
When the time comes to mediating disputes, it’s crucial that you remain
impartial. Personal opinions, agendas and emotions shouldn’t play any part in
your decision-making process.
Listen carefully to
both sides
Take care to hear out each person’s side to the story in a private
setting before collecting them both together to reach a solution. This will
allow each staff member to speak his or her version of the truth without the
worry of how the other person may react.
Dig deep to find the
real issue
When you listen to each person’s side of events, don’t just listen to
what they say, instead dig deep and find out what the real issue behind the
conflict actually is. The surface dispute may seem inconclusive, but there may
be a deeper conflict behind it. You won’t be able to fix the matter until you
find out what that deeper conflict is.
Reach a solid
understanding
The very worst thing you can do when you mediate is to leave a dispute
without a resolve. Take extra care in talking through the issues and make a
decision on what to do next and that each person involved knows what their
takeaways are and what their next steps are. Otherwise a clear resolution won’t
be found and the conflict will stay existent.
At the end of the
day...
Workplace disputes are common between
employees and mediation services in Essex can help you address issues early on, but if you get involved when
needed, remain impartial, listen to both sides and create a fair resolution
based on the issue and the information you’ve gathered, you’ll be able to turn
negative issues into positive learning experiences for both you and your
members of staff.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
0 Responses to “Staff mediation at work”
Post a Comment