Every conflict can be resolved – even those that seem impossible

If you manage a mission-critical administrative unit, you know how crucial it is for your employees to be the best and most efficient version of themselves - especially around the peak periods of the year, when the tasks that are crucial to the functioning of the rest of the organization must be completed - preferably without fail and on time.

We don't like conflict. We are often conflict-averse and consensus-seeking, although paradoxically we often end up in debates of great disagreement. But conflict is part of the development of a professional working community. We can't avoid conflicts that are both personal and professional in nature, but we shouldn't be so afraid of conflict either, because it often has development potential for everyone involved.

Conflict in the workplace is inevitable, and this is also the case when working in the municipal sector. How these conflicts are handled can have a crucial impact on the working environment, wellbeing and overall efficiency in the workplace. This is where Prevent Conflict comes in, as your professional and reliable partner for conflict management in municipal workplaces.

Violence, threats of violence and generally intimidating behavior is a serious problem for public employees. According to Statistics Denmark, violence against public employees has increased by 53% between 2009 and 2015. According to Working Environment and Health in Denmark 2018, 37.3% of special educators, 34.8% of police and prison officers and 30.7% of social and healthcare assistants have been exposed to violence. Even more have been exposed to threats of violence, including 46.1% of special education teachers. The consequences of violence and threats of violence can be measured financially, psychologically and organizationally. While some professionals need to be able to actively use force, other professionals use force or defend themselves against violent and threatening citizens more as an evil than a professional tool. But decision-makers are increasingly having to consider the safety of staff, and one of the considerations is whether self-defense should be included as an element of professional skills development.