You’re the boss, and you’ve just had to break up a fight between two of your employees. Now what?
It’s not an easy situation to be in, but fortunately, there are a few things you can do to make things right again. First and foremost, you need to listen to both sides of the story and try to understand what led to the dispute.
Once you have a better understanding of what happened, you can start working on repairing the damage. This may include disciplinary action for one or both employees, or it may simply mean providing some counseling and guidance. No matter what you decide to do, remember that communication is key.
Get to the root of the problem
When two employees get into a fight, get to the root of the problem as soon as possible. What caused the conflict in the first place? Sometimes it’s as simple as one person not liking someone else, or someone feeling like they’re being picked on.
But there could also be a bigger problem brewing, like resentment over a work decision or a disagreement regarding who is in charge. Whatever the reason, address it head-on. Otherwise, the tension will just continue to simmer and might blow up again in the future.
Talk to each employee separately
When talking to each of them separately, be sure to remain neutral and don’t take sides. You must hear each person out and get their point of view.
Then, once you have all the information, you can start thinking about how to settle the situation. It’s not going to be straightforward, but with communication and a willingness to listen, you can hopefully get both employees back on track.
Put a plan in place to prevent future fights
Lastly, put a plan in place to prevent future fights. That might mean instituting a policy that forbids fighting or establishing consequences for not keeping individual emotions under check.
Whatever you decide, make sure both employees are aware of the policy and that there is a clear way for other employees to report any incidents that might occur. This will help ensure that everyone is held accountable and that unnecessary fighting doesn’t happen again.
You’re the boss, and a brawl has broken out between two of your employees. It’s not a pretty sight, and you’re not sure how to handle it. Well, take a step back and assess the situation. Once you have a good understanding of what’s going on, you can start to think about how to resolve the situation. If possible, try to get both employees in a room together and talk it out. If that’s not possible or doesn’t seem to be working, then you may need to take more drastic measures. Whatever you do, make sure you handle the situation fairly and consistently. This will ensure that future fights don’t break out and that your employees know that you’re serious about keeping peace in your office.