10 tips for managing employee conflict effectively

Most optometrists can probably recall at least one time when their employees didn't get along. Maybe they disagreed about work habits, customer service issues, or simply didn't like each other.

In small-practice environments, disagreements are more visible, have more impact, and cause more harm to customer service efforts. Employee relations (ER) consultants advise that instead of ignoring staff disputes, optometrist-owners need to take action. While there is no magic recipe for eliminating personality conflicts in any workplace, ER experts suggest ways to manage them effectively.