Conflict Resolution Steps: A Practical Guide for the Workplace

There is clear tension in the conference room as Sarah from marketing and David from sales have not spoken in three days.

As a result, their teams are caught in the middle, and the projects are stalling.

This is not a new experience for any one of us. We have all been there.

Workplace conflict is not rare. In fact, it is inevitable in today’s workplace culture where ideas and opinions flow from everywhere.

The question isn't if conflict shows up. It's what happens next. And in this blog we will explore the different conflict resolution steps towards creating a peaceful work environment.

What Is Conflict Resolution?

Conflict resolution is a way through which people work through disagreements without burning any bridges.

Here is how it looks like.

Two teammates have a disagreement about priorities. One wants speed. The other wants quality. Instead of silent treatment, they actually talk. They listen. They try to find a solution that works for both.

It's not about winning the argument. It's about moving forward together without disrupting the culture and the work.

Why Does This Actually Matter?

Most companies treat conflicts like a disease. Something that shouldn't exist.

Wrong.

Conflict isn't the problem. Ignoring it is.

When tension gets swept under the rug, it spreads. Sarah and David's teams pick sides. Collaboration dies. Meetings get weird.

Recent research from The Myers-Briggs Company (2025) shows that employees spend, on average, 4.34 hours per week dealing with conflict at work.

But time isn't even the worst part.

Unresolved conflict kills morale. Marcus notices the tension and stops speaking up. Jennifer gets tired of negativity and quits. All these leads to unproductivity, loss of engagement, and toxic work culture.

The flip side? Companies that handle conflict well unlock something powerful.

When Sarah and David work through their disagreement, they discover insights neither had alone. Different perspectives become assets, not threats.

Gallup found that workplaces with engaged employees see 41% lower absenteeism and 59% less turnover. Hence, you can see the difference.

Avoiding conflict doesn't make it vanish. It just lets things rot until someone quits, or a project implodes.

Conflict resolution catches problems early. It treats disagreements as normal. Because they are.

The reality is simple. Conflict is coming. The only question is whether people have the tools to handle it or whether it's going to poison everything.

That's why conflict resolution steps matter. Not as theory. As skills that change how people actually work together.

The Essential Conflict Resolution Steps at Work

Here's what usually happens when conflict erupts.

Everyone jumps straight to fixing it. Managers step in, tell people to "work it out," and hope the problem disappears.

It doesn't.

Why? Because nobody bothered to figure out what's actually wrong.

1. Identify the Real Source of the Conflict

Sarah and Tom from the same team are not speaking, and their manager assumes it is a personality clash.

However, when the manager dug deep, he found out that Sarah was frustrated because Tom was missing deadlines. On the other hand, Tom was overwhelmed covering two people since the last resignation.

Hence, the symptom here was tension and the root cause was workload.

a. Separate Symptoms from Root Causes

The symptoms are what you see which include-

• The arguments.

• The cold shoulders.

• The tense emails.

But what’s driving them? The root causes, unclear roles, resource scarcity, and competing priorities from leadership.

A stat revealed that 85% of employees experience workplace conflict, but most organizations address symptoms rather than underlying causes.

That's why the same conflicts keep coming back.

b. Look Beyond Personality Clashes

"They just have different personalities" is the easiest explanation or an escape from the root issue.

It's usually wrong.

Jennifer and Mark clash constantly. Everyone blames personality differences.

Except Jennifer's measured on speed while Mark's measured on accuracy. Their performance metrics are in conflict.

No personality workshop fixes competing incentives.

c. Talk to Each Party Individually

Never throw everyone in a room together first.

People get defensive. They perform for an audience. The truth stays hidden.

Talk to each person separately. Ask open questions like, "Walk me through what happened?" Try to connect with your people and understand each perspective.

Marcus says he's frustrated with Linda's "constant changes." But really, he's worried that those changes will make him look incompetent.

Individual conversations reveal what people won't say in front of each other.

d. Document Facts, Not Interpretations

Document every event instead of assuming.

"David was being difficult" is an interpretation.

"David interrupted Sarah three times and left before the meeting ended" is a fact.

Facts are observable and undeniable. Everyone can agree on them.

Then you can explore why they happened.

This step feels tedious. Most managers want to skip it.

Don't.

Identifying the real source takes time. But it's the only way conflicts stay solved.

2. Establish Psychological Safety

Conflict conversations can be difficult and it can fail before it starts.

Why? Because people walk in feeling unsafe.

They are worried about getting the blame and their boss is picking a side. Moreover, the thought of speaking honestly might backfire later.

This creates an uneasy feeling and an unsafe environment which shuts them down and eventually leads to further conflicts.

Recommended Resource: What Is Psychological Safety, Why It's Crucial, And Practical Ways To Improve It.

How will you create a psychologically safe environment? Let’s have a look.

a. Prevent Escalation Before Discussion Starts

Before starting the discussion, shut down any rumors and set the tone by having a neutral approach.

For example, if you are having internal communication issues in a project, start with, "We're working through some communication challenges on the project. I want to hear everyone’s perspective."

No accusations. No predetermined villains. Just a problem to solve together.

Ensure that the time is right along with the place. Do not charge someone right after a meeting. Give people the time to cool down and pick the right moment to talk with them.

b. Set Clear Expectations for Respectful Dialogue

Lay out clear and concise ground rules before having any kind of discussion.
Some of the rules can include-

• Everyone gets to speak equally without any interruption.

• There will be no personal attack.

• Focus more on the issue and not any person.

The rules might sound basic, but it reminds everyone that it is not about winning or punishing. The goal is to understand the root cause of the issue, deal with it, and move forward. People need to feel safe and speak up without any fear.

Research from Google's Project Aristotle found that psychological safety was the number one factor in high-performing teams.

When Sarah and Tom sit down for the discussion, their manager starts with a simple approach, “We are here to understand what is happening and solve the root issue to find a way forward. I want to listen to both perspective in a calm manner and work on the solutions.”

That's it. Clear. Simple. Everyone knows what's expected.

c. Reinforce That the Goal Is Resolution, Not Blame

"We're not here to figure out who's wrong. We're here to solve the problem so everyone can do their jobs effectively."

This is a clear messaging that everyone needs to hear explicitly.

What this does? It shifts the entire dynamic, and people can actually think about solutions instead of preparing their defense.

Here is a hypothetical example: Jennifer comes in ready to list everything Mark did wrong. But she hears her manager say, “I am not interested in blame. I am more interested in making things right and provide you the resources to succeed.” This suddenly changes her mindset.

She and Mark calm down and both start talking like colleagues.

This created a sense of psychological safety as they both had the freedom to try their things and proceed with what’s best for the organization.

With it, real conversations happen. The kind that actually fixes things.

3. Facilitate Open and Structured Communication

When emotions get the better of your employees, the conflict conversations go sideways fast.

Someone raises their voice and the other person fires back. Suddenly, it’s all chaotic while bringing up past arguments.

That is not communication at all, and it will never solve any conflict. But doing the things listed below will definitely help you in your efforts.

a. Replace Emotional Exchanges with Clarity

Human emotions will always be a part of us, and they are not enemies.

But when feelings run through the conversation, the clear picture gets blurred.

Tom is angry about missing deadlines while Sarah is frustrated about constant changes. If they just throw emotions at each other, nothing gets resolved.

Now picture a proper structure and clarity. Ask specific questions like-

• "What happened from your view?"

• "What impact did that have on your work?"

This channels the emotions into something useful. Tom explains that he is overwhelmed by the situation. On the other hand, Sarah explains she needs stability and reliability to keep clients happy.

Now with such a clear explanation about the situation, you can start from somewhere.

60 % of conflicts are resolved more effectively when parties practice active listening, and 78 % of employees believe conflicts resolve quicker with a neutral third party. (Source)

The goal isn't to eliminate feelings. It's to express them in positive ways that move things forward.

b. Allow Uninterrupted Perspectives

Here's a simple rule that you and the team need to stick with while having a discussion-

“One person talks and everyone else listens without interruptions.”

Sounds easy to implement, right? However, most conflict conversations are just people waiting for their turn to argue.

For example, Marcus starts explaining his perspective. Linda jumps halfway through. "That's not what happened—"

Do not let the team do that. Stop them and let one finish their side of the argument.

When people get interrupted, they don't feel heard. When they don't feel heard, they dig in harder. The conflict intensifies.

Give each person five uninterrupted minutes. When people get their full say, they listen when it is the other person’s turn.

c. Paraphrase to Confirm Understanding

The biggest mistake managers make after listening to their employees is just nodding and moving on.

Nope. Do not do that.

Paraphrase what you heard. You can frame it like, "So, what I'm hearing is that the shifting deadlines make it hard for you to manage client expectations. Is that right?”

Two things happen here. First, Sarah knows that you were actively listening to her. Second, everyone confirms they understood the things in a clear and concise manner.

Sometimes Sarah responds, "Not exactly. It's more about not having advance notice."

See? Without paraphrasing, the real issue stays hidden.

This works between the conflicting parties too. Ask Tom to paraphrase what Sarah just said and vice versa. At first, he might resist, but when he does it, something shifts.

"You're saying you need more predictability so clients don't lose confidence in us."

Sarah nods and for the first time, Tom gets her viewpoint. She's not attacking him. She's trying to protect the client relationship.

That's when resolution becomes possible.

Structured communication feels formal and sometimes awkward as well. But it works precisely because it slows things down when emotions want to speed them up.

4. Acknowledge Emotions Without Taking Sides

Emotions during a conflict are not optional. It already exists. The real question is whether you acknowledge them or pretend they do not exist.

If you pretend, then it will never work out.

Below are a few things that will help you out.

a. De-escalation Through Validation

Take the example of Sarah. Her voice is shaking during the conversation as she is upset about the changes in the project.

Her manager has two choices-

• Ignore the emotion and push forward.

• Acknowledge it and calm those nerves.

The manager chose to acknowledge it and told her, “I can see this is really frustrating for you”

This changes everything. Suddenly Sarah takes a breath and the tension drops.

Why it happened? Because someone noticed how she was feeling. This validation does not mean agreeing, but it means recognizing the emotion is real.

When people feel seen, they calm down. When they feel ignored, they escalate.

b. Validate Feelings Without Endorsing Behavior

Tom is frustrated, so he has been sending passive-aggressive emails to the team. The feelings? They are valid. But the behavior? That is not.

Dealing with that becomes a tricky part.

Here is what you need to say-

"I understand you're overwhelmed by the workload. That's a real concern we need to address. But copying the entire team on complaint emails isn't solving it."

You can see the difference in how empathetic you become? This validates his feelings, but the action doesn’t get a pass.

Deloitte highlights that emotionally intelligent leaders handle conflict more constructively, build stronger team trust, and drive measurable gains in retention and productivity.

People need to know their feelings matter even when their actions need to change.

c. Avoid Dismissive or Minimizing Language

Dismissive languages can act as a catalyst to your conflict resolution efforts. Some of them include-

• "You're overreacting."

• "It's not that big a deal."

• "Just let it go."

Jennifer is upset about being left out of a decision. If her manager says, "Don't take it personally," that rejects her feelings.

Her being upset is not overreacting. She is just reacting, which is natural based on her experience.

Instead, rephrase into this, "I hear that being excluded from that decision felt like your input doesn't matter. Help me understand more about that."

The words matter. "Calm down" triggers people. "I can see you're upset" soothes them.

When people feel heard emotionally, they can finally engage rationally. That's when real problem-solving starts.

Read More: Problem Solving Skills That Managers Need To Have

5. Co-Create Practical Solutions

Here's where most conflict conversations fall apart.

Everyone talked. Feelings were validated. Then nothing actually changes.

Why? Because nobody agreed on what will happen next.

Do these and try out for yourself in the next conflict resolution approach.

a. Ownership and Future Alignment

When a manager decides what Sarah and Tom should do, they'll nod politely and ignore it later. They had no say. They have no ownership.

But when they build the solution together? Different story.

They're invested because it's theirs. They helped create it. They will follow through and make it a success.

What it does? It creates a co-creation scenario where both of them are accountable. This shifts the dynamic and the parties involved in the conflict figure things out together.

b. Ask What "Resolution" Looks Like to Each Party

Assuming you know what people need is the wrong way to start.

Instead, ask them, "What would resolution look like for you?"

Sarah might want advance notice on deadline changes. Tom might need clearer prioritization from leadership. Both of them are reasonable. However, you won't know unless you ask.

The real want by people might surprise everyone. Marcus is not looking for an apology. He just wants a weekly check-in, so he's not blindsided. That's easier to give than anyone expected.

When people define what they need, solutions become achievable instead of abstract.

6. Define Clear Next Steps and Accountability

Good intentions don't resolve conflict. Action does. Most conversations end with everyone feeling better but nothing actually changing.

A week later, it's like the conversation never happened.

What can you do? Here are a few pointers you can follow.

a. Execution, Not Intention

Saying "we'll try harder" sounds nice at the moment.

Then real work kicks in. Deadlines hit and the priorities shift. The resolution gets forgotten.

Execution means defining what actually happens next. Not when things calm down. It should be a priority.

What is the first step? Who does it? When does it happen?

Without execution, it's just a nice chat that accomplished nothing.

b. Write Down Decisions

Memory is terrible, especially under stress.

Sarah remembers the agreement one way. Tom remembers it differently. A month later, they're arguing about what was actually decided.

Write it down while discussing it in the meeting. Not a formal contract. Just clear notes both people agree on.

It can include-

• What was decided?

• What changes?

• Who does what?

Documentation turns fuzzy agreements into actual commitments.

c. Assign Ownership and Timelines

Every action needs a name and a date.

• Scenario 1: "Someone should update the process" means nobody will, and it is a vague commitment.

• Scenario 2: "Tom will update the process by next Friday" means it might actually happen and a person is accountable.

Ownership without timelines is wishful thinking. Timelines without ownership are meaningless. Hence, both matter.

PMI research indicates that when project success criteria are clearly defined and ownership is aligned across stakeholders, teams drive greater accountability and performance outcomes. Hence, when everyone knows exactly who's doing what and when things actually get done.

d. Schedule Follow-Ups

The conversation ends and everyone leaves relieved. Then nothing gets checked and the changes never stick.

Schedule the follow-up before anyone leaves the room.

Two weeks out with the same people. Check what's working and what isn't.

This does two things.

It keeps people accountable.

It shows that the organization actually cares about whether things improve.

Follow-ups aren't about catching people failing. They're about making sure the solution actually solves the problem.

Most conflicts don't fail because people are difficult. They fail because nobody follows through.

7. Reinforce Positive Behavior and Close the Loop

The conflict resolution was successful, and the changes were made. Everyone moved on.

Not quite.

Here is what you need to do.

a. Prevent Recurrence

Resolving one conflict doesn't fix the system that created it.

Sarah and Tom worked things out. That’s great. But if the underlying issues stay broken, the same conflict shows up with different names next quarter.

Look at the patterns. Is this the third time teams clashed over unclear priorities? That's not a people's problem. That's a structural problem.

Fix the root cause or keep having the same conversation forever.

b. Recognize Improved Collaboration

People changed their behavior and it went unnoticed.

That's how progress dies.

When Tom starts giving Sarah advance notice on changes, acknowledge it. Publicly if possible.

"I've noticed communication between marketing and sales has really improved lately. That's making a difference."

Simple recognition reinforces the new behavior. It shows people their effort matters.

According to Gallup, 24% of employees agree that their most memorable recognition comes from the CEO.

What gets recognized gets repeated.

c. Monitor Outcomes Over Time

The two-week follow-up was happening as scheduled and everything was on track.

But three months later? Old habits crept back in.

Long-term monitoring catches backsliding before it becomes a full relapse.

Check in periodically. Not constantly. Just enough to notice if things are slipping.

Sometimes people need adjustments. The solution worked mostly but needs tweaking. That's normal.

Conflict resolution isn't a one-time event. It's ongoing.

The loop closes when new behaviors become normal. When people don't even think about the old way of doing things anymore.

That's when you know it actually worked.

Why Workplace Conflicts Often Resurface

The work environment came back to normal stance after a fierce period. Everyone shook their hands and the manager felt good about it.

However, after a certain period the same tension between the same people rose back.

So, what was the trigger? What escalated that the conflict resurfaced?

a. Issues Surface Too Late

By the time conflict becomes visible, it's already been brewing for weeks.

Sarah didn't suddenly get frustrated yesterday. She's been annoyed for months. Small things piled up yet she stayed quiet. Until she couldn't anymore.

Then it explodes.

Early tension shows up in subtle ways, like shorter emails, avoiding eye contact, and someone suddenly works from home more often.

But most managers miss these signs until the conflict is loud enough to ignore.

By then, resentment is deep, and there is no trust. This makes resolution hard and difficult.

Catching issues early means paying attention to the quiet signals, not just the loud ones.

b. Managers Rely on Intuition Instead of Signals

"The team seems fine to me.” These are some famous last words.

Managers trust their gut and if nobody's complaining, everything must be okay. That’s the assumption except people don't always complain. Especially not to their boss.

They complain to each other. In side channels. At lunch. After hours.

Research from Gallup shows that only 3 in 10 employees strongly agree their opinions count at work. The rest stays silent.

Intuition misses what's happening under the surface.

Data like drop in engagement, declining collaboration, and high absenteeism catches it.

These are signals and not feelings. These show actual patterns that something's wrong.

Relying on intuition means waiting until problems are obvious. Using signals means catching them while they're still fixable.

c. Feedback Is Episodic

The annual engagement survey comes around. People are honest. Issues get raised.

Then nothing happens for another year.

Episodic feedback creates a gap. Problems emerge in March. But nobody asks until December. By then, the frustrated employee already quit.

Conflicts need continuous feedback loops, not annual check-ins.

Quick pulse surveys. Regular one-on-ones. Open channels where people can raise concerns without waiting for the "right" time.

Gallup found that 80% of employees who say they have received meaningful feedback in the past week are fully engaged. Hence, minimizing the chances of conflict going forward.
When feedback flows regularly, small issues get addressed before they become big ones.

That's the difference between conflicts that get resolved once and conflicts that keep coming back.

Prevention beats resolution every time.

Final Words!

Conflict resolution isn't about avoiding disagreements, it's about handling them before they poison your workplace.

The seven steps outlined here work because they address root causes, not just symptoms. They create safety, demand clarity, and require follow-through. Most importantly, they turn conflict from a destructive force into an opportunity for growth.

Start small. Pick one conflict brewing in your team right now. Apply these steps. The difference won't just be in that one situation—it'll change how your entire team approaches disagreement. Because healthy conflict? That's not a weakness. It's a competitive advantage.

FAQs

Q1. What is the first step in conflict resolution?

A. The first step is identifying the real source of the conflict by separating symptoms from root causes, looking beyond personality clashes, and documenting facts rather than interpretations.

Q2. What are the 7 steps in conflict resolution?

A. The seven steps are: identify the real source, establish psychological safety, facilitate structured communication, acknowledge emotions, co-create solutions, define clear next steps with accountability, and reinforce positive behavior while closing the loop.

Q3. What are the 5 conflict resolution strategies?

A. The five main strategies are: collaborating (working together for mutual benefit), compromising (finding middle ground), accommodating (prioritizing others' needs), avoiding (postponing the issue), and competing (asserting one's position firmly).

Mrinmoy Rabha is a content writer and digital marketer at Vantage Circle. He has worked in the human resources environment and has elevated recognition and rewards through his insightful and detailed writing. He aims to enhance the practice of Recognition in the workplace with new ideas and innovation that will help shape the work culture. For any related queries, contact editor@vantagecircle.com