‘Relationships’ are one of the 6 main causes of stress at work.
Although dealing with conflict can be something many people actively seek to avoid, new research shows that people rarely regret trying informal approaches.
Last month Acas published independent research exploring how workplace conflicts are managed informally. It found that when done well and used appropriately, informal resolution offers a lot of benefits:
- preserving relationships
- reducing stress
- it cost less than formal procedures
Even when resolution was not achieved, people developed better communication skills for future. Managers may feel uncertain about their skills and worry about making things worse when it comes to tackling issues. The earlier a problem is tackled the less impact it will have.
Don’t let lack of confidence get in the way
Workplaces that are proactive in tackling issues and reducing work-related stress are more likely to:
- reduce absenteeism
- improve performance and productivity
- boost staff morale and motivation
- retain staff
- minimise tension and conflict between colleagues
Like any other health and safety risk, employers also have a legal duty to prevent work-related stress by including it in risk assessment and acting on it. Lots of information, guidance, and training is available to help you build the confidence and skills you need:
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Free online learning is a good place to start for an introduction. This bitesize learning can be done any time and is designed to take you through step-by-step with access to practical templates and useful resources.
- The NEBOSH HSE Certificate in Managing Stress at Work can be done online over 2 days, or one day in-person. On successful completion, you will receive a qualification.
The next dates are:
More useful links
Build your knowledge, confidence and capability as a leader with helpful resources from our Working Minds campaign partners:
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find out about the support Acas can offer to improve workplace relationships including training and free and impartial advice
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