How to Manage Conflicts with Remote Teams
Managing conflicts between employees or teams was hard enough when we were working in the office…we now have to go back to square one on how to approach this within a remote work environment.
So let’s start with this… conflict can and will happen in the workplace, regardless of if you’re remote or in the office so it’s important to understand why it’s happening and what solutions we can put into place.
In 2021, a study was conducted by MyPerfectResume on grievances between remote workers, here are some of the highlights:
46 percent use a work messaging app for their arguments
81 percent of remote professionals have experienced workplace conflict.
After enduring virtual conflict with a co-worker or a boss, 39 percent of respondents said they wanted to leave or actually left their jobs due to the problem.
So, why does there seem to be more conflict in a remote environment??
One particular aspect of working remotely is that while you are part of a team, you are truly working by yourself. You don’t “see” your coworkers every day, and you don’t hang out with them by the water cooler and chat about your weekend plans. Although there might have been days when you hated water cooler chat and tried your best to avoid it, in reality, those small moments count and were contributing to a sense of connectivity within a team.
Keyboard Warriors
As your team immerses themselves into their remote work, it’s almost as if their “keyboard warrior” comes out. You feel better and it’s easier typing something out… instead of scheduling a meeting to speak with them virtually.
Communication
We can all recall emails that we received that may have seemed a bit short or rude (even before the days of remote work). But prior to remote work, we would most likely see the person 15 minutes later and they would tell you that they’ve been running around all day in meetings. You then realize that it wasn’t meant to be rude but they just didn’t have time to type the fluff.
Remote work creates so many more opportunities for things to get lost in translation or lost in the world of remote work.
So, what can we do to proactively reduce conflict in your remote workplace?
SOLUTIONS:
Setting Expectations
It’s important to never assume that expectations have been set. Instead, leaders can be intentional about setting expectations ahead of time and finding ways to weave them into your onboarding or training process with any new members of your team. This communication component is key and will help you set your new employees up for success. Find out why setting expectations is key to your onboarding process here.
Prepare for Meetings in Advance
Send out an agenda in advance of the meeting and ask for input so everyone can add their topics. Stick to the agenda during the meeting. Conflicts are less likely to happen if you have a plan.
Schedule Regular 1:1’s
When you have a remote team, it’s harder to know when conflict happens. As a leader, set regular check-ins with your team to ask how everything is going.
Establish Communication Guidelines
Create effective communication guidelines establishing what communication channels you use and what the purpose is. Think about what needs to be communicated, how it will be communicated, who should be included, and what tool is best to communicate the information.
These solutions are meant to target things like communication, remote work culture, connectivity and so much more. There are ways to continuously improve these components so that your employees feel comfortable enough to handle conflicts on their own and with respect for the other person.
If you and your team are still struggling to handle remote work conflicts and you need a third party opinion on how to resolve or strategize, let’s chat!
