Being a manager is hard work, but the job becomes even more challenging when two of your employees have serious personality conflicts. It’s difficult to get any work done when you’re constantly forced to referee two adult professionals who can’t seem to get along.
Your staff doesn’t need to be best friends, but they do need to be civil to one another to properly function as a team. Forcing them to work it out on their own might not end well, so it’s up to you to play peacemaker.
4 Tips for Managing Employees Who Don’t Get Along
Listen to Both Sides
Conflicting personalities might be the reason the two employees don’t mesh, but something must’ve happened to cause so much friction between them. Take each person aside separately to hear their version of the story. Use the information gained from each side to get to the root of the problem.
Find a Reasonable Solution
Now that you know what triggered the argument, it’s up to you to resolve it. For example, if one person hates that the other listens to music at their desk, have the employee put on headphones to avoid causing a disruption. This approach doesn’t show favoritism and allows each person to get what they want, so they should be satisfied.
Set the Tone for Future Issues
You’ve solved this round of the battle, but since your staffers aren’t crazy about one another, they’re bound to clash again. Invite the two of them to a meeting with your HR representative to set expectations for their behavior moving forward. Make it clear they need to put their personal differences aside and demonstrate mutual respect if they want to keep their jobs.
Keep a Close Watch on the Situation
Hopefully your employees will adjust their behavior from this point on, but you still need to keep a close watch on them. If you notice tensions mounting again, step in to diffuse the situation before it can escalate.
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