Best Way to Handle Employee Conflicts

Customer-facing industries such as the restaurant business are ideal areas where conflicts may arise. Bars and restaurants are fast-paced and require communication between employer, manager, and employee but solutions need to be sought when this comes to a grinding halt.

Whether the issue is solved by a simple discussion or more formal disciplinary action needs to be taken, these tips will help to keep everything running smoothly.

Conflict resolution, in this context, refers to the procedures followed to deal with employee complaints. With proper training for managers and ideal policies, employees will view their superiors as fair.

An important tip is to listen and learn when it comes to employees. Personal feelings do not come before the professionalism of the business because after all, it is for the customer. Hearing out a disgruntled employee, peer complaints and handling things calmly in private (if possible) go a long way to resolve an employee who is dragging down other workers and steering away customers with their attitude. Another tip is to avoid all forms gossip. Get to the bottom of the issue from the parties involved and try to avoid seeking information from third parties. Keep personal issues private, and the respect in the business will grow.

Don’t forget to document all conversations and issues. This goes for employees and employers alike. Helpful for both unemployment issues and future issues that it may be helpful to draw upon past resolutions for.

In summary, compassion and listening prove to be incredibly useful when it comes to conflict resolution. If employees respect each other, the customer and the employer and are made aware of the resolution skills present, all parties will operate at higher levels, and you will experience fewer issues in the future.

For issues and conflicts that require a bit more investigation, Glimpse can help. By utilizing your pre-existing standard operating procedures, Glimpse, a restaurant consulting company, can identify areas of potentially high risk or that are called into question to be audited and presented for management to correct any behavior or responsibility issues. Give us a call to see how to run a successful restaurant with the help of Glimpse.