Minimising the risk of disputes and grievances in the workplace
Conflict that is not resolved quickly can affect the health and wellbeing of employees.
It can cause:
- stress
- frustration
- ill health
- mental ill health
- reduced productivity
Addressing the following steps will help minimise the likelihood of disputes and help you manage them more effectively.
No employee or manager wants to become involved in a workplace dispute or conflict.
Positive management processes and relationships with employees are crucial to
- minimising the risk
- encouraging early resolution of disputes
The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) has a set of stress management standards. They outline the 6 elements of good management processes:
- demands
- control
- support
- relationships
- role
- change
Relationships are one of the key elements of the HSE standards.
It promotes positive working to avoid conflict and dealing with unacceptable behaviour.
The standards also explain the importance of agreeing with the workforce on policies and procedures to prevent, deal or report unacceptable behaviours.