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Reducing Drama, Social Conflict, & Negative Behaviors in the Workplace Prevention

• Identify potential issues that may stir up conflict • Praise employee’s strengths and give positive feedback • Identify employee’s weaknesses in managing conflict and help with best practices • Address the situation immediately • Model appropriate behavior when working in teams • Avoid gossiping or spreading rumors

Intervention

• Separate employees from the situation as soon as possible • Document the incident • Encourage employees to talk about the situation and try to find some resolution • Listen to what employees are saying

o Listen to both sides (perpetrator and victim) to get the full story o Talk to employees one-on-one: let them see what behaviors/conflicts they are

causing and the effects it can have on the organization o Speak to individuals versus the entire group to reduce “taking sides”

• De-escalate conflict and negative behaviors: o Encourage employees to take a break, walk away, take a deep breath, remove

themselves from the situation • Follow up to address conflict and negative behaviors:

o Role play or brainstorm conflict situations with employees and let them come up with strategies for future prevention/coping strategies

• Tell the employees not to respond right away to conflict situations • Tell employees that removing themselves from a situation and not responding sometimes

solves the drama or bullying • Increase respect and team building • Increase dignity in the workplace

o Defining people as 3 dimensional versus 1 dimensional • Develop a diversity program

Education

• Educate employees about the different negative social behaviors o Gossip, rumors, and drama o Workplace bullying and threats o Abuse of power

• Talk to employees about respect • Give employees suggestions on how to make work a friendly environment • Instill policies, standards, rules, and procedures • Don’t call employees bullies: stay away from labeling the employees • Implement Structure-Repetition-Consistency in your workplace bullying policy