New requirements for the psychosocial work environment: Why dialogue matters more than ever
Eirin Eriksen Horvei
October 14, 2026
In the article “the difficult conversation” you can read about what makes 'the difficult conversation' difficult. As a manager, you will from time to time have conversations that can feel demanding. These may be conversations where you have to raise a topic that is hard to communicate, or that may be hard to receive. It might be that someone needs to change their behaviour, perhaps a conflict needs to be handled, or downsizing and redundancies are necessary. What ultimately makes the conversation feel difficult is that it can challenge, affect or shape the relationship between the parties.
If you tackle uncomfortable topics quickly, you can turn the difficult conversation into ‘the necessary conversation’. Expecting something to be difficult is not the best starting point for a constructive dialogue. Expectations tend to be fulfilled – and fortunately, this also applies to expectations that things can go well. So think of the conversation as necessary because it is important. With that as your starting point, you can mobilise the drive to:
Taking the necessary conversations seriously helps build trust and strengthen relationships.
Different conversations must be handled differently. There is no “one size fits all” here. That is why you must start by mapping out:
The answers to these questions will affect how the conversation should be planned and led.
Here are some tips on what you should think about and prepare in order to set the stage for a good necessary conversation:
Start by defining what the intention should be. What do you want to come out of the conversation? Keep the actual outcome out of this line of thought, and think first and foremost about how you want the person you are talking to to experience it.
Should the conversation help clarify things? Provide a reality check? Encourage effort? Do you want to provoke or engage? Is this a conversation where you have to deliver a “closed” message where the outcome is predetermined (e.g. information about a decision made at a higher level, or a warning)? Or is the message more open, with room for influence or negotiation? These are two different messages that should be communicated in different ways. A conversation based on a message that is open to influence will have a completely different tone from one based on a decision that cannot be reversed. In the latter case, it is natural to focus mostly on what is important to take care of so that the decision can be implemented in the best possible way, and you should not open up a discussion of the decision itself.
Think about how much you know about the matters you are going to raise. Is this insight based on facts – is it something you have experienced yourself? Or is the matter based on something others have told you? What information or facts do you need to shed sufficient light on the issue?
It is never easy to know how people will react, and sometimes we can be surprised. A topic we thought would be tough to deliver may be met with relief: “it's good to finally get this out in the open!”. A topic that seemed harmless at first can trigger irritation or anger. It can help to prepare for the different reactions you may encounter, and what they will trigger in you.
We react differently to different responses, and we handle different emotional reactions in different ways. Some find it easier to deal with tears than anger; others struggle more if they are met with arrogance or ridicule. Our own reactions often stem from previous experiences, and we can feel challenged or unsure when faced with other people's reactions and confrontations. That is why it is a useful exercise to think through how you handle which responses. Establish a good strategy for whatever triggers you most. The necessary conversation can become demanding if both parties let their emotions run free – then the matter can escalate and, at worst, get out of control.
As a starting point, it is useful not to be locked into a predefined solution. There may often turn out to be several solutions, as long as you are open to the other person's views and listen well. Still, think through which possible solutions you as a manager can accept, and which outcomes you cannot allow. If possible, make a list of different suggested solutions so that you have it up your sleeve if the conversation stalls.
Some find it difficult to end the conversation and like to steer it towards something harmless and more light-hearted at the end. If the conversation has been about a serious topic, ending with small talk about the weather can come across as insensitive or disrespectful. It is like a poor attempt to smooth over something you have inflicted on someone else, and may take the edge off the important message. Remember that if you have delivered a serious message, it is clearest when it is allowed to stand on its own.
Practise two or three sentences in advance that you can use to round off and end the conversation if you feel unsure, or sense that this might become difficult.
How you initiate the conversation will of course also depend on the topic and how serious it is. Be careful not to make the matter bigger than it is – some conversations are best had spontaneously, there and then. A conversation that could at worst end in dismissal at a later stage must be formalised and documented, and then a formal written invitation is required.
Think about where it is best to hold the conversation. In some cases it can be very important that you meet in a neutral place – stay away from the boss's office!
Consider who should, ought to or could be invited, and whether the employee should be allowed to bring a support person to the conversation.
If some form of written invitation is required, make sure it contains information about the time and place of the meeting, and a brief description of the purpose and topic of the conversation. Where relevant, the employee must be informed of the possibility of bringing a support person. Feel free to ask for confirmation of this in advance, so that you are better prepared.
Being clear about the framework helps create predictability, while also making it easier to steer the conversation. It is easier to interrupt an employee who is heading off on a tangent if you have been clear in advance about the topic you are going to discuss.
Once the framework has been made clear, it is time to present the topic of the conversation. Do this as concretely and clearly as possible, and make sure you have the right facts as your starting point. Here it is important that you stick to the framework you have set yourself, and that you present your whole side of the matter before opening up for comments or questions. This is because a conversation can easily go off track if answers come before the whole message has been delivered. The employee may then end up responding to something that does not reflect the whole picture, which can lead to misunderstandings and insecurity.
Be careful to speak on your own behalf. Base what you say on what you yourself have seen, heard or experienced.
Listen to understand, not to search for what to say next. Through active and open listening, you can bring out the employee's reactions and opinions. Be genuinely interested in what the other person has to say – perhaps new information or insight will emerge. Dare to be silent in the conversation; a lot of “gold” can come out of the silence. Give the other person time to formulate their answers, and remember that some people need more time than others to reflect in silence.
Mirroring is a good technique for drawing out more information in a dialogue. Mirroring means sending back what you receive in various ways, either by repeating one of the key words used, or by rephrasing what is said slightly differently. This opens up for the other person to continue explaining or to correct you if something has been misunderstood.
Ask good open questions to gain more insight, and closed questions to get confirmation or check that you have understood correctly. Open questions are questions that require more than a yes/no answer, and often start with what, who, where, how and why. Closed questions are questions that can be answered with yes or no.
It is best if agreement is reached in the meeting, but far from all conversations end with the parties agreeing on everything. Try to find the lowest common denominator for what you agree on, and create acceptance that there is an issue and of what it consists. Be precise in how you formulate the challenge and the consequences you see.
If you don't agree on the content – can you agree that you have a challenge? That gives you a shared starting point when it comes to designing solutions. Don't move on in the conversation until you have gained acceptance that there is a problem.
Even if you have thought of different solutions in advance, always let the employee be the first to put forward suggestions and ideas. Perhaps something wise will emerge that you hadn't thought of yourself? The sense of ownership of the solution becomes stronger when you have helped design it yourself. Feel free to explore different alternative solutions so that you can discuss which ones fit best. See if you can agree on one or more of the proposed solutions. Consider whether it makes sense to define step-by-step ways out of the problem. Be clear about who is responsible for what.
Briefly summarise what you have talked about and what you have agreed on. Before you leave the meeting, agree on when and how this will be followed up, and set a time for the next conversation. A follow-up conversation should be held regardless of the outcome.
The right to manage – Within the framework of the employment contract, the employer has what is known as a general right to manage. This is not set out in law. It gives the employer the right to hire and dismiss employees, and to organise, lead, allocate and control the work (who does what, when and how). You can read more about this in the Norwegian Government's Personnel Handbook 2024.
The duty of care – is a statutory duty to protect the employee from undue strain, harm or arbitrary treatment in connection with carrying out the work and working with others, including when being managed. The working environment must be fully sound, both physically and psychosocially, cf. the Working Environment Act, Section 4-1.
The duty to participate – according to Section 2-3 of the Working Environment Act, employees have a duty to participate in the design, implementation and follow-up of the organisation's systematic health, safety and environment work. Employees must take part in the organised safety and environmental work in the organisation and must actively participate in implementing the measures put in place to create a good and safe working environment.
The duty of loyalty – is not set out in law, but follows from the contractual relationship between employee and employer. The duty of loyalty means that the employee is obliged to show necessary and sufficient consideration for the interests of the employer and the organisation. This will entail a limitation on the employee's freedom of action.
Good case handling – is about handling cases formally and in an orderly way. This includes principles concerning:
Work continuously to create a culture of dialogue – this way, different topics can come to the surface naturally along the way, before they grow big. The planned arena ensures that all employees get a fair and equal opportunity to influence their own working day.
Set up an annual cycle that defines fixed arenas for following up employees. In this annual cycle, it is natural to give the employee appraisal a central place, and to schedule some planned follow-up conversations in addition. With this kind of dialogue, you will gain deeper insight into what each employee needs to perform and thrive at work, and it becomes easier to lead. Remember: satisfied employees pay off!
