Workplaces will tell you “oh we don’t have conflict here”.

What they’re really saying is that they are pretending they don’t have conflict, or worse, they don’t know about it.

I get it - most people don’t want to be in conflict or they want to believe that everyone is getting along. But this just isn’t realistic - we are going to get into situations where we don’t agree, have competing priorities, or different ways of communicating. (*note - I am not talking about bullying or harassment - these are beyond conflicts and may require professional intervention to handle)

Conflict can actually be beneficial in your organization.

When we avoid conflict, we avoid opportunities to:

• Generate ideas

• Shift perspectives

• Identify larger or underlying problems

• Allow people to be heard

Your organization does need a policy around how conflicts are handled.

This shows a willingness on the part of the organization to address problems, and provides a framework for how to do so. A policy can help encourage constructive behaviours and dialogue to move towards resolution.

This policy should include:

1. The purpose of the policy and who it applies to

2. The procedure and the steps to be followed

3. How a decision regarding the conflict will be made and by whom

4. If or how the decision can be appealed

5. Additional information as necessary - this may include time frames, information on who to contact, or messaging around retaliation

The goal isn't to never have conflict.

Conflict is inevitable in the workplace (in all places really), but that doesn’t mean you can’t put procedures in place to help you make it constructive. Your workplace conflict resolution policy is where you can set the parameters, and it’s up to the organization’s leadership to ensure it is followed. Consistency here builds trust and safety to have challenging conversations, which ultimately leads to better outcomes for both the organization and its employees.