Is It Necessary To Earn A Conflict Resolution Certificate?

Whether your business is large or small, you’ll likely encounter various conflicts from time to time. Often, these conflicts can be resolved quickly, but sometimes, they can become a huge headache and start affecting morale and productivity.

When it comes to conflict resolution, you may want to have your managers and/or staff go through training to learn how to deal with and prevent future problems. However, one question to ask is whether it is really beneficial for individuals to get a conflict resolution certificate. Let’s find out whether or not it makes sense to get this certificate.

What is a Conflict Resolution Certificate?

A conflict resolution certificate is a document that verifies that an individual has completed a comprehensive conflict resolution course. The requirements for each certificate change based on who is providing the course, but generally, an individual has to complete a certain number of hours of classwork.

What Does it Take to Earn a Conflict Resolution Certificate?

Currently, there are no national standards for earning a conflict resolution certificate. So, the requirements depend entirely on the organization offering documentation. Typically, these courses need:

• A College Degree (not always necessary)
• Experience with conflict resolution in the workplace
• A set number of hours of conflict resolution coursework
• Approval from a Conflict Resolution Specialist

The length of time can vary from a few hours to several weeks of courses. You may also attend these courses in person or online, depending on the provider. Often, the coursework covers generic conflict resolution strategies, but it may be customized to fit your specific industry or workplace needs.

There will also be knowledge verification systems to ensure that you’ve retained the knowledge provided during the course. A certificate must be signed off by a professional before you can receive it.

Benefits of Earning a Conflict Resolution Certificate

Earning a conflict resolution certificate is not always necessary, but there are advantages to getting one. Here’s a rundown of the benefits of earning this document:

You’re Better at Conflict Resolution

Going through this course is more intensive, but you learn a lot about how to resolve different kinds of conflict. Plus, if the course is customized to your industry, you’re better prepared for conflicts when they arise. Earning this certificate illustrates your commitment to conflict resolution, and it shows that you’ve done more than listen to a lecture or presentation.

Doesn’t Require Extensive Time or Resources

At first, getting a conflict resolution certificate may seem like it’ll add a lot of extra time and energy to your workload. However, the time requirement is often much less than in other courses that can help you improve your skills.

If you look at this certificate as an investment in your abilities, it’s far less intensive than other options for executives and managers. Plus, having such a flexible training curriculum and schedule ensures that participants can pass the course more consistently.

Develop Better Relationships at Work

Conflict resolution doesn’t have to occur only when there’s a problem. This certificate can help you understand how to facilitate better relationships between co-workers, so there’s less of a chance of conflict in the future. By building a positive work environment, you can prevent issues from taking hold and becoming larger later on.

In addition, fostering positive relationships can lead to better teamwork and higher productivity rates. When everyone gets along and looks out for each other, they’re far more willing to go above and beyond for the team. Some of the core tenets of conflict resolution (i.e., communication and compromise) are also essential for a relationship. So, earning this certificate empowers you to learn more about how relationships form and the various conflicts that can tear people apart (and how to resolve them).

Who Should Receive a Conflict Resolution Certificate?

Realistically, anyone in a supervisorial or executive position should receive a certificate; that way, they’re prepared for any conflict that may arise in the future. However, when developing a conflict resolution management plan for the office, you may determine that specific positions might be best suited for this kind of training.

For example, maybe just those in HR should be certified to ensure objectivity during a conflict situation. Alternatively, you might want some customer service reps to undergo this training, so they’re better prepared for potential adverse interactions with customers.

Overall, you need to be strategic about choosing who receives this certificate and consider both your short-term and long-term needs. For example, if managers or supervisors move to other offices or leave the company altogether, you must get others to replace them within your conflict management team.

How to Choose a Conflict Resolution Trainer

Conflict resolution training is a relative niche industry, but there are many companies out there offering these kinds of services. Unfortunately, not all of them provide the same care and attention to detail, meaning those who undergo the training may not be any better at resolving conflict than anyone else within the company.

So, to ensure you’re getting the best value for your investment, here are some things to consider when comparing different conflict resolution trainers:

• Experience Within Your Industry – Although the tenets of conflict resolution are pretty similar regardless of the situation, knowing how workers and supervisors interact with each other and customers within the industry is valuable. So, conflict resolution trainers who have extensive experience within your field will know how to provide real-world training that participants are more likely to remember and use in the future.
• Personalized Approach – You know what setup will work best for your business based on the hierarchy of your workforce and the nature of day-to-day interactions between workers and supervisors. So, you want to avoid a “one-size-fits-all” approach to conflict resolution management. Look for trainers that ask questions about your company and how it operates so they can create a tailored lesson plan for participants. This way, you’re sure that the lessons will be valuable and relatable for your trainees.
• Ongoing Support – Conflict resolution management is a long-term strategy that requires consistent updating and adjustment. For example, strategies that may have worked a decade ago are obsolete today, and those we teach today may become obsolete in the future. So, the best conflict resolution trainers understand the value of re-certifying trainees on an annual or biennial basis. This kind of support is also beneficial for the company as it can offer legal protection if a lawsuit arises. If your team was trying to resolve the conflict with outdated techniques, it could lead to liability issues later on.
• Knowledge Checks vs. Rote Memorization – Some trainers come in with the goal of having participants earn a certificate, while other trainers focus on ensuring that participants know how to resolve conflicts. While both of these goals sound identical, they’re far from the same thing. You want a trainer that believes in conflict resolution management and motivates participants to take the concept seriously. Those focused on handing out pieces of paper often lecture instead of teaching.

When to Invest in Conflict Resolution Training

Realistically, you need to invest in conflict resolution training immediately, not after an incident occurs. Since it’s impossible to know when a conflict will arise, you can’t afford to wait until something happens to recognize the value of this kind of training. If your company doesn’t have a conflict resolution management strategy in place, now is the time to develop one. Even if there is an action plan, you can’t trust that it’s accurate or up-to-date.

Overall, this kind of training is far too important to push to the back burner. Plus, if a conflict does lead to legal troubles, you can pre-emptively protect the brand by investing in this kind of training long before the worst happens. Again, maintaining a consistent long-term certification schedule ensures more reliable benefits in the future.

Get a Conflict Resolution Certificate From AllWin

If you’re ready to see the benefits of having workers and managers earn a conflict resolution certificate, now’s the time to contact us. We have some of the best trainers in the industry, and our experience spans a wide array of fields and situations. Our trainers take the time to customize their lessons to fit your specific needs, and your participants will come out of the training with a new appreciation for this process.

We’re more than happy to schedule a consultation with you to discuss your conflict resolution needs and together we can determine how our program can best help your business become a more peaceful place to work for everyone. Call us today to find out more.