Workplace conflict training may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you’re settling into a new management position, but proactively providing your team with tools and resources to communicate effectively and de-escalate tensions can have many impacts to both your organization and the individuals who work there.
Benefits of Workplace Conflict Training
Many organizations seek out support with conflict after a conflict has already erupted, costing time and money to repair. Workplace conflict training allows employees and employers alike to stay ahead of the conflict, addressing them before they start impacting time and company revenue. Here are some benefits to offering your team conflict strategies in the workplace.
Improved Morale
When employees feel safe at work, morale naturally increases. Giving employees the tools and skills to be able to manage conflict when it arises or proactively avoid it can help empower them to feel the kind of safety that inspires higher morale. Team members will become a more trusted source of support and whenever employees can effectively communicate feedback to their managers, their engagement with work will reflect that.
Better Organizational Performance
Employees who don’t fear conflict erupting in their workplace can focus more on the task at hand, which may or may not have a direct impact to customer experience. Generally speaking, when team members can collaborative more effectively, deadlines get met, tasks get accomplished more effectively, and a stronger unit of teamwork can create a stronger performance all together.
Increased Creativity and Innovation
When employees feel safe enough to focus on their role rather than interpersonal tensions with others, they can put that energy toward positive things like getting creative about how they work. Reduced tensions can also increase collaboration between employees which is where diversity of ideas can develop into innovative products, services, or processes within the business.
Reduced Conflict
Dealing with conflict at work as a manager is no small task, as it can have long-term negative impacts on the team environment. When employees feel confident they can handle tricky situations, it can reduce tensions that could, in fact, spark conflict in what may seem like a self-fulfilling prophecy. For this reason, workplace conflict training, and other types of conflict-reducing trainings such as diversity and inclusion training, can reduce expensive and time-draining impacts of workplace conflict.
Enhanced Problem-Solving Skills
Having a solid grasp on staff conflict resolution strategies goes beyond the literal placement of strategies for handling disputes among colleagues. When people have a solid foundation of conflict-reducing skills, they can apply a degree of creativity, rather than stress, when solving problems. This can also have a magnifying effect as it can reduce tensions that would otherwise spark conflict and create additional problems to solve. Being able to view problems from a different angle and tackle them with out-of-the-box thinking often brings the best results, adding even more benefits to initiating workplace conflict training with your team.
Workplace conflict training has many benefits to both individuals and the organization. Contact Pollack Peacebuilding Systems today to get the right strategies for your team.
