Handling conflicts between employees at a multi-site church with grace.

How do we professionally handle conflicts or disputes between employees without losing our culture of grace at a multi-site church?

Given the importance of sustaining the organization's principles and culture, managing conflicts or disputes in an extensive multi-site church system presents particular issues. It is critical to balance professionalism and a culture of grace (The High Calling, 2009). Here are some things to think about.

Appoint a Mentor. Employees who are having difficulties at work require someone to talk to to obtain knowledge and assistance in navigating the gamut of emotions to reconcile with the other person.

Active Listening. Encourage employees to express their issues through open dialogue and active listening. A lack of communication or misunderstanding causes many confrontations. Making both parties feel heard can go a long way toward resolving problems.

Conflict Resolution Training. Invest in conflict resolution training for your leadership and personnel. Please give employees the tools and techniques to resolve differences gracefully and constructively (Saundry & Wibberly, 2014, p.p.14-15, 21).

Neutral Mediation. Consider calling a neutral third party to mediate when tensions cannot be quickly addressed. An objective ombudsman can be someone from within the organization or an outside expert trained in conflict resolution.

Reiterate Core Values. Remind employees of the church's core values regularly, emphasizing grace, understanding, and forgiveness. This can be included in routine training, correspondence, or staff meetings.

Seek Understanding. Recognize that everyone has diverse backgrounds and points of view—approach conflicts with the desire to understand rather than to criticize or assign blame. Be curious, not judgmental (Shearer & Shearer, 1986, p.20).

Create Clear Policies. Have clear, written policies and processes in place for dealing with conflicts. Please make sure that these policies are conveyed to all staff and that they are followed consistently.

Confidentiality. Ensure that discussions about disagreements are kept private to safeguard the privacy and dignity of all parties involved.

Receive Feedback. Encourage employees to provide feedback regularly, not just when an issue occurs. Feedback can help uncover possible problems before they become serious.

Involve Spiritual Leadership. Because of the unique nature of a church, it may be appropriate to include spiritual leaders in the resolution process.

Following up. Following the resolution of a disagreement, follow up with the concerned parties to confirm that the resolution is holding and to provide further support if necessary. Follow-up indicates concern for the well-being of employees (Saundry & Wibberly, 2014, p.26).

Examine and Reflect. Review dispute resolution cases regularly (while keeping confidentially) to detect patterns or reoccurring difficulties. Precedents can reveal areas that require further attention or training. Check-in with the employees after the resolution periodically to see how they are doing and how the once-broken relationship is healing.

Grace at Work. Set a good example. Display grace in all interactions, especially during confrontations. Grace in action can help to set the tone for the entire organization.

Keep in mind that conflicts and disagreements are natural in any company. The goal is to address them in a way that resolves the problem, improves employee ties, and supports the church's essential principles.

References

The High Calling. (2009, August 6).?Modeling Christ in the Workplace Through Work Well Done. Theology of Work. Retrieved October 25, 2023, from https://www.theologyofwork.org/the-high-calling/blog/modeling-christ-workplace-through-work-well-done

Saundry, R. A., & Wibberly, G. (2014). Workplace dispute resolution and the management of individual conflict—a thematic analysis of five case studies.

Shearer, M., & Shearer, M. (1986, January 16). Daughter's Use of the Pill Alarming to the Parent.?The Charlotte Observer, 20.