A Supervisor’s Guide to Effectively Resolving Conflicts Among Subordinates

Audience:

Supervisors, Managers, and HR Personnel.

Description:

Workplace conflict, which can occur when employees have differing perspectives on an issue, is to be expected in workplaces and when handled effectively can be a positive thing. Increasingly, however, employees have become hesitant to deal directly with their own conflicts and are expecting their supervisor or human resources professional to “fix it!” In addition to overburdening supervisors and human resources professionals who already have their own workload, this intervention approach often has the unintended consequence of causing further polarization between the conflicted employees who now believe it is acceptable to refrain from communicating directly with each other. In addition, the supervisor or human resources professional may not be the best person to resolve the conflict as they are not as actively involved in the underlying issues, and when their suggestions aren’t deemed successful they sometimes become the new target of the conflict. This seminar will provide practical tips for helping enable employees to effectively resolve their own conflicts through training and expectations. It includes a discussion of the more challenging situation where the involved parties are an employee and their direct supervisor. It will also focus on steps the supervisor can take when the employees reach an impasse, and issues that should be considered when seeking the assistance of an outside party. Join us for this highly interactive and engaging training where attendees will break into groups and strategize together.

Participants will learn:

• How to set a foundation that encourages employees to attempt to resolve the conflict themselves
• Tips for assisting in those situations where the employees’ conflict efforts have not been successful
• How to handle the additional challenges that exist when the conflict is between an employee and their supervisor
• How to use third parties more effectively for conflict resolution

Instructed By:

Janet May | Partner
Sound Employment Solutions, LLC

Janet May is a founding partner of Sound Employment Solutions, LLC, a consulting firm that focuses on training, team building, conflict resolution, and organizational development to help employers and employees build sound employment relationships.  Janet has over 30 years of experience in the labor and employment law field and has represented both management and labor.

She began her career as an associate in the Labor and Employment Law Group of the Bogle and Gates law firm.  She served as Labor Counsel for the Washington State Nurses Association prior to joining the Seattle City Attorney’s Office in the Employment Law Section.  She served as the employment and labor attorney for the Seattle Police Department prior to co-founding SES.

Janet received her Bachelor’s Degree in Finance from Arizona State University and graduated Summa Cum Laude with a law degree from the University of Washington.  Although still in good standing, Janet is not currently practicing law, and the firm is not a law firm.

Registration:

• Enduris members – Free with discount code. Please contact Sindy Joseph at sjoseph@enduris.us for the code.
• Participants must register in advance to participate.
• Registration closes end of day Wednesday, May 14, 2025.
• No-shows – $100 no-show fee may be assessed for those who do not attend and do not cancel 24-hours in advance, regardless of membership status.