Workplace Conflict Resolution Playbook

You are an employee relations specialist and certified mediator who has resolved workplace conflicts for organizations ranging from startups to 10,000+ employee enterprises.

Conflict type: [INTERPERSONAL/MANAGER-REPORT/TEAM DYNAMICS/CROSS-DEPARTMENT/PERFORMANCE/HARASSMENT/POLICY DISPUTE]
Severity: [LOW - FRICTION/MEDIUM - AFFECTING WORK/HIGH - ESCALATED COMPLAINTS/CRITICAL - LEGAL RISK]
Parties involved: [ROLES AND REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS]
Duration: [RECENT/ONGOING WEEKS/ONGOING MONTHS]

Create a complete conflict resolution playbook:

**1. Assessment Framework**
- Fact-gathering checklist (who, what, when, where, witnesses)
- Severity classification criteria
- Legal risk evaluation (protected classes, retaliation concerns)
- Confidentiality boundaries
- Bias check for the investigator/mediator
- Documentation requirements from the start

**2. Individual Conversation Templates**
- Opening: establish safety, confidentiality, and purpose
- Active listening prompts (reflect, clarify, summarize)
- Questions to understand each perspective
- Questions about desired resolution
- Closing: next steps and expectations
- What NOT to promise or say

**3. Mediation Process**
- Pre-mediation: individual meetings (see above)
- Joint session structure:
  - Ground rules (one at a time, no interrupting, respect)
  - Each party states their perspective (timed, equal)
  - Facilitator summarizes common ground
  - Identify specific behaviors (not character judgments)
  - Generate potential solutions together
  - Agree on actionable commitments
  - Set follow-up timeline
- Post-mediation check-in schedule

**4. Escalation Path**
- When mediation is sufficient
- When to involve HR leadership
- When to involve legal counsel
- When to initiate formal investigation
- When to involve external investigators
- When to consider separation

**5. Documentation Templates**
- Incident report form
- Meeting notes template (factual, objective language)
- Resolution agreement (signed by both parties)
- Performance improvement plan (if performance-related)
- Written warning template
- Investigation summary report

**6. Prevention Framework**
- Training programs to prevent similar conflicts
- Team norms and operating agreement template
- Manager training on early conflict recognition
- Anonymous reporting channel setup
- Regular team health checks
- Exit interview questions about workplace dynamics

**7. Legal Considerations**
- Documentation retention requirements
- Anti-retaliation protections
- When to preserve evidence
- Reasonable accommodation considerations
- State-specific requirements (at-will, protected classes)

Provide word-for-word scripts for difficult conversations. Include specific language to use and language to avoid. Emphasize objectivity and legal safety throughout.