7 Top Tips for Dealing With Workplace Conflict and Difficult Co-workers

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Almost everyone has dealt with workplace team conflict or difficult co-workers, probably more than once in their career. These conflicts can happen for several reasons, such as differences in personalities and misunderstandings, but no matter the reason, it’s essential that you know how to deal with difficult situations constructively.

We don’t get on with everyone and that’s completely normal and part of being human, but there are a few ways to handle these sticky situations more effectively. In this article, we will be sharing our top 7 tips for dealing with workplace conflicts and difficult co-workers.

1. Stay Calm and Composed

The first and most crucial step when handling any workplace conflict is that you must remain calm and composed. We’re only human, and we tend to get rather emotional during disagreements, whether that’s in our personal lives or our professional ones. However, you need to remember to stay calm during a workplace dispute, whilst avoiding acting impulsively. When you react with anger, frustration or aggression, it can escalate the situation which in the long term will make things harder to resolve. Not only does it prevent further negative consequences, but it improves your reputation and also prevents any aggression from your co-worker. If you’re someone who struggles to keep level-headed during a disagreement, make sure to remove yourself from the situation.

2. Stay Positive

It’s equally as important to stay positive during the conflict as it is to stay calm and collected. There's no denying that workplace conflicts can have a truly negative impact on our lives, including our well-being. The things that trouble us in the moment are things we look back on a month or two later and wonder why we got so worked up for nothing. That’s why staying positive during conflict is the best way to be. Whether your manager has a different opinion than you or a co-worker isn’t working well in the team, you must remember that at the end of the day, it’s their decision. When you continue to complain about something, you’re less productive and the feedback is more than likely not constructive and effective. Staying positive will help you reduce your stress levels, whilst improving the chance of an easier resolution.

3. Communicate Effectively

In the workplace, effective communication is key. It’s even more important when dealing with workplace conflicts, where you need to be clear and concise in your communication efforts. You need to make sure that you not only communicate well but also actively listen to the other person's opinions and perspectives. Don’t interrupt them if they have a different opinion than yours and always try to find a common ground where possible.

4. Find a Mentor

Mentors are a great way to not only help you deal with things such as career development but also come in handy with workplace conflicts. Whether your organisation has its very own mentoring programme in place or you find your mentor, they are someone you want to have on your side. Mentors are someone who is there to help you on your career journey, through the ups and downs. Chances are, they have probably dealt with a very similar situation in their career and know exactly how you can handle it. A great mentor is there to offer you advice and teach you the skills you need to go forward. Finding a mentor doesn’t need to be hard, with platforms such as PushFar offering free mentorship to all.

5. Avoid Workplace Gossip

Always avoid workplace gossip. There's no denying that gossip is fuel to the fire and one of the factors that contribute to a highly toxic and negative work culture. Even if you’ve come to a resolution or the issue is ongoing, it’s best to keep the details between those involved. When you involve other colleagues in the situation, it can have some negative consequences. Gossip can lead to insecurities, self-esteem issues and hurt the feelings of your colleague. If the other individual involved catches wind of the gossip, it can ruin your chances of resolution altogether. If you partake in office gossip, then you're also giving yourself a bad reputation and showing others they can’t trust you.

6. Be the Better Person

A simple but effective method to resolve workplace conflict is just to be the better person. Even if your co-worker is acting completely unprofessionally, you need to always act with professionalism. Some people can’t be reasoned with, and that’s not something you can change. Often, despite careful and considerate conversations, co-workers remain challenging and there's nothing you can do. When you continue to treat people with kindness and respect, you’re showing maturity in a situation. Unless their behaviour isn’t impacting your work life, rise above the issues and stay polite in your interactions.

7. Know When to Escalate

As discussed, sometimes you just can’t negotiate with co-workers and problems can’t be settled. In these cases, you need to know when to escalate. If you’ve done everything you can to resolve the issue and another employee is making you uncomfortable or it begins to create a hostile work environment, then you need to involve a manager or a member of your HR department. Whether it’s through making a formal complaint or simply just reporting the problem, keep evidence and avoid exaggerating or embellishing the situation.

Final Thoughts

Workplace conflicts are a natural occurrence but as you can see throughout this article, it doesn’t need to be as hard to resolve as it seems. Whilst resolving issues isn’t always the easiest thing to do, it’s in the best interest of your co-workers and those around you. Unresolved conflicts can lead to a negative workplace, impacting things such as productivity and workplace well-being.