Disputes in the workplace are inevitable. No matter how well you and your employers get along, there will always be disagreements on some issue or another. The key to effectively handling disputes is to have a plan for dealing with them before they happen. That way, everyone knows their role and what to do when things go wrong.
This article will discuss some of the best ways employees can handle disputes in the workplace. We’ll also provide a few tips for avoiding these disputes in the first place. Let’s get started!
Resolving Matters Directly
If you’re having an issue with your employer, it’s best to try to resolve matters directly. By doing so, you eliminate the need for management or third parties to resolve these issues.
If you cannot speak with your direct manager about the problem, you should take the matter up with their supervisor. If that fails, it may be time to involve the human resources department of your company. This person is hired to deal with these types of issues, so they are likely the best candidate for helping you resolve whatever issue that may have arisen.
The critical thing about directly resolving matters is avoiding involving other employees in the process. It would help if you never involved other employees, as this strategy can create unnecessary tension in the workplace.
Mediation
Mediation is when you try to find someone who can help mediate your dispute. It could be another employee, but it could also be a consultant, manager, or external mediator.
The main benefit of mediation is that it takes the matter out of your hands. Instead, you’re both speaking with a third party who can help you come to an amicable resolution, whether that means coming to some terms or solving the issue.
This strategy is helpful because it’s more objective than other strategies and produces better results for everyone involved. That said, mediation requires effort on both sides of the dispute, so make sure you’re ready to put in that effort.
If the dispute involves several employees, then a class action mediation might be necessary. This type of dispute resolution is where a mediator gathers several employees to try to come up with a solution that satisfies everyone.
Formal Grievance Resolution
When you file a formal grievance, you formally tell your employer about an issue you are having with your job or your employer. It is most often done through the human resources department, but it can be done directly with the company’s CEO if necessary or with a lawyer on your behalf.
The benefit of filing a formal grievance is creating an official record for the dispute. This method can be helpful if you want to take legal action later, as it establishes there is something more than personal preference at play in the dispute.
However, some employers see this move as aggressive and prefer to handle disputes directly and outside the public eye. That’s why filing a formal grievance can be helpful in some cases, but you need to make sure it’s necessary before taking such an extreme measure.
Informal Negotiation
Informal negotiation involves you and your boss — or another employee — talking about the dispute and trying to find a point of agreement. It can include everything from having drinks together after work to sitting down at a table and hashing things out in a more neutral setting.
The main benefit of informal negotiation is that it isn’t official, so you don’t have the same pressure of mediation or filing a formal grievance. Also, it doesn’t leave a public record of your dispute, which can be helpful if your career requires discretion about such matters.
However, this strategy can involve a lot of back and forth. You may have to try many times before you reach a consensus, so be prepared for a long process. Also, you’ll have to put up with your boss or another employee, which isn’t always easy.
Whichever strategy you choose depends on what kind of complaint you want to resolve, what stage of the dispute you’re in, and who you feel most comfortable working with.
When considering these strategies, it’s good to note that filing a complaint is not as simple as pointing a tax return or other form. In many cases, you’ll have to follow your company’s HR policy as well as state and federal regulations before pursuing any of these strategies.
Nonetheless, these strategies will guide you through the process and make sure you handle it in the best way for everyone involved.
