Most of the US workforce is currently working from home due to COVID-19. The transition from office to home has been smoother for some organizations than others. However, each industry has faced its own unique challenges along the way. One obstacle that all organizations share is the issue of handling conflict remotely. While disagreement is often a sign of a passionate team, the conflict must be productive and not deconstructive or hurtful. This article will identify techniques to handle and resolve conflict remotely.
Communicating Remotely is Not Always Easy
Small disagreements occur in the office quite regularly – in the lunchroom, by the coffee maker, or going down the elevator. However, most conflicts amongst employees can be effectively resolved in person and moved on from. In general, body language, eye contact, posture, and tone play significant roles in communication and are especially critical when it comes to conflict resolution. Perhaps the most considerable advantage of resolving conflict in person is the dynamic nature in which we can adjust our communication. For instance, if an employee can see that their tone or wording is being ill-received, they have the opportunity to adapt to the likes of the receiver. Over the phone, this opportunity is lost, and conflict may arise unnecessarily as a product of miscommunication.
Why Remote Conflict Can Be Problematic
Similarly, broaching certain subjects online can be difficult and lead to unease or stress. The same sentence spoken in a friendly tone will have a much different impact than plainly typed-out over email. For instance, receiving an email that simply reads: “Can we speak at noon today?” from your manager will likely stir stress, worry, or a daunting feeling of bad news. On the contrary, being approached by your smiling manager who speaks the same sentence will seem significantly less daunting or intimidating. Thus, the same message can have very different effects on an employee, depending on whether that message was communicated virtually or in-person.
Considering how quickly feelings of insecurity and unease can arise, we can see how easily remote conflict can manifest. Conflict is important because it is often a result of new ideas, successful brainstorming sessions, problem-solving, and an all-around innovative and diverse team. However, organizations must have effective conflict resolution tactics to prevent disagreements from negatively impacting employees and the company culture as a whole.
Managing Conflict Remotely
Disagreeing often is essential
Not only do these small moments of controversy often sprout new ideas and solutions, but they also make the larger conflicts seem more manageable. If your team members never disagree on anything, the one time that they do will seem significant. Frequently communicating your thoughts, whether agreeable or disagreeable, is productive because it makes the process seem reasonable and ordinary.
When you hold a different opinion than a team member, wait until you are both online to express your concerns. When possible, avoid sending messages outside of the regular workday. An even better approach is to schedule a video call with your co-worker to discuss the matter as ‘in-person' as possible. This way, you avoid the constant back-and-forth associated with email or text message, and will likely be able to come to an understandable resolution more efficiently.
When working on a large project, express your concerns early. Don’t wait until the final stages of a big report or deliverable to suggest that you disagree with a critical component. Not only is this not productive, but late disagreements will likely not impress your co-workers – especially if they could have been expressed during earlier stages.
Get to the bottom of the problem
The first step to resolving conflict remotely is understanding the topic or event that caused the problem in the first place. If it was simply a miscommunication, this can be discussed. Then, identify tactics to prevent conflicts of a similar nature. – for instance, using a webcam when possible. If the disagreement persists and is negatively impacting the team, further mediation steps should be taken. Sometimes, exclusively communicating with co-workers online can instill an absence of interpersonal contact, reduce empathy for peers, and actually result in employees being more harsh than usual. This circumstance is known as the ‘online disinhibition effect’ and can be combatted by giving employees a platform where they can carry out communications face-to-face.
Keep the conversation going
Particularly with a remote workforce, maintaining open lines of communication is a must. Encourage staff members to talk about things, both good and bad. Employees need to broach what is bothering them early on, as opposed to bottling thoughts up and allowing conflicts to become emotion-driven. In general, if you employ a workforce that is comfortable conversing amongst one another about a wide range of topics, the conflict will be less likely to arise in the first place.
Make sure that your team is on the same page
Conflict is normal. If everyone in your organization holds this opinion, then it won’t seem so personal when conflict arises. It’s also important that all team members are on the same page in terms of goals and objectives. If there are large gaps or misaligned expectations, misunderstandings and uncertainty often result and lead to unnecessary conflict. This can once again be solved by keeping communication lines open and scheduling regular correspondences throughout the day.
Don’t downplay conflict
If managers consistently downplay issues, it only creates an environment where problems of a similar nature can (and will) occur. It’s crucial that moments of conflict are addressed, dealt with appropriately, recorded, and, most importantly, learned from. Using examples of past mistakes and instances of disagreement is a great idea to develop a remote conflict resolution plan. Scheduled employee-to-employee check-ins, proven resolution tactics, and desirable outcomes can be included in your company’s conflict resolution plan. Both individual pairs and small groups of employees, as well as entire organizations, can benefit from having a documented plan in place because it will make the conflict seem much more approachable and manageable.
Follow-up appreciation
For individual employees who have just resolved a conflict with a co-worker, it’s a great idea to send a follow-up message thanking them for their time and cooperation. Acknowledging your mutual understanding and viewpoints is an effective way to finish on a positive note, helping strengthen relationships, and improve future communications.