How can you develop and implement conflict resolution policies and procedures in your organization?

1 Assess your current situation

The first step to developing and implementing conflict resolution policies and procedures is to assess your current situation and identify the sources, types, and impacts of conflict in your organization. You can do this by conducting surveys, interviews, focus groups, or audits with your employees, managers, and stakeholders, to gather their feedback, opinions, and experiences on conflict issues. You can also review your existing policies, practices, and data on employee complaints, grievances, disciplinary actions, and litigation, to see how they align with your organizational goals, values, and culture.

2 Define your objectives and principles

The next step is to define your objectives and principles for conflict resolution, based on your assessment and your organizational vision and mission. Your objectives should be clear, specific, and measurable, and reflect what you want to achieve through your conflict resolution policies and procedures. For example, you may want to reduce the frequency, severity, and cost of conflict, improve employee satisfaction and engagement, enhance teamwork and collaboration, or foster a positive and respectful work environment. Your principles should be the guiding values and norms that inform your conflict resolution approach, such as fairness, transparency, accountability, confidentiality, or inclusivity.

3 Design your policies and procedures

The third step is to design your policies and procedures for conflict resolution, based on your objectives and principles. Your policies should outline the scope, purpose, and expectations of your conflict resolution process, as well as the roles and responsibilities of the parties involved, such as employees, managers, human resources, or external mediators. Your procedures should provide the steps and methods for resolving different types of conflict, such as informal discussions, formal complaints, mediation, arbitration, or litigation. You should also include the criteria and mechanisms for escalating, monitoring, and evaluating the outcomes of conflict resolution.

4 Communicate and train your staff

The fourth step is to communicate and train your staff on your conflict resolution policies and procedures, to ensure that they are aware, informed, and prepared to use them effectively. You can do this by disseminating your policies and procedures through various channels, such as emails, newsletters, intranet, posters, or handbooks, and by soliciting feedback and questions from your staff. You can also provide training sessions, workshops, or webinars for your staff, to educate them on the benefits, principles, and practices of conflict resolution, and to equip them with the skills and techniques for handling conflict constructively, such as active listening, assertive communication, empathy, or problem-solving.

5 Implement and review your policies and procedures

The final step is to implement and review your policies and procedures for conflict resolution, to ensure that they are working effectively and efficiently, and that they are meeting your objectives and principles. You can do this by applying your policies and procedures consistently and fairly across your organization, and by providing support and guidance to your staff throughout the conflict resolution process. You can also review your policies and procedures periodically, by collecting and analyzing data on the number, nature, and results of conflict cases, and by seeking feedback and suggestions from your staff, managers, and stakeholders, to identify the strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement of your conflict resolution approach.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?