Conflict resolution training is essential to any company’s success. This is because conflict is simply a part of everyday life. A conflict may arise whenever two or more people express different points of view, making it inevitable. Conflict occurs worldwide — in every organization, of every size and industry.
And in the U.S., following a polarizing political campaign and the COVID-19 pandemic, nine in 10 Americans say overcoming divisiveness is more important than ever. There is a great need and hunger for the ability to manage conflict. Those in Human Resources can tap into this desire and offer formal conflict resolution training to staff.
Below we’ll discuss what value conflict resolution training can offer your company.
Gone unmanaged, conflict can be costly. It can lead to loss of productivity, degradation of trust, and increased absenteeism and turnover. In fact, around 85% of employees deal with conflict at some level, costing organizations $359 billion in paid hours each year. Conflict has the power to ruin relationships, create toxic environments, and stop organizational progress in its tracks.
For these reasons, HR leaders must acknowledge conflict will happen and give employees the tools to manage it well. Conflict resolution training is a sound investment that will lead to healthy relationships, increased productivity and innovation, and improved retention rates.
Self-awareness, good communication skills, and the ability to empathize with others are all necessary to decrease conflict and foster healthy relationships, including professional relationships in the workplace. Healthy relationships require people to understand not only their own strengths and challenges but also those of their colleagues.
This understanding is the result of knowing that each of us has a personality type that consists of our unique styles, preferences, and ways of interacting with other people. A solid conflict resolution training program will guide employees on how to interact and communicate with each other in a meaningful way. As a result, the healthy relationships every successful team needs will grow. Conflict navigation training will also help leaders to best manage every workplace personality style on their team in a way that naturally motivates each unique employee.
When working relationships improve, cultural transformation occurs, and productivity and innovation naturally increase. Stress levels lower and employees feel empowered, heard, and understood. Staff members are freer to be fully engaged in their work, rather than distracted by office conflict.
This is how real business success and innovation unfold. Properly engaged individuals are the most competent and confident versions of themselves, willing to think outside of the box, take calculated risks, and feel excited about company progress.
Conflict can even be one of the primary forces for positive change in the areas of productivity and innovation. This, of course, is only true if the conflict is managed well, which is just another reason why conflict resolution training is such a wise investment.
The employee turnover rate in the U.S. increased from 42.6% in 2016 to 57.3% in 2020. This is concerning as high employee turnover is detrimental to companies’ long-term success. People are an organization’s most valuable and costly asset as recruiting, hiring, and training staff is time-consuming and expensive.
The good news is that another benefit of conflict resolution training is improved retention rates. When team members have healthy working relationships and the tools to manage conflict well, they are more likely to experience job satisfaction and continue with their company. Additionally, the increased productivity and innovation mentioned above will also lead to increased job satisfaction.
So, is conflict resolution training worth it?
Absolutely.
Whatever the source of conflict may be at your company, it is important to deal with it in a controlled and constructive way.
Our True Conflict Navigation Workshop explores the nuances of conflict, presents strategies to identify and navigate conflict, and provides insights that allow organizations to achieve a culture that values differences, creates unity, and leads to healthy relationships. As a result, you will witness healthy working relationships grow, increased productivity and innovation, and improved retention rates.