10 Effective Ways to Handle Conflict with a Coworker

Workplace conflicts with a coworker are common and inevitable. It's an uncomfortable situation that, when left unaddressed for too long, can lead to reduced job satisfaction, increased absenteeism, lesser productivity, and lessened teamwork. So, how should you handle it professionally and responsibly?

Learning the key ways to communicate with a coworker can help lessen the effects of such conflicts. Moreover, it directly affects your corporate success and helps direct you towards a more positive workplace outlook. 

Conflict resolution is a valuable skill and a crucial asset to have in the workplace. This blog discusses some of the effective ways to handle a conflict with a coworker for a healthier workplace.

10 Effective Ways To Handle Conflict With a Coworker Effectively

Workplace conflicts are typical, as miscommunication, workstyle differences, and personality clashes are all too common. However, it’s mandatory to nip it in the bud and encourage a harmonic workplace where colleagues do not feel compelled to act on their grudge towards another. 

• Make the Matter Private and Acknowledge the Problem

Since the misunderstanding is a private matter between you and your colleague, it's advisable to stay away from spreading the information to other coworkers. By doing so, you respect the issue and keep the situation cordial between you both. Of course, if you require suggestions and support, consider taking it up with your workplace manager and family.

Another thing to remember is to address the issue by introspecting the problem. Ignoring it for days and weeks can worsen the animosity between you and the colleague, worsen, and affect your performance. For starters, accepting that a problem at the workplace exists and addressing it can help alleviate a festering discomfort. 

• Gather Information Without Postponing the Issue

Now that you're convinced of the lingering workplace issue, it's time to gather as much information as possible to build your case. Take time and resources to investigate the situation and confidentially discuss the matter with those involved.

Ensure that they listen and comprehend their point of view to understand the complete scenario better. But more importantly, don't postpone clarifying the issue with the target colleague.

While some misunderstandings start as minor and ignorable issues, they can become more uncomfortable if you leave them be. Hence, try to discuss with them as soon as possible to address the issue and come to an agreeable solution.

• Maintain a Positive Outlook

While tackling a conflict with a coworker, remember that your work and productivity are ongoing. Hence, try maintaining a positive outlook and continue to work without letting the issue seep into your work life.

Excessive stress and negative emotions can reduce your work quality and output. Thereby, you might end up answering for your mistakes and creating a negative reputation in the workplace. Hence, instead of letting the issue indirectly affect you, create a welcoming workplace environment for yourself.

• Talk In-Person and Clarify the Sources of the Problem

Once you realize the issue and are ready to talk through it, it's time to face the colleague. In this case, face-to-face conversation works better than calls, texts, and online video calls.

With in-person meetings, you can read each other's emotions and convey your emotions better. Direct confrontations help to reach better resolutions faster and with more effective solutions.

To make this work, first, clarify the source of your issue. Understanding the reason can equip you with a better understanding of your colleague. Here are some examples of workplace conflicts:

Skill Limitation: If an employee lacks any corporate skill to help the owner, they might attract other's negative emotions and feedback.

Lack of communication: Lack of communication often results in poor phone data quality and glitches.

Remote Work: While remote work is helpful for many, it does lead to improper communication through texting, mails, etc.

Lack of Information: If your colleague lacks sufficient data for the work, they'll lag. Hence, if you want a job well done, ensure to communicate well with your fellow employees.

• Talk Calmly and Have a Private and Honest Meeting

Remember, when discussing a misunderstanding, you or your colleague might become too emotional or defensive. Hence, ensure to maintain a calm mind when speaking to your coworker.

By doing so, you curate a reputation for being mature and understanding of your coworker's plight. To do so, note down the points you want to bring up during the conversation and practice your speech.

As for the discussion, ensure a safe and comfortable place for a private meeting. Make sure to opt for a spot that lets you both feel comfortable to open up about the conflict. To make things feel honest, it's advisable to give each other ample time and space to open up and discuss freely.

• Get to the Point and Determine a Goal

While discussing the issue with your colleague, opt for a direct approach to resolve the issue. Since you've analyzed the situation before,before you can state your issue clearly and with more authority.

While being this direct might seem uncomfortable at first, it helps to resolve issues faster between two people. Once your colleague feels free to discuss the issue, establish an understanding with them to clarify and improve on the matter.

To do this, determine a common goal to achieve for the betterment of your company. Collaborating and working on the same goal helps two individuals tackle their work-life better. 

• Listen to Your Coworker to Understand their Point of View

Instead of stating your piece from the get-go, give your colleague the time and space to state their point of view. Doing so can help save time coming to a quick resolution.

Starting, start by letting your colleague know that you wish to work with them and not against their point of view. Discuss your workplace goals, points, and perspectives to come to an amicable solution.

Remind your colleagues that helping each other, instead of harboring a grudge, can aid the company's success on all group projects and collaborative work. Doing these helps bring a defensive coworker into a comfort zone, where they feel free to discuss the issue better. 

• Work Together With Your Coworker to Identify Key Takeaways

When discussing conflict, look for key takeaways and learning points. Doing so will help you realize how you handle the dire situation and flip it to a workable solution. Moreover, it's a great way to note your solution skills, insights, and the resolution process.

Remember that there will be points where both of you might agree to disagree. That's always a workable solution, even if you both can't be in the same boat. Here, the answer is to find each other's motives and help each other achieve them for the betterment of the company.

To achieve this level of teamwork, listen to every key point your colleague makes, ask them questions to clarify their point of view, and use your experience to reason with their issues. 

• Ask for 3rd Party Involvement if Necessary

While most office-related conflicts can easily be resolved between three people involved, sometimes you might need a helping hand. Such moments include disagreements in your teamwork, harassment, and inappropriate workplace situations.

For these, bring in 3rd-party involvement through the managers or the human resource departments. By bringing them in, you can rely on additional points of-view and perspectives to better tackle the issue at hand. 

• Maintain an Amicable Bond with Your Coworker

If the issue at hand does not involve discrimination or harassment, you can try keeping an amicable workplace bond with the coworker. Doing so helps to produce high-quality results through teamwork for your firm.

Moreover, it eases out the discomfort in the workplace and lets others approach you with ease. Additionally, it helps to pursue positive changes in the workplace and lets everyone work together without any further complications.

Key Takeaways

In short, being cordial and understanding can help you solve a workplace conflict effectively with a colleague. It takes time and effort to assess and rebuild your relationship with your team, especially if you can't agree with your colleague. Hence, the solution is to hear each other out and work for the company's benefit.