You’re in an Employee Relations interview and are asked about conflict resolution. How would you respond?

You should choose examples that showcase your ability to handle various kinds of conflicts, such as interpersonal, organizational, or cross-cultural conflicts. You should also explain the outcomes and lessons learned from your conflict resolution experiences, and how they improved your employee relations practice. It is also important to follow the below: 1)Situation: Describe the conflict or challenge. 2)Task: Explain your role in the conflict. 3)Action: Discuss the steps you took to resolve the conflict. 4)Result: Describe the results of your actions.

This question is frequently posed in interviews. In simple terms, conflict resolution involves handling disagreements constructively among individuals or groups. It encompasses identifying issues, fostering open communication, seeking common ground, exploring solutions, and collaborating for a positive resolution. The objective is to resolve conflicts while preserving relationships and fostering a positive workplace environment.

Each conflict is unique and we must use different approach to manage it. Try to understand the root cause of the issue before developing and implementing solution for the conflict.

From my experience, conflict resolution in Employee Relations requires a fair, constructive, and collaborative approach. I prioritize active listening to understand all perspectives and identify underlying issues. Facilitating open communication, I encourage parties to express concerns and work together for solutions. Using techniques like negotiation and mediation will help to resolve the issue while upholding company policies and values. Ultimately, my goal is to promote a positive work environment and foster healthy relationships among employees.

Your personal approach is vital. Yes you can relay the text book version (e.g. STAR method) of what you would do in step by step order and why, but I believe a more authentic and accurate way of responding is to consider the last time you found yourself in a conflict scenario at the workplace or if you don't have a workplace example, even in your own personal life. What did you do to resolve the conflict? Where did you begin and how did you tackle it? What could yo have done different and/or better. Logically articulate what you would do.

Asking questions in an interview about the culture is extremely important when interviewing for an ER role. By asking questions about the culture, the grievance process, the training in place for leaders to support them handling conflict, and of course any anonymous sources to report conflict will show the interviewer that you’re knowledgeable in ER and you want to speak directly to their needs. For example, you can inquire what is their highest priority for ER at the moment? What types of conflict are they addressing? Are these typical ER concerns or have these types of Issues grown in recent times? As an ER professional you need to always understand the full picture before offering your responses. This is no different during interviews.