In any workplace, no matter how big or small, there are bound to be certain times when employers and employees don’t see eye to eye. Often, these issues resolve themselves quite quickly.
Sometimes, however, they can turn more serious, leading to a dispute between the employee and the employer. This can cause an uncomfortable work environment as well as other negative consequences. It is therefore important to deal with these disputes as soon as possible, and this post will be sharing a few ways that you can do this.
Get a lawyer
Ideally, these disputes will be settled within the workplace, without having to take drastic actions. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. The employee or employer may feel that they are being treated unfairly, and decide to take legal action against the other party.
However, before taking such a drastic step, it may be a good idea to get a lawyer who can help you understand what your options are. They may be able to find a solution that works for both parties, or they may be able to clarify some things which could help solve the dispute. For example, they may be able to help you understand the labor laws in Los Angeles.
Get HR involved
Most companies have a human resources – or HR – department. While the HR department has many roles and functions, one of them is to ensure that disputes are solved and that everyone is treated fairly.
They will likely be able to help both parties follow the right procedure when lodging a complaint, and they may also be able to guide the employer and employee through some steps to help them resolve the issue. On top of that, an HR representative can act as a neutral observer, which means they can give unbiased advice and keep things from getting out of hand.
Communicate
Everyone knows that communication is the key to a healthy relationship, and it’s not just the case for personal relationships – it also counts for professional ones.
Often, a workplace dispute may simply be due to either a misunderstanding or a complete lack of communication. Sitting down and discussing the issue can be a good first step. Once both parties are on the same page about what the issue is, it will be much easier to fix it. For example, it may simply be the case that an employee is struggling to work while feeling overwhelmed and that this is making them lash out.
Compromise
The odds are that the employer wants the solution to be one thing, while the employee may want another outcome. Of course, there are cases where one party is clearly in the wrong and the other in the right, but it is also often the case that there isn’t one clear solution, because no matter how things end, one party will be miserable.
If that is the case, it can be helpful to try and find a compromise. This way, both parties may need to make some sacrifices, but in the end, there will be a mutually beneficial solution. This is one of the many reasons why compromise is important.
