No more Mr Nice Guy?

Written by: Kim Stoddart

As an ethical boss, you know that being responsible relates to everything you do, from the way your staff are treated to your company's relationship with suppliers and clients.

A motivated, hardworking workforce dedicated to your business is every employer's dream and a key ingredient in the recipe for a successful company. It's also perfectly achievable if your workforce is happy and knows they are valued.

This is all well and good, but every business has to cope with internal conflict at one time or another. How do you go about dealing with this in an ethical way?

Avoid conflict in the first place

Having ethical practices in place that include rather than exclude your employees is a positive first step. This ensures your company has a working culture that encourages employees to flag up any potential issues before they become problems.

Keep your staff updated on company developments and involve them every step of the way. This will ensure everyone understands the bigger picture of where your company is heading and feels very much part of this.

Ask employees of all levels, not just senior management, to contribute. As well as making everyone feel valued, you'll get a different perspective on things. It also means employees feel more involved in the success of the business, which boosts motivation levels and general performance and helps avoid conflict.

Communication over conflict

Ensure everyone has regular appraisals every few months as well as weekly meetings with their manager. This makes sure people are focused in the role they are carrying out and motivated to progress further within the company. This regular contact also provides an opportunity for the employee to ask any questions, or chat through any problems they are having. That way, you can work closely with them to overcome any issues early on.

Close contact will also help you assess a person's strengths and help them with their weaknesses, providing training and support where necessary. This investment and nurturing is all to your benefit because it helps people develop and grow, becoming more productive and efficient.

Listen and learn

When an employee raises an issue, it's important they are listened to and the problem worked through. It's when issues are left and not dealt with that conflict rears its ugly head.

This is why it's essential that an ethical company has excellent communication channels, encouraging every member of staff to flag up any concerns straight away. When people stop communicating with you then it's a warning sign that you are not engaging them properly and your systems need improving.

Having open communication channels should be central to everything you do and it's important to keep looking for ways of improving your performance here. Encourage employees to ask questions and talk about how they are finding their work. This will help avoid any problems building up over time because any employee's concerns will be listened to and resolved straight away.

Ultimately, if you treat your employees with the respect they deserve, they become much more than just employees. They are partners in a community of shared success where there is no room for conflict.

Kim Stoddart is managing director of ethical media relations companies Blue Rocket (www.bluerocketgroup.com) and Green Rocket (www.greenrocketgroup.com).

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