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Conflict between individuals is a persistent phenomenon in the workplace. Conflict occurs when one or both parties “perceive incompatible goals, scarce resources, and interference from others in achieving their goals,” according to authors Joyce Hocker and William Wilmot in the book Interpersonal Conflict.

Conflict is a normal, natural phenomenon, and when humans interact, it is inevitable. If conflict is addressed and resolved in the early stages, it may have a positive impact on those involved and the organization overall. Conversely, if conflict is not resolved in the earlier stages, it escalates and intensifies, often resulting in negative consequences for an organization.

When employees experience prolonged conflict at work, they may spend time and energy worrying, venting, and/or gossiping, which diminishes their productivity by decreasing the amount of time and energy they have available for work. Unresolved conflict at work can also negatively impact mental and physical health, causing feelings of anxiety and depression or symptoms such as loss of sleep and headaches. As a result, employees may take time away from work to manage the stress caused by the conflict. All of this leads to decreased morale and motivation, which produces lower levels of satisfaction, engagement, and retention. These factors also create a financial burden for organizations. Another unfortunate outcome of unresolved conflict is the potential for violence. When individuals don’t feel heard or respected, they may resort to violence, which brings severe legal, financial, and reputational loss for organizations.

Conversely, when employees have the tools and skills necessary to work through conflict, organizations and individuals involved may experience a variety of positive outcomes. Proactively working through conflict affords individuals the opportunity to strengthen their problem-solving skills. The communication skills required for problem-solving include listening to understand other perspectives, practicing empathy, expressing desires, and making requests. These skills benefit organizations in resolving future conflicts and in having better communication across the board. Multiple studies have demonstrated that better communication overall leads to increased productivity, morale, and engagement. 

Organizations and leaders can equip employees with tools and skills to navigate through conflict in a variety of ways, including the following:

• Training — This may be a session or series focused on conflict resolution or a topic incorporated into other training with a focus on communication skills overall, including feedback, empathy, and listening.

• Coaching and support — When employees bring concerns to leaders, they should be encouraged to have direct conversations with one another, rather than engaging in gossip and triangulation. If the employees involved in the conflict need support in having conversations with each other, the leader may offer to be present. Whether the leader is present or not, it is important that those engaged in the conflict speak directly to one another and have an opportunity to share their perspective and learn that the other party truly listens.

• Third-party conflict resolution — A conflict may become too disruptive and/or escalate to a point where the employees and leaders feel unsure about how to proceed. In that case, an outside neutral party may be helpful to walk employees through the conversation(s) in a manner that ensures both parties feel heard and understood and results in agreed-upon terms or conditions on how to move forward and work together effectively.

When organizations create and nurture a culture of open communication, which includes listening to understand other perspectives and working together to resolve conflict, they will almost certainly experience improvements in effectiveness, efficiency, productivity, engagement, and ultimately, the bottom line. Employers Council provides training and third-party conflict resolution services. Contact us by email or call us at 800-884-1328 to learn more.