Workplace Conflicts: How to Resolve & Avoid Them All

Welcome you all to the workplace -  the “reality tv series” in real life, where the drama takes place more often and even more dramatically than in any movies or reality shows. You know what I mean, right? Yes, I am talking about my and also your workplace where you and I go to every day from 9 to 5. 

Don’t you agree that we encounter a lot of unwanted drama and are stuck in workplace conflicts when going to work? And they cause you lost motivation in one way or another. Let’s reveal them all today, and also come up with proper methodologies to resolve and avoid troubles at the office. 

How Do You Define Your Workplace Conflicts?

It is not strange to any of us since conflicts are all-around. They are inevitable and may occur within any relationships including friendship, families, colleagues, and so on. In Vietnam, office workers usually make fun of workplace conflicts, and we call them “drama”. You know what, there is no specific size and shape of the workplace conflicts. They vary up to your working environment and may happen due to different reasons as well.

At work, drama and conflicts happen all the time and cause a massive degree of frustration, discomfort, stress, and even worse anger. They are also the primary reason for fights at the workplace.

Workplace conflicts happen every day in our lives, don’t they?

Nobody actually likes or seeks drama and conflicts except for someone who is passionate about them. Unfortunately, you have to accept the fact that there is nothing you can do to completely eliminate workplace conflicts from your life. Since there are countless tiny seeds of drama and conflicts existing around you and your co-workers, a little problem can easily turn into a fight.

There are 7 most common workplace conflicts that we all face. However, the circumstances can be slighter or worse for different people. So, you must have your own definition of workplace conflicts and reasons. The question remains: How can we resolve dramatic conflicts at work?

7 Practical Tactics To Resolve Workplace Conflicts

Like I mentioned before, no way to completely get rid of workplace conflicts. You only can try your best to prevent them from happening and resolve them if they do. Here are the 7 methods you should utilize to handle your own fights:

#1 Clarify What’s Going On

First of all, you should define the causes of workplace conflicts. By understanding where the trouble starts, you can come up with proper solutions. To do that, you need to sit down with your colleagues and have an in-depth discussion. This is the chance for both sides to speak up and express their feelings.

The more straightforward you guys are, the easier it is for you to consent to what the disagreement is about. Make sure that both sides are constructive and willing to listen unless the problems may get worse. Keep asking questions and get as much information as possible until both parties find a common voice. Mutual understanding will ease the conflicts and show you a way out.

The key here to workplace conflict solving is to figure out the causes soon and try your best to clarify them. This sounds more like a best practice for conflict management more than a solution, isn’t it? But trust me, it is the first thing you can do to resolve conflicts when they are still seeds.

#2 Do Not Make A Fuss And Only Talk In Private 

Serious conflicts may easily turn out into a big fight in public, and you know the result. It’s no use to solve workplace conflicts with loud voices and arguments. So, be careful with how you approach the problems. To have a constructive conversation, you should find a safe and private place where you and related people can talk freely without any risks. Then, try to apply method #1 to enable both sides to express opinions and work things out.

#3 Willing To Listen And Allow Everyone To Speak Out

This is the most important stage of the process to handle workplace conflicts. In a safe and private place, let’s give both parties opportunities to spit everything out. Each side will have equal time to express thoughts and concerns. Do not steal others’ words. Remember to embrace a positive and assertive approach during the discussion. 

Fights never solve conflicts

Always try your best to stay calm and control your emotions. A constructive, honest and straightforward meeting will help you comprehend the causes of conflicts as well as figure out the proper solutions. One last thing, do not ever take anything personally if you strive to resolve the disagreement.

#4 Determine the common goal and solutions for workplace conflicts

The ultimate purpose of all the negotiations is to come up with the proper conflict resolution. Therefore, both sides should lower their self-esteem and try to put themselves in others’ shoes to see the bigger picture. After clarifying the primary source of all conflicts, having an in-depth discussion with both parties, and investigating the situation, you should sit down together to find out the best solution to meet the common goal. This is the key to untie all the knots of your workplace conflicts. Be flexible, open-minded, and constructive as much as possible if you really want to solve problems instead of making them worse. Got it?

#5 Leave the current work in peace

This is the last step to take in case you’ve tried all the possible ways to resolve the misunderstanding and failed. You must understand that you cannot solve workplace conflicts from one side even if you are willing to face the problem and solve it. No conflicts are caused by one and only individual, so we need all the related parties to join in the discussion and be open to solutions.

However, do not push yourself too hard. If the conflicts have gone too far, and become impossible to resolve, then you should move on your own. Perhaps these recommended solutions will be useful for you in this case:

• Ignore the workplace conflicts and be professional in working: Put the drama aside, and work as nothing happens. This is a common but not easy method to take.
• Switch team: Joining another team and staying away from people you do not want to cooperate with are not a bad idea.
• Leave the current work: If you’ve found your colleagues too toxic and annoying, then perhaps it is a sign that you should change your job. Seeking a new workplace, new environment and co-workers is a good choice to reset your mood and energy. Let’s consider it!

Bottom Line

In brief, workplace conflicts are unavoidable when going to work, and the circumstances can be worse or not, depending on how you approach the problems. With some of the tips mentioned above, I hope that you will figure out a good way to handle your own difficulties. Always remember this, you’re gonna meet some of the same damn types of people in every workplace, which means the same problems are gonna happen over and over again if you do not face them and try your best to solve them. Wish you have a nice and friendly work environment with as least conflicts as possible.

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