County Launches New Program – Conflict Resolution Services

Conflict is a part of life. The secret is how you deal with it. And maybe you’ve figured out how to easily settle family squabbles and disagreements.

But at work, it gets trickier. Perhaps you’re having a hard time dealing with a coworker. It can be hard to complain. You don’t want to make waves.   

And that’s why the Office of Ethics, Compliance, and Labor Standards (OECLS) started its new Conflict Resolution Services program.

“This program is designed to handle issues before they escalate,” said OECLS Director Branden Butler. “We want to resolve matters quickly and now we have the means to do it.”  

The program is based on one in central California. Butler saw a need for something similar here at the County and worked within the organization to develop it.  

“Conflicts can create a ripple effect. They may affect you, your fellow employees, your department and ultimately, how we serve the public,” said OECLS Conflict Resolution Specialist Ingrid Lenz. “This voluntary program is designed to guide you through the conflict resolution process, to the other side and beyond it.”

Lenz affirms that requesting this level of assistance is a very positive step in addressing conflict.

The program can help individual employees and small teams. Lenz will listen to what’s happening, exploring the length, depth and breadth of the issue and help craft viable resolutions. She may also recommend coaching or training.

The program is voluntary, and employees can use work time.

“We want every employee to know they don’t have to live with workplace conflict,” said Lenz. “The tendency for most people is to step away rather than constructively engage with conflict and work through the issues. Since conflicts generally do not resolve on their own, it’s better for you as a person, an employee and the overall workplace for us to choose to work together and resolve conflicts on our timetable, rather than waiting for conflicts to potentially escalate.”

If you’re interested in Conflict Resolution Services, or to find out more, contact your departmental HR representative who can coordinate with their Group Human Resources Director to initiate the process.