"Empathy is the bridge to resolving conflicts and fostering collaboration." I would start with a 1:1 discussion to understand the senior employee's concerns. Set clear goals, highlighting each employee's strengths. Actively listen with empathy to acknowledge and validate their feelings. Foster collaboration by encouraging mentorship opportunities where the senior can mentor the junior.Publicly acknowledge contributions to boost morale. Organize team-building events to strengthen team bonds. Schedule regular check-ins to monitor progress and address any ongoing issues. Document all discussions for transparency and accountability. This approach ensures both employees feel valued and promotes a supportive work environment.

To resolve this conflict, I’d start by privately acknowledging the senior employee’s feelings and actively listening to their concerns. I’d emphasize that their contributions are highly valued and recognized. Next, I’d clarify that the junior’s progress doesn’t diminish their importance, highlighting the unique strengths they bring to the team. To foster collaboration, I’d suggest mentorship opportunities, allowing the senior employee to share expertise and feel empowered. Additionally, I’d explore professional development options tailored to their goals. Finally, I’d reinforce a culture of recognition, celebrating both individual and team achievements to ensure everyone feels appreciated and motivated.

Is this a conflict or a perception on the part of the Senior staff member. An experienced and seasoned senior employee should not be having these feelings unless he is being undermined in some tangible way by her/his junior. This would be a conflict. All potential and actual conflicts are resolved through communications, which can be started by a one to one conversation with the parties to evidence the facts from the perception. Remedial actions can be put in place with reassurances around the value of the staff involved, ensuring that the senior employee is openly recognised in staff meetings and ensure a follow up process is put in place to monitor the situation on an ongoing basis, this avoiding overall team disharmony.

Initiate a one-on-one conversation with the senior employee. Create a safe space for them to express their feelings and concerns without fear of judgment. Encourage both employees to adopt a growth mindset, where they can learn from each other. Highlight that progress is a team effort and that individual successes can also enhance the team's performance.

To demonstrate your trust in them, lead by example and maintain open lines of communication. Additionally, you can think of team-building exercises that let them meet one another (e.g., by going to lunch together) and talk about your points of view and presumptions in an anonymous way (no blame).

If a senior feels their position is being threatened by a rising junior, I would engage the senior in very important and complex roles that would reassure them of their importance/relevance in the organisation. If the senior successfully handles ‘senior’ roles, they will forget about the rising junior.

It's important to explore why the senior person is feeling threatened. A 1:1 with empathy & curiosity can go a long way. Seeing a junior person rise can highlight achievements the team member thought they would have made, but hasn't. If the senior person is performing well, they may need reassurance. If the junior person is a woman - especially a Black woman, consider the "Pet to Threat" phenomenon - where a person once prized for their offerings when they had little power begins to rise in power and prestige, the risk they are treated with more bias and criticism also increases. Ensuring all team members are treated with dignity and respect and held to a similar standard is critical for a psychologically safe working environment.

Facilitate a conversation between the senior employee and their manager to discuss concerns and feelings openly, Acknowledge the senior employee's valuable experience and long-term contributions to the company, Work with the senior employee to identify areas for their growth and development, Ensure performance evaluations and promotions are based on merit and contribution, not just rapid progress, and Foster a culture that values both experience and innovation, emphasizing how different strengths contribute to overall team success “Team dynamics”. Remember! the goal is to create an environment where both employees can thrive and contribute their unique strengths to the organization 💫.

As a project manager, resolving the conflict between a senior employee feeling overshadowed by a junior’s rapid progress requires careful handling to maintain team harmony and productivity. First, I would start by having a private conversation with the senior employee to acknowledge their concerns. It’s important to listen actively and validate their feelings without dismissing them. Then I would emphasise the value that the senior employee brings to the team, such as their experience, leadership, and institutional knowledge. This can help them feel appreciated and less insecure about the junior employee’s progress.