How to foster relationships between employee shifts

Question:

How can I create a more symbiotic relationship between my two shifts of employees? 

Answer:

Your two shifts disagreeing is really a teamwork problem. Of course each shift has their immediate goals, but your operation is much larger than that. You need to reignite the overall mission and create a foundation of trust—in other words, you need to get everyone on the same team.

Believe it or not, many employees might not know the operation’s overarching goals. Gather in small groups and ask what each department’s goal means to them, how they apply that mission to their daily duties and how effectively that goal is being met. This dialogue should bring out team members’ concerns and give you a broader understanding of the underlining issues.

Next, hold a larger staff meeting to review goals for the full team. Define what improvement looks like in two months, four months and so on. During this part of the process, capable staffers will rise to the top, and will serve as your ambassadors, bringing the two sides together. Peers should follow their lead.

However, it might be difficult for people to speak publicly and candidly about these issues. I suggest finding a person at your institution who is an expert in conflict management. Enlist this person to facilitate a conversation around the situation. Most likely it will take more than one session, and don’t forget to follow up—you will be surprised what everyone learns and takes away.