COURSE OVERVIEW:

Welcome to the Dealing with Workplace Conflict & Complaints course. This program will equip you with the communication techniques, analytical tools, interpersonal skills, and structured processes required to address conflict and complaints in the workplace with clarity, confidence, and professionalism. You will explore how expectations drive most conflicts, how listening and communication influence outcomes, and how to apply problem-solving and relational approaches to create fair, constructive resolutions. This course also highlights the importance of integrity, emotional intelligence, and strategic thinking in preventing escalation and strengthening workplace relationships.

This course begins by examining the cost of workplace conflict and complaints, including the time, emotional strain, and organisational disruption they create. You will explore how expectations form the root of most conflicts and complaints, what expectations were not met, and how unmet expectations trigger frustration or dissatisfaction. This section also introduces how to use expectations as a tool to prevent conflict and complaints by clarifying roles, responsibilities, and standards. You will explore how to use the SMART criteria for goal-setting to make expectations explicit, how to convey the impact of unmet expectations without blame, and how these practices reduce misunderstandings.

The next learning area focuses on the listening skills needed for conflict resolution. You will explore how to demonstrate physically that you are listening through posture, eye contact, and attentive behaviours; how to check for understanding to ensure clarity; why you should not interrupt during moments of frustration or complaint; and how to respond appropriately to show respect, empathy, and professionalism. This section also examines the effective communication skills, problem-solving skills, interpersonal skills, persuasion skills, and customer service skills required to manage conflict and complaints constructively.

A further section explores the importance of integrity when dealing with conflict and complaints. You will examine the barriers that make conflict resolution difficult—such as assumptions, emotional reactions, avoidance, or communication breakdown—and the strategies needed to overcome them. This section also introduces the communication styles matrix and the characteristics of the four key styles: direct, spirited, systematic, and considerate. Understanding these styles helps you adapt your approach to the needs and tendencies of others.

The program then examines tools for dealing with conflict and complaints. You will explore how to use brainstorming to generate solutions during conflict discussions, how to apply fishbone diagrams to identify root causes of workplace conflict, and how to apply conflict styles—such as collaborating, competing, compromising, avoiding, and accommodating—to the situation at hand. This section also introduces the interest-based relational approach to conflict, which focuses on mutual respect, underlying needs, and long-term relationship preservation rather than short-term wins.

By the end of this course you will be able to identify the root causes of workplace conflict, communicate effectively during difficult conversations, apply structured tools to analyse and resolve issues, adapt your approach to different communication styles, uphold integrity during conflict management, and create resolution processes that strengthen trust, accountability, and cooperation across your organisation.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of this course, you will be able to understand:

• The cost of workplace conflict and complaints
• Expectations as the root of all conflict and complaints
• What expectations were not met?
• How to use expectations as a tool to prevent conflict and complaints?
• How to use the SMART criteria, used for goal-setting?
• How to convey the impact of unmet expectations?
• The listening skills required for dealing with conflict and complaints
• How to demonstrate physically that you are listening?
• How to check for understanding?
• Why you should not interrupt?
• How to respond appropriately?
• The effective communication skills required for dealing with conflict and complaints
• The problem solving skills required for dealing with conflict and complaints
• The interpersonal skills required for dealing with conflict and complaints
• The persuasion skills required for dealing with conflict and complaints
• The customer service skills required for dealing with conflict and complaints
• The importance of integrity when dealing with conflict and complaints
• The barriers to dealing with conflicts and complaints
• The communication styles matrix
• The direct communication style
• The spirited communication style
• The systematic communication style
• The considerate communication style
• The tools for dealing with conflict and complaints
• How to use brainstorming when dealing with conflict?
• How to use the fishbone diagrams for workplace conflict?
• How to apply conflict styles?
• The interest-based relational approach to conflict

COURSE DURATION:

The typical duration of this course is approximately 2-3 hours to complete. Your enrolment is Valid for 12 Months. Start anytime and study at your own pace.

ASSESSMENT:

A simple 10-question true or false quiz with Unlimited Submission Attempts.

CERTIFICATION:

Upon course completion, you will receive a customised digital “Certificate of Completion”.