Your company has a solid core workforce that generally works well together. However, staff members don’t always stick around, and you may be bringing in new additions all the time.
Conflicts among employees are always a possibility, especially if they feel aggrieved or under immense pressure. Occasionally, disputes will even transgress into violent incidents. This is something that you need to be on the lookout for as an employer.
If something like this occurs in your business, how should you deal with it?
Policies for reporting
If the conflict includes allegations of discrimination or harassment, the employee must be able to report such to you. Your company must have established policies and practices for employees to report such conduct.
An impartial investigation
Even if you have a good idea of what happened, you still need to conduct a thorough and unbiased investigation. A good investigation will allow you to discover the root cause of the issue and take appropriate disciplinary action if needed.
Disciplinary measures must be lawful
Once an investigation has occurred, you may have no option but to take disciplinary action. When doing so, you need to make sure that you use the appropriate legal channels. A safe workplace benefits everyone involved in the company. If you’re unsure about how to deal with a complex employment issue, seeking legal guidance will help to protect your business.