Conflict Resolution Series Training - Online Course
According to the Conference Board of Canada, workplace conflict costs the Canadian economy over $16 billion per year. Unfortunately, many companies focus on other areas, and this remains a missed opportunity. For this reason, training your staff in conflict resolution is a lucrative investment. Workplace conflicts can have different causes; for example, some are related to specific tasks and work styles, while others are caused by personality or mentality differences.
Cost reduction strategies often focus on technical and financial aspects, like energy consumption or the effective use of space. However, payroll costs 10 times more than rent and 100 times more than utility services, as a rule of thumb. When a conflictive environment makes employees less productive, the financial return of salaries is also diminished.
Unresolved conflicts have many negative consequences in workplaces, and the following are some examples:
- Reduced productivity
- Low morale and difficult work environment
- Increased turnover
When workplace conflicts are not addressed, they can even cause employees to quit. Companies often overlook the costs of recruiting and training, and solving conflicts is much more effective from a cost standpoint. Also, effective conflict resolution helps avoid the costs associated with absenteeism and litigation. Depending on their scale, conflicts may have a negative impact on the entire organization.
Even when they have the best intentions, managers may be challenged when solving the most difficult situations. With conflict management training, they can find solutions faster and with better results. Some key skills are finding adequate words, the most suitable communication medium, and the right time to address a conflict. The Conflict Resolution Series will give your staff the tools to resolve issues before they escalate into major conflicts, in an entertaining way.
Applying Conflict Resolution Strategies in the Workplace
An article by the magazine Entrepreneur provides the following five recommendations to manage conflict in the workplace:
- Listening carefully to all parties involved in the conflict, letting everyone speak without interruptions. This validates individual ideas, even when there is disagreement.
- Being considerate when dealing with the issue at hand, without agitating emotions and anxiety.
- Remaining calm and impartial while discussing the conflictive issue. Inadequate responses tend to increase tension, and conflicts worsen when arguments become emotional and personal.
- Being conscious when looking at the facts, and getting as many facts as possible before making a decision.
- Being cooperative, focusing on the problem, and avoiding personal attacks.
Many factors contribute to effective conflict resolution. Having written rules and agreements provides a starting point when conflict emerges. Human resources departments can also contribute to careful hiring and fair termination practices. When conflicts emerge, having well-trained managers allows an effective resolution. Unresolved conflict is among the largest reducible costs in many businesses.
Course Topics
This course will help your collaborators develop the following skills, which are helpful when dealing with workplace conflicts:
- Communicating their problems, concerns and points of view effectively.
- Developing effective solutions when responding to the problems and concerns expressed by others.
- Creating a work environment where conflicts are heard, and resolved in a way that satisfies all parties involved.
The Conflict Resolution Series has the following chapters, which cover various conflict resolution topics in a fun way:
- The Loudest Person Wins!
- Here’s a Few Things You Probably Shouldn’t Say
- The Power of the Angry Silence
- The Closer You Get, The Less People Like You!
- There’s No Such Thing A Personal Space!
- How Not To Deal With Other People’s Problems
- What Did You Say?
- Don’t Try To Understand People
- You Are Never Wrong
- Conflict Resolution: 3 Scenarios, One Resolution
Universally Compatible
This course was created using standards that will allow playback on most internet capable devices with standard web browsing capabilities including Apple’s iTouch, iPad, and iPhone, as well as most other smart phones and tablets including those with Android and Windows operating systems.
