Conflict in the workplace can undermine staff motivation, reduce on-farm productivity, and affect an employer’s reputation. Learn how to deal with conflict and maintain team culture effectively.

When conflict develops, it needs to be treated seriously. Causes of conflict could be misunderstanding, difference of opinion, dishonesty, negligence, bullying, religious or cultural differences, to name a few.

Understanding conflict

The first step in understanding conflict should be to encourage open discussion between the people involved, without allowing it to become personal. This requires great patience on your part, especially when dealing with people’s beliefs.

• Listen to the complaint and identify the key points. Repeat these back to ensure you have understood correctly.
• Talk to all involved as soon as possible. If the source of the conflict is you, don't take it personally. Treat the situation as you would any other conflict.
• Be objective and try to get all sides of the story.

Addressing and resolving conflict

Ignoring conflict and hoping it will disappear is extremely destructive; it creates tension, stress, and ill-feeling. Unaddressed conflict will fester until it reaches a crisis point, which may result in the loss of a key employee or unpleasant behaviours.

Successful conflict resolution involves negotiating a way forward and compromise on both sides, so you may not reach a completely acceptable solution the first time. Having an agreed plan in place which is regularly updated can be a good place to start. Once you have the facts:

• Discuss the issue with the various parties and find a way forward with you as a mediator.
• Resolve the issue with a professional mediator (third party) if necessary.
• Take disciplinary action if you need to.

Tips to help addressing issues

• Stick to the issue concerned and avoid getting side-tracked by other non-relevant issues
• Deal with one thing at a time and do not get caught up in feelings, emotions or personal issues
• Be positive and have the desire to resolve the issue
• Stick to the present don’t introduce irrelevant historical issues
• Be honest
• Acknowledge your error if you are wrong you must admit it
• End positively by putting the issue in perspective; emphasise the positive aspects of your relationship.

Violence or repeat offences

In these cases, there may be no option but to take disciplinary action. A clearly defined process should be followed, and where staff need to be dismissed, it is a good idea to seek professional legal advice before (or as soon as possible after) making the decision.

Where disciplinary action or dismissal is involved, keeping records is especially important. Ensure you record the complaint containing the information listed below, and give copies to all parties involved:

• The date it was raised,
• the key points on both sides,
• the action taken.

Avoiding conflict

Of course, it is always better if conflict can be avoided in the first place, rather than having to deal with it.

Encourage an open-door policy on-farm where staff feel comfortable letting you know about issues as they arise. You may be interested in doing a regular Team Pulsecheck to monitor the feeling in your workplace.

It may also be helpful to become part of a programme where staff can seek independent support on issues.