3 mins

Conflict resolution

Being able to recognise and manage conflict in the workplace will contribute to your overall productivity and profitability explasions saloons expert Liz Mceon

Wherever there are people, there will be conflict. Conflict management is the ability to identify and handle conflicts sensibly, fairly and efficiently. For the salon owner or manager, dealing with conflict tends to be one of the most disliked and avoided topics.

While it is generally accepted that conflict is an inevitable facet of the human condition, and a normal part of personal and salon life, most managers would prefer not to have to deal with it. But conflict doesn’t just disappear and, if left unattended, it can grow out of proportion. Management research suggests that the ability to manage conflict is among the 10 most frequently cited skills for successful salon managers.

One way for managers to come to terms with the inevitability of conflict is to review some of its benefits. For example, if there is a little disagreement or total consensus on issues, there is a tendency towards stagnation in the salon. Conflict can actually provide an opportunity for growth and learning, and can also stimulate creative problem-solving.

Managers need to assess the source of conflict within the salon. It is generally wise for managers not to rely on a ‘personality’ explanation for all conflict. It is true that some individuals are difficult to work with, and seem to be involved in more conflict and disagreement than most. The manager has to be able to decide whether the conflict is genuinely a result of the individual’s personality and, if so, what to do about it. However, sources of conflict can result from several factors: 1 Personal differences: conflict can be a result of differences in age, gender, culture and education. The manager’s ressponsibility is to open up channels of ommunication and facilitate discussion bout differences among staff. While e manager’s role is not necessarily that f peacemaker, conflict can be odified if individuals can freely discuss nd attempt to understand their ifferences, and how these impact on working together.

2 Poor information processes: if workplace communication channels are unclear or are cluttered, staff may be unsure of what is expected of them, procedures may seem unnecessarily complicated and frustrating, and performance benchmarking may seem vague or inconsistent. The manager is responsible for addressing these weaknesses, for clarifying roles and expectations, and for reinforcing or rewarding the individual for a job well done.

3 Role incompatibility: conflict can arise when there are different priorities between different sections within the salon – for example, front of house and treatment rooms. Each person may consider the other to be obstructing their role. The salon manager’s task is to mediate, to facilitate a form of m aningful exchange, and to encourage problem-solving and changes that will decrease conflict.

4 Evironmental issues: environmental s ressors generally relate to features of t eactual working environment of the salon. These can include lack of budgets f rtraining, poor health and safety conditions, and stress associated with unwelcome salon changes. he manager has first to determine the cause of the conflict and then obtain commitment from the parties involved to re olve it. This sounds simple, but it isn’t a ays easy, so a step-by-step approach is helpful:

1 entify the cause of the conflict

2 sk for suggested solutions

3 ffer win-win solutions

4 ive constructive feedback

5 edirect in a non-threatening manner istorically, salon managers were se cted on their technical skills and on th ir ability to ‘get the job done’. People sk s were low on the list of priorities. Yet, re arch shows that improved m nagement of people has a greater eff ct on both productivity and pr fitability. alon owners are increasingly dissatisfied w hthe traditional ‘boss’ style of m nagement and recognise the need to im rove their interpersonal or people skills in rder to be more effective and pr ductive within the salon.

Liz McKeon is an author, business coach, trainer and mentor, specialising in the hair, beauty and spa sector. For further information visit lizmckeon.com or all +353 86 386 1243.

This article appears in the Dec 2022-Jan 2023 Issue of Professional Beauty/ Hairdressers Journal India

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This article appears in the Dec 2022-Jan 2023 Issue of Professional Beauty/ Hairdressers Journal India