1. Address the Feud ASAP An employee feud can build up over time and hurt everyone in the office. The tension between the two people can infect the workplace and lower morale, which leads to lower productivity and employee engagement for the entire staff. In addition, it can particularly hurt the two employees who don’t get along, and it could even lead to resignation. The manager’s first job is to address the problem as soon as possible so that all workers know that employee happiness and comfort are important. A leadership vacuum in a challenging time is likely to lead to disengagement. 2. Define the issue. figure out if it's personal or professional. For personal issues, remind the employees that they need to work out the problem outside of company time. A manager should never feed into personal drama. However, if the workers don’t get along because of something that has happened — or is still happening — professionally, it’s now also the manager’s problem to fix to salvage company culture. Don't let the negative feelings linger. 3. Decide How to Meet With the Employees If you've determined the issue is indeed professional, set a time to speak with both employees. For a feud that is clearly emotionally charged, separate the employees and meet individually. Otherwise, it can be best to act as a mediator in a joint meeting. Err on the side of individual meetings if you're unsure - better to learn more than exacerbate the conflict. 3. Decide How to Meet With the Employees If you've determined the issue is indeed professional, set a time to speak with both employees. For a feud that is clearly emotionally charged, separate the employees and meet individually. Otherwise, it can be best to act as a mediator in a joint meeting. Err on the side of individual meetings if you're unsure - better to learn more than exacerbate the conflict. a manager to always stay above the fray and not allow themselves to be biased by the rumors. Instead, listen carefully to what each employee is saying about the feud and understand that they can be feeling it personally and emotionally. Prepare talking points ahead of time, particularly if you are meeting the employees jointly so that the meeting stays on point and doesn’t devolve into drama 4. Have each worker articulate why they are upset and what resolution would make them satisfied and ready to work. See if you can find the common ground and point it out. Set an objective for how the two should move forward in appreciation of this common ground. 5. Involve HR As Necessary Sometimes employee conflict can veer into issues of harassment or other complicated issues. In these cases, it’s always best to involve human resources early in the process.