The feelings and atmosphere in the office will become uncomfortable if there is conflict. Even though you are not directly involved, you can feel the impact. Like it or not, we think about how to get involved and resolve the conflict. Here are some tips that can be applied when dealing with conflict in the office:
1. Be neutral
Try not to join or be in a certain camp because it will make things complicated and seem like you are taking sides with one party.
2. Don’t corner
Don’t get involved or pretend to corner one of the parties, especially if you don’t know how the problem started.
3. Stay professional
Try to remain professional and as usual before the conflict occurred.
4. Find out the cause
If you know the real cause of the conflict, you will understand the problem better and be able to be objective.
5. Not easily provoked
Generally, when there is conflict, there will be issues that are not necessarily valid. Be careful not to be easily incited and trusting.
Ideally, if there is a conflict at the office that doesn’t involve you, just focus on work. However, at the same time you also have to remain alert to signals that involve you, such as:
1. Conflict has a direct impact on oneself
When you are not involved in a conflict but are forced to be involved, for example you are asked to explain a financial report even though you did not participate in preparing the report, it is okay to convey honestly and firmly the true situation if you don’t know anything about the report.
2. Conflict hinders work productivity
You can get directly involved and become an intermediary to find the best solution if it is hampering productivity, disrupting the team’s work flow or the timeline is always going backwards.
3. Conflict worsens the work atmosphere
A conflicted environment will not feel comfortable and perhaps everyone will ignore each other and not care about finding a solution. If this situation occurs, you can take the initiative to mediate.
However, before getting involved in a conflict at the office, make sure you understand the root of the problem. You also have to be objective and rational. Focus on solutions, not looking for who is at fault and don’t hesitate to ask for involvement from other parties such as HR. Be wise in your behavior and consider how far you will get involved. That’s all for this article, hopefully it’s useful!
