How can you prevent conflict in employee relations with open communication?

Here are some key points for preventing conflict in employee relations with open communication in the humanitarian sector: 1. Clear Channels 2. Feedback Culture 3. Transparency 4. Active Listening 5. Conflict Resolution 6. Regular Check-Ins 7. Anonymous Reporting 8. Diversity & Inclusion 9. Collaborative Decisions 10. Mediation Resources 11. Policy Clarity 12. Crisis Plans 13. Cultural Sensitivity 14. Celebration 15. Continuous Improvement

We often confront situations where conflicts arises between staff members on resource distribution and benefits distribution owing to lack of transparency and accountability in the organisational system. It becomes very hard where hierarchical systems in the organisation is itself counterproductive and leads to confusions coupled with conflict between staff members and who are damn bother with achieving goals. In such situations we try to bring the parties to open communication and linking individual goals the central part of it. But open communication only provides solutions when all parties adopt it.

Conflicts can arise in various ways. It can be vertical (between two positions of power) or horizontal (within a team) etc. Open communication aims to be transparent and trust worthy. It is an innate human need to be heard and acknowledged. Even when feedback is given, mention both positives and negatives before moving on to highlight what could have been done better. It is not just the news, but how to deliver it and when, is equally important. Open communication helps reiterate the fact that we all have responsible roles in a workplace and our results could be tremendous when we communicate our suggestions as well as our assumptions/ misunderstandings in an effective manner. This way, we can reduce conflicts and enhance collaboration.

Conflicts arise when one person communicates or does something with a good intention that however creates a bad feeling in the other. The key to resolving tensions between employees is to address it when something does not feel good. But the big question is how to do this? We all shy away from addressing a conflict out of fear that it will get worse. Here is how it works without escalating and without causing more hurt: 1. Both parties need to think of a time when it was still good in their relationship and when they felt relaxed about each other. This immediately creates an appreciative attitude. 2. Then the behavior or words are described that led to the bad feeling. Contact me for the other steps! It works 100%!

Open communication is one of the essential ingredients to building a culture of psychological safety at the workplace. Such a broader approach is crucial, so the possibility of openly saying - and hearing - what is there to be said - and heard - is complemented with kindness, mutual respect, and encouragement to take reasonable risks. Open communication will not free your team from conflicts. It will instead make conflicts apparent at their early stages when your team can more easily address and manage them, preventing destructive escalation.

Generally, there are three types of conflict: Disagreement - Misunderstanding - True Conflict. Disagreement: When the discussion gets old, resolve by respecting each other's opinion and agreeing to disagree. Misunderstanding: Resolve with courtesy, assertiveness and good listening skills. True Conflict: Separate the people from the problem. Focus on needs, not wants. Come up with options that can resolve the situation. Insist the results are based on an objective standard.

One thing I found helpful was to actively engage in ensuring an equal footing on understanding each other’s meaning of communication because one can say something but the interpreter mate interpreted differently from one’s intention so it is important to clearly communicate your goals give space for questions and answer session and then give feedback on raised questions and ensure that emotions are kept at bay or in check to avoid high tensions between the parties secondly find an equal footing on both parties understand each other and find a way forward and beneficial to both parties at the end mediation thank you

An example that I have seen is when the mission of the organization, department and team are clearly defined and executed on. As you engage your team to the mission then communication is something that is organic. When each team member understands how their role impacts the mission buy in and engagement is increased. I’ve seen this be effective in organizations that I have worked with time and time again. Organizations that struggle with a toxic culture typically do not exemplify open communication. All is not lost! You can turn it around by being open minded and humble to learn from others.

In my opinion, Preventing conflicts in employee relations through open communication is essential for organizations. It cultivates trust, reducing misunderstandings and disputes as employees feel valued. The advantages include boosted morale, heightened engagement, and decreased turnover rates, resulting in increased productivity. Open communication also fosters innovation and effective problem-solving by encouraging the free exchange of ideas. Ultimately, organizations benefit from a healthier, more harmonious workplace, strengthened employer-employee relationships, and sustained growth. Open communication is the key to preventing and resolving conflicts, ensuring a more prosperous and harmonious work environment. #conflictmanagement

If you are a leader, the most effective first step to take towards creating an environment of open communication is to improve your listening. It seems counterintuitive, as we tend to first think about how we are going to get our points across and deliver our messages with integrity, but it is your ability to actively listen that sets the tone for true open communication within your team. If you set the model of what it looks and feels like to see and hear others free of judgment, they will be more inclined to engage in similar behaviours. At the end of the day, honesty and transparency require a willing recipient in order to be effective.

In my opinion, most conflicts can be resolved by having a candid, respectful conversation as soon as possible. It's better to have this conversation in person or over the phone rather than through emails or messages because the latter can't convey the tone and intentions as accurately as eye contact, posture, or voice.

Proactive communication is a great defence in conflict management, especially if communication practices foster team members sharing their concerns and vulnerabilities in and amongst their team. Daily practices that promote this and that can be repeated across a company are helpful in this approach, such as being intentional in how one check in/checks out of a meeting. Starting a meeting focussing on being open and sharing sets the tone for the discussion that follows, and ending a meeting in gratitude and reflection promotes a communication style that if repeated promotes this type of thinking. Conflict is then the result of specific tensions, not only as a result of individual communication or misunderstanding.

- You need to start with the points that is positive and very important to them, - Be honest when talking to them. - Respect their opinion, - When they have a valid point immediately agree and thank them for their point. - start the communication with positive then discuss but don’t argue last close by thank them for the healthy discussion.

- Increase the trust between the two, - build a good relationship - Transparent environment - Sending a role model of the effective communication.

Open communication helps in understanding the different perspectives, POV's & also helps bring about a solution. When the communication is clear, people tend to be less assumptive & judgmental. This holds true for all aspects, whether it is with internal or external stakeholders.

Certainly, here are five key benefits of open communication: Trust and Morale: Open communication fosters trust and boosts morale, creating a positive work environment where employees feel valued and motivated. Problem-Solving: It encourages idea exchange, leading to more effective problem-solving and innovative solutions. Productivity: Engaged employees, driven by open communication, are more productive and perform better. Conflict Reduction: Open communication addresses issues early, reducing conflicts and enhancing workplace harmony. Employee Engagement: Employees are more satisfied and likely to stay in an environment where their concerns and ideas are heard and valued.

I have noticed that when an employee feels able to share feedback, respectfully question decisions, and be accountable for their mistakes, it is normally because they have experienced open communication in the organisation. When an employee hides mistakes or avoids sharing a different opinion, they have probably experienced harsh criticism, negative reactions to alternative perspectives, and fear that being open could lead to losing their job or stunting their future progression within the organisation.

By: - The agreement reached, - The actions after the communication. - Changing the culture, - Seeing the others following the agreed points.

By: - Being the role model, - Setting the rules of the effective communication, - setting the agenda of the communication before the meeting, - Documenting the agreed points, - Sending the results of the meeting to all stakeholders. - Stick to the scheduled time. - Minimize the discussion outside the main goal.

Perfectionism creates a tendency to want to ignore the daily struggles or challenges that everyone inevitably faces. As a result, in team meetings, open ended questions like "How are things going?" are often met with generic answers like "good" or "fine"... The opposite of open communication. One thing that helps leaders normalize these struggles is incorporating more focused questions into weekly team meetings: "What's going well this week?" "What's a challenge/difficulty/setback you are navigating?" "How can I/we help?" By mandating that team members reflect on and answer each of these questions, we keep the doors open for more detailed insights. We also normalize that good, bad and help are natural parts of the work process.

As the goal is to foster a more, inclusive, transparent, and innovative work environment, it's determining for a genuine top leader to invest a sustainable amount of time in getting to know each employee. If the number of employees makes this impractical, the leader should seek like-minded allies among managers to garner support for trust-building. This takes time, but it is the key to build trust and build a transparent environment. By empowering the staff below the management level, the leader can establish a culture where problematic managers, whether willing or not, will feel obligated to follow this example, knowing that employees have trust and direct access to their top leader. This step is truly more crucial than any coursings.

Most people prefer working in a culture where there is open communication but it may be that unhelpful habits have gotten in the way. Or, perhaps relationships in the organisation have suffered some damage over time and so the trust levels are low. If an organisation wants to operate more openly, it is achievable, if they are equipped with the right methods and choose to operate by principles of open communication. It may also take an external perspective to help see what is happening and what changes can be made to improve things.