Conflict Management in a Remote Workplace
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After everyone figured out how to deal with kids popping in the Zoom frame, dogs barking in the background and a variety of other circumstances that became routine parts of the day, we adjusted as best we could. But despite our best efforts, there may have been a few things that we neglected to factor in. One big thing that our clients have noticed is the difference in their approach to conflict management in a remote context. Here we are two years later and for several organizations, it makes sense to continue working remotely. But that leaves us wondering, “If this is our new normal, how can we best manage conflict in a remote workplace?”
Giving criticism, issuing a formal warning, and even terminating an employee were all things that could not wait for the pandemic to end and normal in-person work to resume, so these conversations had to occur virtually. As we all know, tough conversations are just that, tough! And being in a virtual environment can make them even tougher as we’ve been conditioned to reserve these types of conversations for in-person settings.
In hearing about the remote work issues that so many members of our community have grappled with, Elizabeth Freed and Kelsey McLellan from Camber HR Solutions sat down to talk about best practices for managing conflict in the remote workplace…
What are the biggest factors contributing to conflict in the workplace?
Kelsey: Nuance and meaning can get lost when we don’t have body language to rely on for interpreting context clues. This can lead to misunderstandings, miscommunication, and eventually fester into full blown conflict. For example, a simple comment that was meant to sound friendly could come off as aggressive without a facial expression and/or body language to convey meaning.
We’re also seeing conflict arise between different generations who might have varying degrees of experience in the digital world. Older employees might balk at the idea of making a major decision over a Slack chat; they might prefer to have a meeting to discuss the decision and take a more measured approach. Contrarily, younger employees might feel that meetings like this are unnecessary and will only delay the decision-making process. These seemingly small moments of friction can really add up and derail an organization. So it’s important to understand the root of the problem so it can be dealt with accordingly, before it becomes a bigger issue.
What can you do to prevent or manage conflict?
Elizabeth: Find ways to build trust and allocate pockets of time for questions and collaboration. Healthy conflict is necessary and beneficial. It is often the source of discovery and innovation. It’s when communication, or lack thereof, gets sloppy that conflict can turn toxic. Be clear and transparent. Suspicion can lead to unnecessary conflicts and misunderstanding between colleagues.
Kelsey: Frequent regular communication can go a long way to ensuring that everyone is on the same page (thus reducing the chance or misunderstandings). Having a regular weekly or a quick, 15 minute daily meeting, can go a long way. This allows teams to outline expectations and deliverables in a clear way. These simple and intentional touch points hold people accountable and can reduce mounting frustration.
What role do leaders play in maintaining a healthy culture in a remote environment?
Elizabeth: This is a great question that comes up frequently. Leaders are crucial in setting the tone for an organization's expectations around culture, communication and conduct. One client we had recently rolled out an entirely new intranet platform company-wide. There were several emails flying around from various departments because the product was not working properly. It was causing mass confusion amongst employees and tension was mounting. Within days, the CEO stepped in and had each department head join a video call. He specified that to maximize engagement, each person needed to have their cameras on, mics on, and be in a room where they would not be interrupted for the duration of the meeting. With clear expectations, he charged forward and asked each department head what their frustrations were as he furiously scribbled them down on a whiteboard.
As the call proceeded, the posture of defense gave way to one of collaboration. The frustration moved from being at individuals to a recognition that the implementation process, much like any implementation process, had kinks in it. There were steps that needed to be revisited and bugs that no one saw coming. The CEO did a great job of setting clear expectations for how to participate in the meeting, what the purpose of the meeting was and he outlined exactly what needed to happen to move forward. Each person left with action items, a timeline, and excitement that things were going to improve.
Leaders have the great privilege of teaching others what healthy communication and conflict look like by modeling it in their own behavior. Be clear, address issues head on, give confirmation to those who need it and cast a vision for where the team is moving. Especially in a remote atmosphere where people are not passively absorbing cultural energy from casual interactions throughout the office.
The key is to first get the facts. Don’t operate under assumptions or make decisions that are unfounded. Because we know how much can get lost between parties in a virtual setting, be cognizant and proactive about separating fact from feeling.
What are some ways that we can make remote teams feel more connected?
Kelsey: A lot of things can get lost in nuance so being super thorough and clear when communicating is key to making sure that everyone feels like they’re in the loop, even though they might be on different continents. Over-communicating sometimes gets a bad rap but if it can prevent miscommunication down the line, it’s worth sounding like a broken record at times.
In terms of making employees feel more connected, one of our clients manages a remote team where each team member posts what they’ve been listening to lately in the team Slack channel every Tuesday morning. It’s a fun way to spark conversations between team members who are not physically in the same space but might share common interests and it gives teammates a chance to get to know each other outside the context of work. Best of all, it makes Tuesdays FUN!
Elizabeth: With reports indicating that two of the leading factors driving the ‘Great Resignation’ are that employees don’t feel a sense of belonging or camaraderie and they are burnt out. It is imperative to make employees feel connected, now more than ever. Virtual team building activities don’t have to be cumbersome, time consuming, or depleting. Opposite! They should be creative, festive, and build momentum on your team. There are so many options for virtual games or even setting up a virtual happy hour or coffee break with a fun ice breaker can give employees a sense of belonging that they crave.
What’s a big no-no you’ve seen in a remote workforce?
Kelsey: I’ve seen an organization almost ambush an employee by inviting others to a virtual meeting without their prior knowledge. When the employee joined the meeting, they were met with senior leadership, rather than just their manager as was originally planned. This is a big no-no, especially if a tough conversation is on the agenda. If other members of a team need to be present for a tough conversation, for example a harsh performance review, the employee should know this before they join the meeting. Failing to communicate the nature of the conversation and the people who will be in attendance is setting the stage for a disastrous conversation and mistrust because the employee will feel ambushed, ill prepared, anxious, and upset. Instead, communicate the nature of the meeting and who will be in attendance in advance so that the employee does not feel like they’ve been ambushed. Giving them time to collect their thoughts and prepare for the meeting will reduce the likelihood of a poor outcome for all parties involved.
With an abundance of communication channels available to us, how do you know when to use which one?
Kelsey: Emails can be helpful in sharing facts that someone might want to revisit or refer back to (changes to policies or procedures). Virtual meetings have mostly replaced the need for calling and are great because they offer us a better sense of facial expressions and body language. However, these can be draining, especially for introverts. We recommend avoiding texting as it can blur the boundaries between work and personal life for employees, especially with a non-work phone. When email chains seem to drag on and decisions get ping-ponged back and forth between recipients, it might be a good idea to take the conversation offline. A good rule of thumb - if an email thread goes back and forth more than three times asking for clarification, suggest scheduling a meeting or call to discuss rather than continuing to bounce emails back and forth.
There are so many benefits to remote work both for employees and employers. We’re still figuring out how to manage as individuals and on the organizational level, but with a few tweaks to our behavior and communication, we predict that remote work will serve as a springboard into a new realm of productivity and collaboration.
We would love to learn more about you and your organization. We are offering a complimentary 30-minute consultation with our human resources specialists this spring, visit us at: www.camberhrsolutions.com/schedule to learn more and schedule your consultation.
Thanks so much!
The Camber HR Team
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