The VP of Human Resources for a private non-profit organization sought help with a conflict occurring in one of its offices. The organizational conflict centered around hostile communication and a lack of trust in leadership. The conflict stemmed from past EEO complaints of race and religious discrimination. While this EEO complaint was resolved, the tension and leadership’s decision-making within the office was inhibiting communication and trust among the employees. The conflict was deeply rooted, requiring a space for open communication and restorative dialogue.
Through a series of interviews, accompanied by an anonymous survey, our Peacebuilder/Analyst was able to adequately map the conflict, including parties’ underlying needs emerging from the issues. Our Peacebuilder completed interviews with 11 employees to build rapport and gain perspective on how they viewed the working environment. He then outlined his analysis of the conflict, using aggregate information gained from his interviews and the survey, and presented that to the team. Through this presentation, he facilitated an open dialogue using Nonviolent Communication strategies to ensure safety and efficiency. Throughout this process, our Peace Process Facilitator ensured that communication and information between the Peacebuilder, the office’s HR director, and the organization’s VP of HR were aligned and on target to meet the intended outcomes. A final report was delivered to the VP of HR outlining shortterm, mid-term, and long-term recommendations to mitigate conflict recurrence.
