annoyance is harder to resolve than conflict

The monthly HR news event organized by The world in partnership with ManpowerGroup, on Tuesday, May 4 in Paris, gathered around fifteen human resources (HR) managers to discuss the consequences of teleworking on company conflicts and their resolution.

“According to studies, tensions between colleagues have doubled since the health crisis, indicates Cécile Dejoux, professor of management sciences at the National Conservatory of Arts and Crafts (CNAM). There are sources of conflicts specific to distance: the overinterpretation of written words, avoidance by closing the camera for example, and the redistribution of powers linked to the mastery of tools or the personality of the speakers. From a distance, a manager can quickly be called upon to speak. “

The issue at stake is up to the fears expressed: “Today, 35% of managers are worried about the idea of ​​telework becoming sustainable two or three days a week”, says Dominique Brard, Managing Director of Talent Solutions, ManpowerGroup.

Whatever their sector of activity, HRDs observe a “Evolution of the typology of conflicts” or rather tensions, a sharp rise in annoyance, more difficult to resolve than conflicts, and the increase in non-resolution of problems. “Virtual communication requires daily concentration that exacerbates nervousness and exhausts everyone. Result: many conflicts remain latent ”, explains Mr. Postel-Vinay, the HRD of the Crédit Agricole Consumer Finance group.

Diversified sources of tension

In teleworking, a simple exchange of emails can quickly turn into incivility. “Did you see how he spoke to me!” “, ” It is unacceptable “, are some common reactions that follow reading an email from an employee who did not know how to put the forms. “And you find yourself all alone, at home, only being able to consult your family circle”, says Alexis Berthel, HR Director of Panthera, a security SME.

The overinterpretation of words, common in distancing, “Is favored by conversations that continue out of context”, notes Juliette Couaillier, “chief talent officer” at Havas. The rules of politeness are all the more important as the employees are deprived of non-verbal communication which, in person, makes it possible to immediately correct an awkwardness. “The multitude of tools, used at the same time, also generates annoyance”, adds Régis Mulot, HR Director of the Ipsen group.

The role of communication has taken on an essential place since the generalization of teleworking and the establishment of hybrid work organizations, half-face-to-face, half-distance. The sources of tension have diversified and shifted. “There is an ignorance of the other, of what the other does. On the one hand, some managers who are in control will send a serial mail, SMS, WhatsApp; on the other hand, the demand for remote recognition is stronger. A small email is not enough. We had to intensify the exchanges with the managers and in particular the one-on-one “, testifies Marion Azuelos, Global HR Director of BNP Paribas AM.

At Crédit Agricole Consumer Finance, the consumer credit subsidiary of Crédit Agricole, the difficulties arose where they were least expected: in production professions, although the work produced there is easier to control than in consulting professions. “The daily relaunch, the carnal relationship created for a long time with the teams which chain the files was no longer possible. Managers wondered how they were still useful ”, testifies Cédric Postel-Vinay.

“Not a magician”

At Fujifilm, HRD Lila Haouache does not feel that there are more conflicts, “But there are new ones, because teleworking has generated a loss of sense of belonging to the companye. “I no longer have the information I had on site ”; “I feel isolated”, tell us the employees. To remedy this, we set up workshops, communication points to talk about the company’s projects, then we worked on the information to be disseminated, on who should give it and on the role of the chairman ”.

Companies are forced to reinvent themselves “To organize reflexivity and instill the culture of acceptance. In teleworking, we must take into account the individuality of each person ”, estimates Cécile Dejoux. But all the human resources managers gathered at the HR Meetings on May 4 agree to say that we cannot expect everything from the manager: “The manager is not a magician”, “he is not a superhero”.

Some have chosen to delegate conflict management to a third party employee. This is the case at Havas, which has set up a coaching formula available to the employee. “Anyone who feels in conflict contacts this independent third party. The simple fact of expressing oneself defused many situations ”, testifies Juliette Couaillier. “Analyzing a situation from a different perspective is important in a context where there is no time”, adds Laetitia Ghassemi, the HRD of Artefact who has also launched an initiative called “co-development”.

The manager cannot do everything “But remains the transmission belt”, concluded the university professor. “To reduce the source of conflict, we have to change management methods for more confidence and autonomy, get out of the face-to-face culture and manage uncertainty by empowering employees in their own role”, suggests Dominique Brard.