8 Steps to Workplace Conflict Resolution

Wherever there are people, there will always be conflict. Employee conflict is bound to happen at any company, regardless of size or industry. Ensuring that your company culture is strong and you are hiring the right people can limit many potential issues and conflicts, but it doesn't prevent them from ever occurring.

When conflict does arise in the workplace and impairs the productivity and performance of your employees, refer to these 8 steps on how to diffuse it:

Step #1: Encourage the employees to work it out on their own. Before management or HR personnel step in, encourage the employees involved to try and resolve their issues themselves by thinking about their situation, communicating in a non-accusatory or non-aggressive way, maintaining composure, and staying respectful. If handled in this way, the majority of conflicts may end here.


Step #2: If there's still conflict, it's time for the managers/HR personnel to get involved. If the conflict still exists after Step #1 and it's affecting the work performance of the employees, it's time to get their managers and/or the company’s HR personnel involved.
Step #3: Listen to both/all sides of the conflict objectively. Privately speak with both/all sides of the conflict. Be sure to stay respectful of privacy and listen with an objective ear. Taking anyone’s side may be viewed as choosing a favorite and will therefore only aggravate the problem and cause it to worsen. It can also cause negative feelings and resentment.
Step #4:Identify the real issue - it could be hiding. When speaking with employees privately, try to identify the real, underlying issue. Perhaps the conflict is only a small piece of a bigger problem that has been building, or maybe it has nothing to do with the other party or work. It could be a personal problem that is carrying over into the workplace. If personal problems are the issue, suggest taking some paid time off (if they have it available) or even unpaid time off to resolve their personal issues.
Step #5: Bring both/all parties together to discuss the conflict. Once you've identified the real issue, bring both/all parties together to discuss the conflict with an emphasis on staying professional. Like in Step #1, encourage the employees to think about their situation, communicate in a non-accusatory or non-aggressive way, maintain composure, and stay respectful.
Step #6: Find a common ground, encourage compromise, and work out a solution. Finding a common ground between both/all parties of the conflict can help bridge the gap that separates them. This is the first step toward working out a solution and/or compromise.
Step #7: Make sure no negative feelings are left behind. If either/any of the employees are left with unresolved negative feelings, the negativity can fester and become another, bigger problem down the road. That’s why it's critical to ensure that both/all parties have been heard. If they feel understood, it's easier to come to a solution/compromise that makes them feel positive about the outcome and valued as employees.
Step #8: Be positive and learn from the conflict. Workplace conflict doesn't always have to be viewed in a negative light. Treat conflicts as opportunities for employees to learn about each other. Clearing the air and working through a conflict can actually bring everyone closer.

Take Proactive Measures to Prevent Workplace Conflict

Besides creating and maintaining a strong company culture, defining acceptable behaviors that apply evenly throughout the company in an employee handbook and offering training to all employees on how to avoid and handle workplace conflict are great ways to take proactive measures against it. The best method is leading by example. Behave the way you want your employees and coworkers to behave, and you will be able to see a difference!

Contact us today if you'd like some advice on how to hire people that fit into your company culture and will be less prone to conflicts.

3 Staffing Strategies for Growing Companies

Planning for the financial or physical growth of your business can be a tricky thing to navigate. While most businesses have the confidence they will continue to succeed and grow, external factors that are beyond your control such as the state of the overall economy can make forecasting the future a difficult proposition. Businesses should, therefore, take the time to establish solid staffing strategies and be prepared ahead of time. Suddenly finding yourself in the position to grow and add more staff without having a solid staffing strategy in place for doing so can ultimately lead to setbacks. Not being prepared for the growth of your business invites poor staffing decisions and negative business growth and expansion. Let's take a look at some of the ways your business might plan ahead.

1. Create a pipeline of qualified candidates

Any company experiencing business growth and expansion sometimes has to make quick staffing decisions. Say, for instance, you suddenly land that huge account you’ve been pushing for: that’s great news for your business, but do you have the staffing resources in place to get the work done? Building a pipeline of qualified candidates ahead of time can help you avoid making the snap hiring decisions that you may later come to regret. Creating a pipeline of candidates also enables you to gather some sense of the financial costs associated with those hires. This financial data is important to incorporate into your future budget plan.

Sustained business growth and expansion takes time and you shouldn't expect to hire the perfect candidate in every instance. It's natural to expect some level of turnover. Formulating candidate pipelines can ensure your business growth stays on track and can be sustained over time.

2. Analyze your current staff: will you be able to promote from within?

Business growth and expansion does not necessarily have to be an effort concentrated outside of the organization. The alternative of looking toward your own staff requires a realistic analysis of their skillsets. Are there certain current employees who, if they were promoted or given additional responsibilities, would thrive and help the business achieve the growth it’s looking for? Finding the right people to take your business further can be a challenge, but sometimes they are already working at your company.

Staffing strategies should include a comprehensive plan to enrich and educate your current staff members. Do you have a plan in place to educate them and turn them into more valuable assets for your company? Perhaps there are certifications specific to your industry they could obtain that would likewise increase their value to you.

3. Utilize the services of a staffing agency

If making concrete plans for staffing strategies is still a little firm for your business, employing the services of a staffing agency can offer more flexibility. Making use of temporary or temp-to-hire employees can give a business a more fluid staffing situation. Perhaps you want to ensure candidates can significantly contribute before making them a permanent part of your team. Using a staffing agency enables your business to adjust its staffing strategy easily.

A staffing agency also takes away a lot of the headaches and time that go into bringing in additional labor. Since they handle the screening, interviewing, and salary negotiation with temporary or temp-to-hire employees, you’re able to get your staffing need addressed quickly and get on with growing your business.

In all aspects, businesses need to plan ahead and formulating staffing strategies is no different. By gaining a strong understanding of the financial state of your business, what you’re currently capable of, and your realistic business goals based on the long-term prospects for your industry, you will get a sense of which strategy will serve you best moving forward.

Experiencing business growth, whether sudden or over a long period of time, can be exciting. Taking the time to strategically plan your business growth and expansion ahead of time protects your business from making rushed decisions that could potentially backfire. When incorporating additional labor into a business, there may be some turnover. This is to be expected, however, but with strong staffing strategies in place, your business can make sure it remains on course for sustained growth.

Allow J & J Staffing Resources to be a part of your business growth staffing strategy today!

The Top 6 Signs Your HR Department is Overworked

The Human Resources department is responsible for maintaining the status quo and growth of most organizations. Employee relations are mediated, recruiting is processed, legal paperwork is filed, and data is transferred by HR. Depending on the size of the company, there may be even more expected from HR!

With so many small business and startup resources relying on a functioning and efficient HR department, the signs that Human Resources is overworked can be glaring. Below are 6 ways to spot an overworked HR department:

1. Work Productivity is Down

Even the best HR managers will get bogged down and unable to complete their tasks when they have too much on their plate. Without time for proper planning and adequate resources, the recruiting process as a whole may suffer as well.

2. Core Procedures are Suffering

If basic tasks and responsibilities such as updating tax info or approving employee schedules start running behind, you know something needs to change. Make sure that the basic HR responsibilities are being met; otherwise there is a high chance that other tasks have taken precedence over these essential functions.

3. Attitudes Become Negative

The HR manager at your company is always upbeat, cheerful, and full of energy—at least until recently, that is. If a hardworking individual suddenly starts slacking off or even showing apathy, there may be an underlying reason for the change. Be on the lookout for signs pointing towards an overload of hiring or recruiting tasks that may be responsible for a change in attitude.

4. Health Has Been Compromised

Stress can be a strong indicator that someone is overworked, especially if it leads to bags under their eyes or always feeling tired and worn out. Keep in mind that a happy and healthy employee is going to find the best recruits and that a productive human resources recruiting process works best when everyone is giving their all.

5. Workforce is Growing too Fast

There may come a time when a company that was small last year suddenly finds itself with a huge amount of growth—but with the same small HR team it started with! When Human Resources gets blamed for sluggish performance with basic tasks and onboarding policy, it may be time to take a look at the responsibilities per size ratio of the HR department.

6. HR Budget Has Decreased

If the HR department finds itself understaffed and with overextended responsibilities, then it stands to reason that core HR functionality will suffer. Inadequate technology or high operational costs also contribute to a stressed office environment. Check to make sure the HR department is operating efficiently and has adequate solutions available to keep track of important documents and contacts.


Are your HR employees demonstrating signs of overwork or stress? It may be time to evaluate the likely source of the problem—the hiring and recruiting process. As companies grow, the responsibilities of HR extend in order to properly manage and maintain the increased applicant flow. If your HR department is at risk of overwork, consider a staffing solution such as outsourcing to keep HR happy and efficient by easing their workload.

Methods for Establishing Good Client Relationships

If you work for a firm or agency that provides consultative services, then you know quite well how important it is to have a good working relationship with your clients. With so many businesses these days providing outside support to companies of all shapes and sizes, it’s vitally important that account managers have a strong rapport with customers to ensure a long term partnership.

The following methods are simple, effortless ways that company employees can use to help foster a better connection with your business’ clients.

Be Timely with Email Responses

 

Everyone knows that work can be hectic, but it pays dividends to take the time to reply to client emails shortly after receiving them. A prompt response to an email shows the customer that you are setting their business as a priority and are eager to give them the attention they deserve. 

Should the customer email regard a task that you know you won’t be able to handle for at least some time, you should still take a moment to reply to the email and let the client know you’re working on it. This is a good way to acknowledge the customer so that they can be sure you’re listening to their requests.

Don’t Be All Business

 

Although some employees may want to get down to brass tacks immediately during meetings, it’s important that you’re not all business with your clients. Make sure to keep things light from time to time and discuss current events, sports, and other common interests. This helps you come across more as a trusted friend than a business expense.

To go a step further with this, you can also try to arrange an outing with your client. This could include a round of golf on the weekend or similar business-friendly activity. 

Use Your Calendar!

 

If you promise a client that you’ll be back in contact on by a certain day, then make sure you stick to that promise. Whether you use Microsoft Outlook or Google services, you should always make sure to schedule everything in your calendar. Doing this helps ensure that you’ll always fulfill your obligations to your clients.

Remembering client birthdays or other major events is another good way to build a strong working relationship with your clients. Send birthday well wishes or congratulations cards when a customer has a child. This level of care and interest is always appreciated by customers.

How to Take Control of Meetings

Most managers know the frustration of having to lead a team meeting when it’s clear that the participants are barely paying attention. Few moments are more irritating than looking out at a sea of faces that are either staring blankly at you or pretending like they’re not looking at their smartphones. Even when everyone appears to be attentive, few people respond to your questions or involve themselves in the discussion.

So how does a manager take control of his or her meetings? While this is a topic of constant debate for management everywhere, there are several useful methods that can be employed to make sure that your meetings are effective and your employees responsive.

#1: Plan the Meeting at a Time When It’s Convenient

Simply put, if you place your meetings at lunchtime chances are you’re going to end up with a crowd of hungry, unfocused people listening to you speak. The same goes for planning a meeting at the very end of the day when everyone just wants to go home.

In order to make sure your participants are listening to what you say and willing to participate in conversation, try holding your conferences at a time when it’s convenient for them. This can include earlier in the morning or right after lunch.

#2: Hold Meetings with a Purpose

While weekly meetings can be very useful to discussing important company milestones and hitting goals, they often aren’t used to their fullest potential. If you find yourself in a meeting where you’re padding out the dialogue to fill out the hour, then chances are you’re not using your time wisely. Meeting participants may also quickly note your lack of direction and pay less attention when you’re speaking.

Before you hold a meeting, plot out an agenda of talking points. You should always do your best to make sure you’re getting the most from everyone’s time, including your own.

#3: Involve Your Employees as Much as Possible

When one person spends the entire meeting speaking to the crowd, it’s less a discussion and more a lecture. In order to make sure that everyone is giving their full attention in meetings, you should always look at ways to involve them more in the conversation. It’s a rare occasion where everyone actively participates in a meeting, so you should design the meeting to require their involvement.

Next time you set up a meeting, try planning an activity to get people to work together. This could involve small group discussions, unveiling of side projects by employees, and other team-oriented activities.

Getting the Most Out of Your 1-on-1 Meetings

For many managers, the classic 1 on 1 employee meeting can be an unpleasant experience. More often than not, these meetings occur as a result of issues or errors related to a particular employee that need to be addressed. While it is true that people make mistakes and they do need to be corrected, few managers want to deal with what can be an uncomfortable yet necessary meeting.

However, there are ways to get the most out of these meetings and ensure that they are productive, helpful interactions. The next time you need to conduct a 1-on-1 meeting, consider employing the following methods:

Schedule the Meeting Ahead of Time

Have you ever worked for a supervisor before that would call you into his office without warning for a meeting that would last almost an hour? If you have, then you know quite well how disruptive these impromptu meetings can be. 

When you need to meet with an employee, always schedule the meeting ahead of time if possible. While emergency situations will always require an immediate discussion, most meetings can wait at least a few hours until when both you and your employee are freely available to discuss things.

Encourage Bringing Questions or Other Topics to the Meeting

Although you may be meeting to discuss a certain topic, you should consider encouraging your employee to bring his or her own topics and talking points to the meeting. Doing this not only allows you and your employee to better leverage your time and get more accomplished, but it also helps keep the tone light and the meeting organized.

Try to have about 2 or 3 topics to discuss aside from the main matter at hand. If you find you need more time to discuss those topics, then schedule another meeting at a later date.

 

Have Follow-Up Meetings

Once you’ve wrapped up your meeting, you should hold follow-up meetings when you deem necessary. This can help you not only monitor projects your employee is working on, but also keep an eye on trouble employees and see if they are meeting personal goals and deadlines.

With these practices in mind, you can hold 1-on-1 meetings that are productive, upbeat, and allow you to set up for future success. All it takes is being conscious of how you approach your employee.

Should you find that your 1-on-1 meetings aren’t conveying the message to trouble employees, then it may be time to turn to a professional staffing agency. If so, then contact us at J & J Staffing Resources today. We can help you find the right employee for the job at hand.

Getting the Job Done: Best Practices for Deadlines and Goals

If you’re a hiring manager, you certainly know how challenging it can be to find the right person for the position you’re trying to fill. Time and time again, you’ve brought onto your team qualified, talented people with a wealth of background experience in their selected fields. Yet, once they start working, you notice something is amiss. 

Perhaps deadlines just aren’t being met or the employee does great work but doesn’t get enough done. Maybe tasks that should take a handful of hours to complete turn into long, drawn-out projects. While these issues can definitely be troubling, in most cases the solution to these problems can be something as simple as setting the right goals and deadlines.

Often times, the biggest obstacle for new employees to overcome is getting a good grip on how long it takes to complete particular tasks. While they have experience dealing with the tasks you’re assigning them, it’s important to remember that every company handles deadlines and goals differently. 

The next time you see your new employee is having trouble getting things done, try the following:

Make Instructions Abundantly Clear 

Sometimes an employee may not realize how complicated a task actually is and could end up missing deadlines due to not prioritizing correctly. If you feel that a project or assignment is fairly complex, you will want to make your instructions as clear as possible. This results in fewer questions for you later and a more thorough understanding of the task for the worker.

Set Realistic Deadlines

 

Setting deadlines can be tricky, especially when you are dealing with a new hire. Try to remember that a new employee will need a little extra time to get through tasks as he or she is still learning what’s expected of him or her. Try not to set tight deadlines initially unless absolutely necessary.

Set Milestones and Goals to Encourage Growth

A popular way to get employees to develop the right behaviors is through setting goals and milestones. You should always take time to meet with your new employee to agree on goals for their development. Many managers use this as an opportunity to correct poor behaviors, like being unpunctual or to further develop core strengths, such as attention to detail. 

 

By using the above behaviors, any manager can help improve the effectiveness of their new hires. However, should you find that these techniques are not working you may want to contact a staffing agency to help you find a more efficient employee.

If you and your company are in need of premier staffing solutions, contact us at J & J Staffing Resources today.