Managing Conflict with a Remote Workforce

The Covid-19 pandemic has forced many employers to abruptly transition to having their employees work remotely from home. While shelter in place orders may begin to ease in the upcoming weeks or months, it seems likely that many employers will continue to have a remote workforce for some time, or even adopt this practice as a more cost-efficient way to conduct business. By now, many of us may have figured out how to substitute our in-person conversations with the available technology and overcome some of the logistical hurdles associated with this method of interacting. Yet, working from home presents additional challenges that can get in the way of productive and respectful communication, which, in turn, can make even the virtual workplace susceptible to interpersonal conflict. In these shifting times, it is more important than ever for organizations to be prepared to mitigate and effectively manage workplace conflict, even among a remote workforce.   

As a starting point, it is important to acknowledge that conflict is part of human nature and, if managed or resolved successfully, can even be beneficial for individuals and the organization as a whole. For instance, conflicting ideas or approaches can lead to healthy debate and result in the best ideas coming forward. Conflict can also indicate that something is not working, and thereby create an opportunity to address a systemic problem and improve an organization’s weaknesses. Working through conflict enables employees to express unmet needs, feel heard, and solve problems, which leads to happier employees and better performance. By contrast, suppressed or unresolved conflict can fester, leading to passive-aggressive leaks of anger or disproportional “last-straw” reactions. This negativity can quickly spread, even virtually, and can cause lowered employee morale and, potentially, a dysfunctional work environment. 

The Challenges of Working Remotely

Identifying and managing conflict when employees are spread out and working remotely can be challenging. Without in-person contact, we are unable to rely on non-verbal cues and, consequently, have less information to help us read people and situations. As Ed Muzio, CEO of Group Harmonics and author of Make Work Great, explains: “Trust happens when people do what we expect. When we’re robbed of the information that helps us know what to expect, the result is a more detached and skeptical dynamic, in which people feel a little less connected, a little less supported, and a little less sure they can rely on each other.” To compound this problem, people tend to behave differently when their communications are not in person. This physical distance and resulting disconnection can lead to a lessening sense of accountability. People may also experience a decrease in their concern about how they present themselves and how others perceive them when there is no in-person interaction.

Further, living through the COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly had, and continues to have, some impact on employee’s moods and mental health. Many people are experiencing a high level of anxiety over the current situation and the uncertainty of the future. On top of this, employees may also be struggling with difficult personal circumstances, such as financial instability, caring for children, seniors and/or sick family members, assisting children with distance learning, sharing a small living space, and/or dealing with the loss of a loved one. Employees may also be experiencing a sense of loneliness and isolation from the lack of connection in both their personal and professional lives. All of this may leave employees in a more vulnerable and volatile state, which may manifest as behavior that is less professional than normal and/or as higher sensitivity to the conduct or words of others. 

Strategies for Managing Conflict

First and foremost, organizations should take steps to enable employees to maintain their connections with each other. Involving employees in regular (preferably daily) meetings, updates and information-based calls gives them the opportunity to interact, build trust and social capital. It is also important to create opportunities for employees to interact in a non-business related way, where there is no performance pressure (e.g., virtual work outs, recipe exchanges, social clubs, a Slack social channel, smaller free-form Zoom meetings without an agenda, and virtual coffee and lunch breaks). If your organization has not already taken these steps, it is not too late to implement them.

Employers should also act preventatively (and not reactively) by creating agreed-upon norms and expectations for how everyday communication will occur in a remote environment. These stated normative guidelines could include expected email response times, best practices for conducting check-ins, and expectations concerning standard attendance and video/audio settings during virtual meetings. Ensuring that everyone is on the same page on these types of issues will greatly minimize the risk of misunderstandings and unmet expectations, which so often are at the root of interpersonal conflict.

Inclusion during virtual meetings is critical to avoiding potential conflict that might arise during such meetings. Whenever possible, leaders should seek responses from everyone involved and give each person a chance to express their concerns and suggestions. If you sense that someone is not engaged in the process or disagrees with a proposed idea, ask the person about this with an attitude of genuine curiosity. This will help engage the person and also avoid their feeling negatively called out or put on the spot.  If that person has a shy or non-confrontational disposition, consider following up with them afterwards. Leaders can also confirm that everyone has the same understanding at the conclusion of a discussion. Such confirmation should then be following up promptly after the meeting in writing. 

With a remote workforce, managers need to  make extra efforts to read the team and notice even small changes in behavior. This could include even seemingly minor changes, such as an employee no longer using emojis or exclamation points, an employee no longer communicating in group threads, or an employee acting differently towards certain people on the team. These minor behavioral changes could be signs that an employee is feeling isolated or unhappy, and might benefit from a friendly check in. 

Finally, it is important for organizations to establish a conflict-resolution process so employees know whom they can speak to if they have a problem. This process should designate at least one individual who will be able to hear all sides of an issue, address concerns, and allow for the parties to clarify or compromise on their issues. 

Taking these steps with your remote workforce will ensure your organization is better equipped to maintain a resilient, responsive and innovation-focused working culture. 

This article has been prepared for general informational purposes only and does not constitute advertising, solicitation, or legal advice. If you have questions about a particular matter, please contact Kym directly at kym@brittbottlaw.com.