In the heat of an internal battle it can be tempting to remove the people involved and get back to business as usual. But the external consequences of not dealing with an internal dispute are far reaching. Cover ups lead to media attention and bad publicity. Avoidance tells the other employees that they are also disposable. Addressing the issue head on allows things to be handled in house before they escalate and creates a culture of trust within the organization at every level. In the end the work put into mediation pays off in increased productivity and employee loyalty to the company.
Handling It Quickly and Quietly
By addressing internal disputes head on it creates a workplace environment of open and honest communication between employees at every level. The sooner a dispute is handled the quicker it is resolved before escalating into a much larger problem. Ignored internal disputes seep into the work environment creating hostility and will soon become a public perception issue. The best way to handle this is to create a fair means of mediation between every party.
For a healthy model of how to provide proactive prevention, proficient resolution, strategic enforcement and litigation, as well as promoting mediation and creating a model workplace view the Handbook for The Resolve Program EEOC’s Internal Alternative Dispute Resolution Program.
Productivity
When employees are fighting for fair treatment or with one another productivity comes to a screeching halt. There are steps you can take to resolve internal dispute. Expert mediation might be in order, but the goal is to first hear your employees and discover where they feel the injustice is. If it is in a work policy figure out the benefits of keeping the policy versus keeping the employee. If the conflict is between two employees sit down with each and find out where the breakdown is. Then examine the culture of your organization and what brought on this conflict. With a few minor tweaks you may be able to readjust the atmosphere and get back to work in no time. When turf wars threaten morale and productivity it is not a time to be complacent, take it seriously, address the issue head on. Your bottom line will thank you for it!
Bring in The Experts
There are times when mediating and finding the solution are outside of your control. Bring in the negotiation experts. They can help improve internal decision making amid uncertainty or conflict and get you back to running your company more effectively.
Trained mediators will assist the parties to reach a negotiated resolution. The mediator has no investment in the individuals or authority to impose a settlement. The mediator’s job is to help all involved to explore and reconcile their differences.
The best advice any business can take when dealing with internal disputes is to take a proactive approach. Know what you are going to do to handle these workplace disputes, know and follow the laws that protect both you and your employees, and create a culture of honest communication within your organization. The more prepared you are the faster everyone can get back to work.
