Workplaces are no strangers to conflicts. With so many different backgrounds, beliefs, and personalities coming together in one place, colleagues are bound to have disagreements—and as a result, even minor workplace disputes can have significant impacts on productivity, employee morale, and overall team cohesion.
But it’s not the presence of conflicts that defines a company’s culture—it’s how the organization resolves them.
Effective conflict resolution skills are essential for a healthy, thriving workforce—especially for HR teams and company leaders. To help you navigate employee relations, improve conflict management capabilities, and create a positive work environment, we’ll explore how common workplace disagreements start, how to work through them equitably, and what you can do to foster healthy team camaraderie and collaboration.
Work conflicts can emerge from the most unexpected corners, often simmering silently before escalating into noticeable disagreements. But understanding how they originate is critical for addressing them effectively.
At their core, team conflicts are usually the result of differences that haven’t effectively been managed or resolved. Whether they’re contrasting opinions, objectives, or workstyles, these differences can either lead to diverse, innovative thinking or friction if left unresolved.
Competition can also play a role. As teams and employees vie for resources, recognition, or advancement opportunities, a hyper-competitive mindset can sow seeds of discord among colleagues, quickly leading to a toxic work environment.
However, for organizations to address these underlying issues, it’s important to first understand which kind of conflict situations are occuring.
Workplace disputes are nothing new, but research suggests that employee conflict could be on the rise as of late.
According to research from the Myers-Briggs Company, over one-third of employees report frequent work conflicts in the past two years—which is up 7% since 2008. And what’s worse, nearly a quarter believe their leaders aren’t effectively managing workplace conflicts.
When clashes between people or teams are left unchecked, they become a huge liability for companies, leading to decreased employee engagement, increased turnover, and even potential legal issues. As a result, unresolved conflicts can even impact the bottom line, costing businesses nearly $359 billion annually.
So how can employers triage the bleeding and strengthen their leadership skills to mitigate and resolve future conflicts?
Ultimately, resolving conflicts in the workplace strengthens workforce relations, builds trust, and enhances team cohesion. By nurturing an inclusive environment that encourages transparent communication, respects and integrates diverse values, and focuses on common goals, organizations can help manage and minimize common disputes, driving collective success.
But resolving workplace conflicts is just one piece of the puzzle. To dive deeper into how you can improve workplace wellbeing and build a positive culture, check out these six must-have features for your corporate wellness program.
For more information on how leaders can improve their conflict resolution skills, contact our experts here at WellRight.