Resolving workplace conflicts in general practice

Survindar Chahal, content and customer experience manager at First Practice Management, discusses how the practice manager can manage those tricky work relationships

Let’s be honest, we’ve all been there; you walk into the building and you can cut the tension in the air with a wooden spoon, it’s that thick. A quick ‘Hello’ to the receptionists is met with a brief glance, and an even briefer smile, eyes shifting between the floor and the monitor. Your practice manager powers sense a disturbance in the team and a grimace on one person’s face, while the sound of sobbing/raised voices (delete as appropriate) emanates from the rest room (aka ‘place furthest away from the front desk’) telling you that you’re going to be busy today…

As you settle down and take a quick swig of your chosen beverage, someone comes into the office for a ‘quick chat’.  She (let’s call her ‘Pauline’) tells you that she can’t work with ‘her’ anymore (let’s call this person ‘Jean’) and wants to make a complaint, or work on a different day or shift.

You are telling Pauline how you will resolve the problems between her and Jean while, in the back of your mind (besides working out the rotas for the next two weeks), that other voice asks you, in no uncertain terms,’How are you going to sort this one out?’

Conflict happens. When your staff spend 30-to-40 hours a week together, something is likely to kick off – disagreements about how to book appointments, what happened to the teabags, the latest office gossip, or just plain rudeness to one another – that will disrupt the way you work. 

It doesn’t just hurt one or both parties, but affects your staff, your productivity and how people feel about working there. If you don’t settle these kinds of issues it could result in a stressful workplace, a drop in motivation, good people leaving, patient dissatisfaction, increased absences – and a lingering reputation for not dealing with the problem. Clearly, unresolved disagreements are not good for your practice health.

Address the problem ASAP

Let’s say there’s been a heated argument between two members of staff – they both storm off to opposite ends of the building, telling someone on the way that so-and-so said this and that, or something similar. You think it’s childish, and distance yourself from it, but this just makes it an unresolved problem that will fester for as long as you let it. You need to deal with this now so it doesn’t become a bigger problem for you or the staff. 

If you have to give it some time, then let’s call it a ‘tactical withdrawal’ – once people have calmed down, agree to meet up and discuss the situation. Either way, it needs to be addressed and/or resolved as quickly as possible; problems generally arise not from something that was said, but from something that was notsaid.

Don’t take sides, even if you want to 

Work with both individuals from the start. If you meet them separately, make sure that they both understand that what they discuss may be shared with the other; as the manager, you are in a position to call the shots, and you may need to use that information to clarify with the other person. If you don’t let them know, from the start, they may think you are taking sides or breaking their confidence.

Try to look at things with neutral and objective eyes – what has happened? Is it a regular occurrence? What are they doing/not doing to cause conflict? A common one I’ve dealt with is comments about each other’s work – a comment made out of turn, meant as constructive criticism, comes out as an accusation or bullying. Point out any facts, for example, “I’ve noticed that you do…’

Find out what happened

You need an unbiased version of events. Your first meeting with each party should be separately so that each person can tell their story and you can find out what they want out of the process. This is the best time to advise them that you are an impartial participant in this process, and not to take sides or make the decision for them; your aim is to help them both to understand each other and come to an agreed way forward.

From your management point of view, you also need to stay impartial, and look at this as a ‘business’ problem; your concern is about workplace performance, rather than how these employees feel about each other. It sounds a little remote, but it will help you to distinguish between workplace mediation (an appropriate managerial task) and personal counselling (an inappropriate management task that needs a qualified person).

Hear the issues, together

As the saying goes, ‘There are three sides to every story – yours, mine, and the truth’. You should bring both parties together so they can put their sides of the story to all three of you (you being the impartial mediator, that is).

Begin by summarising the main areas where you agree or disagree, and clarify how the meeting will go – preferably with some uninterrupted time to carry out the meeting; somebody will be waiting for the other person to admit they were wrong, and that’s not going to happen.

Explore the issues

Now you have identified the issues you can work with the two parties to talk through their problems and get them to understand what has led them to this point – or to at least respect their differences and not to let these disrupt the working environment.

You want to shift their focus from what has happened to ‘This is how we will deal with it’ from now on, looking for some constructive ideas on how they will work together from this point forwards. They might never be best buddies, but you want them to do the job and be professional.

The end of mediation – aka my work here is almost done

If all goes well, and you have all reached an agreement, then the mediation is at an end. Conclude the meeting with a summary of what has been agreed. The way forward is that the solution is acceptable to both parties, and your role as the arbitrator ensures that one person isn’t going to be overpowering the other.

This isn’t about winning – it’s about being constructive and practical about how you resolve the situation. They will have agreed a plan to help them work together when they are back on the practice floor, and this should be treated as a work in progress – refer to it over the next few days and weeks, and discuss with each of them how it is developing, how they feel and how the relationship is now between the two people involved.