If there is anything human resources professionals have learned during their careers, it is that disputes and conflicts among employees are inevitable. Unfortunately, conflict in the workplace can have negative impacts not just on the employees directly involved, but on the organization as a whole. In fact, workers who experience conflict directly or indirectly may experience a drop in productivity and lower morale.
Understanding Workplace Disputes and Their Impact
According to SHRM data, nearly two-thirds of all workers in the United States have experienced some form of incivility or conflict at work. The nature of these disputes can vary greatly, but HR professionals should be aware of some of the most common causes of workplace conflict and the potential impact they can have on individuals, teams, and organizations as a whole.
Identifying Common Types of Workplace Conflicts
There are many factors that can contribute to conflicts in the workplace, including:
- Personality clashes
- Communication breakdowns
- Discrimination
- Harassment
- Disputes over performance or compensation
For example, it is not uncommon for conflicts to arise when one employee is awarded a promotion over another employee who feels as though they were the better choice for the role. The employee who was passed over for the promotion may hold feelings of animosity toward the employee who was awarded the promotion, as well as the supervisors and/or managers who made the decision.
Importance of Addressing Workplace Conflict
When workplace conflict goes unaddressed, the entire organization suffers. Workers who feel "caught in the middle" of others' disputes may feel anxious or uncomfortable at work, which could contribute to decreased productivity, a drop in morale, and even increased absenteeism. Over time, ongoing disputes could cause deeper rifts that lead to higher employee turnover, a toxic work environment, and an overall decrease in morale.
In addition to the reputational costs associated with unresolved workplace conflicts, organizations suffering from higher turnover could end up in financial trouble as they run into difficulty retaining employees and must increase their recruitment budgets to bring new workers onboard. For all of these reasons and more, addressing workplace conflict sooner rather than later is critical to the reputation and financial well-being of any organization.
The Role of HR in Mediation and Conflict Resolution
HR professionals play a pivotal role in managing and resolving workplace disputes. They can apply their own mediation and negotiation skills to create more positive and inclusive workplace environments where conflicts and disputes can be handled constructively rather than being swept under the proverbial rug.
Key Responsibilities of HR Professionals in Dispute Management
While the exact responsibilities of an HR professional in resolving workplace disputes can vary from one company to the next, some examples of common duties include:
- Conducting thorough investigations when conflicts arise.
- Facilitating respectful and productive communication between involved parties.
- Offering mediation or conflict coaching to disputing employees.
- Ensuring compliance with all relevant laws and policies throughout the mediation process.
In addition to these responsibilities, HR professionals must also maintain an impartial and solution-oriented approach to conflict resolution while ensuring confidentiality and privacy for all involved.
Essential Skills for Successful Mediation
So, what are some of the most important skills for HR professionals to possess when mediating and resolving workplace disputes? In addition to being active and empathetic listeners, HR professionals must also possess strong problem-solving skills while being able to maintain neutrality to create safe environments for conflict resolution.
Enhancing Communication for Clarity and Understanding
Solid communication between all parties is critical to successful dispute mediation, so HR professionals need to engage in active listening to truly understand the perspectives and stories of all parties involved. Strong active listening and communication skills, including the ability to paraphrase and summarize what each involved party is trying to express, can be especially helpful in mediation. Likewise, asking the right open-ended questions can facilitate constructive dialogue that can help disputing parties reach common ground.
Developing Empathy to Bridge Divides Between Parties
Another paramount skill for HR professionals to have in dealing with conflicting parties is the ability to truly understand and empathize with the emotions and concerns of others. In being able to put themselves in others' shoes, HR professionals can more effectively find a solution that works for everybody.
Meanwhile, because HR professionals should be seen as neutral third parties in conflict management, they must be able to remain neutral throughout the entire process.
Problem-Solving and Creative Thinking
Conflicts and disputes often require some creative problem-solving to reach a solution that everybody can agree upon. With this in mind, HR professionals handling mediation in the workplace must be prepared to help parties brainstorm solutions and explore options that may not have been considered initially. By thinking outside-the-box, HR professionals can use their own problem-solving skills to improve employee relations.
Legal Knowledge: Understanding Rights and Obligations
Last but certainly not least, HR professionals need to have a solid legal understanding of the various rights and obligations of both employees and employers during mediation and dispute resolution. This is especially true when it comes to areas of employment law, discrimination law, and other legal frameworks that may come into play during mediation.
By being able to recognize potential legal implications during conflict resolution and ensuring that mediation processes adhere to all relevant laws and regulations, HR professionals can effectively handle disputes while protecting their respective organizations from legal issues.
The Value of an M.L.S Degree in Workplace Mediation
A Master of Legal Studies program can equip HR professionals with the legal knowledge and analytical skills they need to navigate the complexities of workplace conflicts. Specifically, the University of Miami School of Law's M.L.S. degree can boost your HR career with a focus on key topics like conflict resolution, negotiation, and legal frameworks while enhancing your ability to mediate effectively.
Developing Conflict Resolution and Mediation Skills
A reputable M.L.S. program will empower HR professionals to build upon their conflict resolution, mediation, and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) skills. This includes a focus on such critical skills as:
- Empathy
- Active listening
- Communication
- Negotiation
- Relationship-building
- Conflict management
In many ways, HR professionals in an M.L.S. program will find that they can apply what they have learned in the classroom directly to their own organizations to mitigate workplace conflict.
Understanding Legal and Ethical Considerations
Meanwhile, an M.L.S. degree program also provides a solid foundation in such applicable legal areas as employment law and discrimination law. This knowledge is critical for HR professionals to stay up to date, especially when creating mediation processes that are fair, compliant, and completely respectful of employees' individual rights.
Developing Analytical and Problem-Solving Skills
Finally, an M.L.S. program can help HR professionals foster the critical thinking and analytical skills that they need to identify the root cause of a dispute, assess the potential legal risks associated with the conflict, and come up with creative solutions that address those underlying issues effectively. With the problem-solving and analytical thinking skills you learn from a Master of Legal Studies program, you can be a more effective mediator and effective leader in the workplace.
Preventative Measures for HR Professionals
Although having the right workplace dispute mediation skills in your toolkit can make a positive difference in your organization, it is actually better to prevent disputes before they begin. HR professionals can be proactive about minimizing occurrences of workplace disputes by fostering a more harmonious and productive work environment.
Creating a Positive Work Environment to Minimize Conflicts
There are many ways in which HR professionals can create a more positive workplace culture that reduces the likelihood of conflict. While this is not something that you can expect to happen overnight, it is something that you can work on gradually over time. Specifically, working to create a culture of open communication in the workplace can help avoid conflicts before they have a chance to start. Meanwhile, HR professionals can also promote teamwork/collaboration while establishing clear expectations and guidelines for employee behavior to minimize conflicts.
Policy Development and Implementation for Dispute Prevention
In some cases, workplace disputes and conflicts can even be avoided with well-defined policies and procedures in place. HR professionals should ensure that their organizations have clear policies regarding harassment, discrimination, and other potential conflict areas in place. In doing so, they can help set expectations among employees while providing guidance for workers and managers in the event that a dispute does arise.
Training Programs for Staff and Management on Conflict Resolution
In addition to HR professionals having the right conflict management skills to address disputes effectively, it has become increasingly important for other staff (including management) to have some conflict resolution training on board as well. By providing conflict resolution training to both staff and management, individuals can be better equipped with the essential skills and knowledge that they need to address conflicts constructively and prevent them from escalating further. This can reduce the chances of HR teams even needing to get involved in conflict management in the first place.
If not already established, HR professionals should work to develop and implement basic conflict management and resolution training for workers at all levels, ranging from entry-level positions to supervision, management, and higher-ups.
Learn More in an M.L.S. Program
Understanding how to resolve disputes in the workplace through mediation and negotiation — as well as how to prevent conflict from happening in the first place — are some of the most essential responsibilities of any HR professional.
Looking to build upon your workplace dispute mediation skills? An online Master of Legal Studies program can help you gain the foundational knowledge and practical skills you need to create a more tranquil work environment. Specifically, the University of Miami School of Law offers an online Master of Legal Studies HR track curriculum that covers the essentials of negotiation, mediation, alternative dispute resolution in the workplace, and much more. Get in touch to learn more about this program or get started with your online application today.
Sources
https://admissions.law.miami.edu/academics/MLS/
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/overcoming-conflict-avoidance-10-step-algorithm-dr-mark-goulston/
https://redcloverhr.com/hr-role-in-workplace-conflict-resolution/
https://admissions.law.miami.edu/academics/mls/curriculum/#hr
https://news.miami.edu/law/stories/2024/05/mls-employment-law-and-hr.html
https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/topics/civility
