Creating a Workplace Conflict Resolution Plan

Samuel Jimenez
University of San Diego
LEPS 580 Conflict Resolution and Decision Making
Professor R. Sheehy
March 13, 2017
 A conflict resolution plan can be beneficial to any organization. A conflict resolution plan can be
beneficial to any organization because it can assist in implementing dispute resolution systems,
strategies, and procedures that can provide the tools needed to avoid unnecessary disruptions. A
conflict resolution plan also helps an organization prevent conflict by encouraging its employees to use
dispute resolution practices and to learn from conflicts. If there is no conflict resolution plan set in place
in an organization, the results can be costly. The costs of conflict in an organization can lead to time and
energy spent in trying to resolve the conflict and the bad allocation of money (lawsuits) and resources.
In addition, unresolved conflicts can lead to absenteeism, decreased employee productivity, stress-
related illnesses, and poor morale. Hence, organizations should consider establishing conflict resolution
plans because it takes a miniscule amount of time to resolve disputes (conflicts) compared with the
amount of time and resources it takes to not resolve them (Cloke & Goldsmith 2011).

Peer counseling, coaching, and mentoring is an effective conflict resolution technique. Peer
counseling, coaching, and mentoring is an effective conflict resolution technique because it can allow
one’s peers to step in and resolve employee disputes as opposed to having a person from the outside
assist with the conflict resolution. A benefit of having peers act as counselors, coaches, and mentors is
they can inspire trust with the parties involved in conflict. Peers can also make their co- workers feel
capable, understood, and through counseling, coaching, and mentoring provide the necessary tools to
respond better to conflict.

Conducting a conflict audit is also another effective conflict resolution technique. A conflict audit
allows an organization to attempt to identify and measure time, energy, and money spent on conflicts
and miscommunications, and put a price tag on them (Cloke & Goldsmith 2011). A conflict audit is an
effective conflict resolution technique because through its findings, an organization can design a
comprehensive system-wide response to conflict and implement the plan throughout the organization.
Hence, this allows employees from an organization to address and solve problems in a timely manner
per the designed plan. Employees would then feel self- empowered because they can resolve their own
conflicts which can result in a boost in morale for the employee and organization.

Lastly, public dialogue and open forums can also be an effective conflict resolution technique. Public
dialogue and open forums are a great way of communication in an organization. Through public
dialogue and open forums an employee can express what he or she feels is the conflict and provide
valuable feedback. Thus, there is more collaboration in the organization, more trust in one another, and
a better understanding of how to respond to conflicts in the workplace.
 References

Cloke, K., & Goldsmith, J. (2011). Resolving Conflicts At Work (Third ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey- Bass;
A Wiley Imprint.