Orthotown July-August 2023 - 52

If you're faced with workplace conflict, figure
Because conflict is inevitable and often personal,
it's important to address it promptly and
constructively to prevent it from escalating and
damaging relationships and productivity.
independently. This feedback is considered
more reliable and effective when focusing on
the problem, and also reflects professionalism
when others see the employee's files.
Here's an example of the difference between
objective and subjective statements and how
you might approach giving feedback with them
in mind:
* Subjective: " The employee is being irresponsible
and is showing she does not care about
her team or the patients. "
* Objective: " The employee has left early eight
out of the past 12 shifts, even after being
asked to stay for closing so the entire team
can leave together. When doctors come in,
they notice that patient notes are not in the
record from the previous day's visit. "
In short, objective observations are based
on facts and data that can be verified, while
subjective observations are based on individual
opinions and personal experiences. Both types of
observations have their advantages and disadvantages,
and a balanced approach that incorporates
both can lead to better decision-making
and understanding in various situations.
Addressing conflict risk levels
As a business owner or manager trying to
resolve a conflict between others, stepping in
to resolve something or correct a course also
means you have to assess and be aware of the
risks posed to the business. Knowing the risk
can inform your actions.
out which risk zone it lands in before you start
solving it. At CEDR Solutions, we break the
assessment down into three sections. Depending
upon your assessment, you'll formulate a
plan to resolve the conflict while speaking with
everyone involved-and you'll need to do a
little investigating, because nothing is ever as it
seems up front.
* Conflict that does not violate a policy:
Everyone is being somewhat professional;
they just see things differently. This happens
a lot over communication, preference
with how things are organized, people feeling
territorial or overlooked, and " cliques. "
It can also manifest because the person
responsible for knowledge transfer or training
is not actually trained to do that.
* Conflict that does violate a policy: One
or more people are acting unprofessionally.
Subjectively, their behavior is somewhat
bullying. It does not align with your culture
and, ultimately, the conflict is crushing
things such as reaching goals, creativity,
getting better outcomes, and supporting a
professional and pleasant place to work.
* Conflict that violates the law: It's gone
beyond interpersonal, and violates policy
and has the potential to be a violation of
the law. This happens as harassment-
name calling, physical threats and treating
someone differently because of age, race,
religion, national origin, etc.
Working toward resolution
So, what do you do when workplace conflict is
still present after you've talked it through with
those involved, documented your process and
tried to reconcile?
Of course, the steps you take differ with each
risk level of conflict, but often, conflict lands in
the low- to medium-risk range (a conflict that
does not violate policy or the law). If you believe
your conflict is a higher risk, be sure to work
with an HR expert or contact an employment
law attorney to help you through it.
JULY/AUGUST 2023 | 52 | ORTHOTOWN.COM
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Orthotown July-August 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Orthotown July-August 2023
