Assignment 1: Conflict Resolution
Conflict is inevitable. Identifying challenging or potential conflict situations and addressing them early on can be helpful to everyone involved. However, there are times when conflict management strategies are not enough, and the situation calls for conflict resolution. For human resource professionals, the first step in conflict resolution is taking on the role of investigator, which requires being an active listener and asking questions to understand the perspectives of each of the parties involved. It is critical to refrain from taking sides or imposing your own opinions at this stage, as the discovery process is an essential part of conflict resolution.

Begin by taking time to consider workplace situations in which you have been involved, heard about, and/or read about. Conceptualize your own example of a situation in an organization that might require an HR professional be involved with conflict resolution.
Then, complete this Assignment by reviewing the Learning Resources for this week and identifying other key resources you may need in order to respond to the following key points in a 2- to 3-page academic paper.

Part 1: Describe Your Conflict Resolution Scenario

Provide a 1-page summary of your conflict resolution situation including the following information:

The setting
The parties involved and each person’s role within the setting and in the conflict
The sequence of events that led up to the possible need for conflict resolution and the actions and motivations of each of the parties involved
Part 2: Explain Your Approach to Resolving the Conflict

After reviewing a variety of conflict resolution strategies and approaches, take time to develop your own, i.e., a series of steps that you recommend using in this situation. You can choose one of the conflict resolution approaches from the resources OR combine steps from various resources. Be specific as you explain your rationale, making sure that you articulate your reasons for each of the steps you include.

Your Assignment must include 3–5 references to support your thinking.

Learning Resources
Required Readings
Ceplenski, C. (2013). 5 conflict resolution practices for HR. Retrieved from https://hrdailyadvisor.blr.com/2013/09/09/5-conflict-resolution-practices-for-hr/

Lytle, T. (2015). How to resolve workplace conflicts. Retrieved from https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/news/hr-magazine/pages/070815-conflict-management.aspx

Lytle, T. (2015, July/August). Confronting conflict. HR Magazine 60(6), 26–31.

Forbes Human Resources Council. (2018, April). 14 ways HR professionals can solve workplace conflict efficiently. Forbes Human Resources Council. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeshumanresourcescouncil/2018/04/10/14-ways-hr-professionals-can-solve-workplace-conflict-efficiently/#5f6d017c1250

AMA Staff. (2019, July 25). The five steps to conflict resolution. Retrieved from https://www.amanet.org/articles/the-five-steps-to-conflict-resolution/

Schmitz, T. (2017, March 15). Conflict resolution: 8 steps for resolving conflicts. Retrieved from https://www.conovercompany.com/conflict-resolution-8-steps-for-resolving-conflicts/

Moran, M. (n.d.). How to deal with employees who don’t get along. Insperity Blog. Retrieved from https://www.insperity.com/blog/employees-who-dont-get-along/

Note: This blog leads into a series of interesting and practical blogs that can add to your understanding of conflict management and conflict resolution as a HR professional.

Required Media
Walden University (Producer). (2019b). Professional perspectives: HR’s role [Video file]. Author. Retrieved from https://mym.cdn.laureate-media.com/2dett4d/Walden/MHRM/PROG/Global_ProTech/index.html

Note: To locate this video, connect to the Global Protech website, then select the Career Connections tab. Once you are in the Career Connections area, select Professional Prospective, then select the videos that align with this course.

Optional Resources
Tyler, K. (2002). Extending the olive branch. HR Magazine (47)11, 85–89.

Roper, G. (2005). Managing employee relations. HR Magazine (50)5, 101–104.