Types Of Conflict In The Workplace: 5 Ways To Resolve It

Introduction

The workplace is a place where different personalities come together to achieve different goals under the purview of the organisation’s purpose and motto. Conflict in the workplace is very common and present in every organization and sector. When different ideas, opinions, perspectives, and processes clash between individuals, it eventually leads to a conflict. However, conflict resolution can lead to both the employees and the company flourishing.

Conflict in the Workplace

There is no one way to define workplace conflict, as different researchers have their own definitions. However, according to De Dreu and Gelfand (2008), workplace conflict occurs when there are disagreements and confrontations between employees or between the employees and the management regarding differences in opinions, values, and personality. They also suggested that workplace conflicts spring from scarcity of resources, task interdependence, and interpersonal compatibility between employees. Rahim (2010) identified different sources of workplace conflict, like poor communication, hierarchical structures, and individual personality differences. 

Workplace conflicts lead to many negative consequences; therefore, many researchers, in their opinion, stated that conflicts should be eliminated and kept to a minimal level. A study by C. K. De Dreu and Beersma (2005) suggests that when conflicts are unresolved, it can lead to decreased job satisfaction, increased stress levels experienced by employees, and increased turnover rates. Research also indicates that workplace conflicts can impact the overall morale of the organization (Jehn, 1995). Longe (2015) suggested that how unresolved work conflicts lead to financial losses for the company. Research also suggests that conflicts in the workplace also contribute to increased emotional exhaustion experienced by employees (Nauman et al., 2020; Rahim & Katz, 2019).

Types of Conflict in the Workplace

There are different types of conflicts found in the workplace.

1. Task-based conflicts: Task-based conflicts occur when tasks are not delegated properly, due to a lack of coordination between different team members involved, when there is a delay in work, and when responsibilities and functions are not properly understood. 
2. Leadership conflicts: Workplace conflicts occur between the teams and their leaders. Each person is unique and has their way of leading a team. Leadership conflicts often weaken the relationship between the leader and team members.
3. Personality conflicts: As mentioned above, everyone has a unique style of working. Some employees like working single-handedly on tasks, while others thrive in teams. Some employees tend to get more done under pressure, while others need help at every stage of the task. This leads to a lack of coordination between team members. Personality conflicts also include the fact that every employee has their own set of opinions, perspectives, and beliefs through which they operate. Encountering people with whom our ideas don’t match and then working with them on a daily basis can increase our distress levels.
4. Discrimination: Workplace conflicts also arise when certain employees are discriminated against based on their age, gender, race, disability, and religious views. 

Real-Life Examples of Conflicts in the Workplace

Conflicts in the workplace are inevitable and bound to take place. Let’s look at some real-life examples of conflicts that have been encountered in the day-to-day life of employees. 

1. Poor Communication: Poor internal communication can lead to a lot of misunderstandings that can hamper the workflow, creating more confusion between different departments and therefore leading to obstacles in achieving the common goal.
2. Discrimination: A lot of the employees sometimes feel harassed or discriminated against by their supervisors, team members, and colleagues based on their work-related reasons or personal reasons like their ethnicity, race, gender, or religion.
3. Equality: Conflicts also arise when members of a team feel that tasks are not being delegated equally. 
4. Unable to manage a team effectively: When a leader is unable to manage his/her team effectively, it can create a lot of animosity towards the leader and can create a toxic environment in the workplace. 
5. Work-life balance: Workplace conflicts are more likely to occur when employees are not able to achieve work-life balance.

Managing Conflict in the Workplace

Whenever there is a conflict, it is not just a single factor at play. Workplace conflicts usually occur due to the interplay of different factors.

1. Root Cause: Understanding the root cause of the conflict is very important. This not only helps identify which processes need to be taken care of but also helps prevent such conflicts from happening in the future. 
2. Conflict resolution process: Managing workplace conflicts is a systematic process that resolves problems and disagreements not just between employees but also conflicts that arise between different departments. 
3. Special committee: Many organisations have a special committee that is assigned to look into the management and resolution of conflicts and to ensure the smooth functioning of different departments in the organisation. 
4. Workplace conflict management training: Providing training to all employees on skills such as conflict resolution, problem-solving, communication skills, decision-making, and emotional intelligence, helps to effectively manage conflicts. 

Ways to Resolve Conflict in the Workplace

Here are some effective ways to resolve a workplace conflict.

1. Identify the problem: The first and foremost step in resolving the conflict is the identification and acknowledgment of the problem. Facing it head-on is more important than repressing or avoiding it.
2. Collect information: Gather all the information required regarding the conflict. Active listening plays a huge role in understanding the conflict from both perspectives, whether it’s a conflict involving two employees or teams. Only after all the necessary information is gathered can one make an informed decision.
3. Identify the root cause: Clarifying the source of the conflict is essential. Find out the starting point of the conflict. It could be caused by many things like poor communication, differing ideas between two employees, workload or pressure, and many more.
4. Find common ground: Once all the perspectives are heard, a common goal needs to be established through which the conflict will be resolved. This would involve collaborating as well as compromising between employees or teams to achieve a state of homeostasis. 
5. Self-reflection: Self-reflection is essential to understand how your own feeling and thoughts are contributing to the conflict. Try to be aware of your thoughts and behavior and take responsibility for your actions. 

Conclusion

Finally, conflicts are a part and parcel of every workplace. It is very important that we first understand the different types of conflicts to uncover the root cause of the problem. Once identified only then can we effectively manage and resolve conflicts; which will promote a more positive and healthier environment for the employees.

References

De Dreu, C. K., & Beersma, B. (2005). Conflict in organizations: Beyond effectiveness and performance. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 14(2), 105–117. https://doi.org/10.1080/13594320444000227

De Dreu, C. K. W., & Gelfand, M. J. (2008). Conflict in the workplace: Sources, functions, and dynamics across multiple levels of analysis. The Psychology of Conflict and Conflict Management in Organizations.

Jehn, K. A. (1995). A multimethod examination of the benefits and detriments of intragroup conflict. Administrative Science Quarterly, 40(2), 256. https://doi.org/10.2307/2393638

Longe, O. (2015). Impact of workplace conflict management on organizational performance: A case of Nigerian manufacturing firm. Journal of Management and Strategy, 6(2). https://doi.org/10.5430/jms.v6n2p83

Nauman, S., Zheng, C., & Naseer, S. (2020). Job insecurity and work-family conflict. The International Journal of Conflict Management/International Journal of Conflict Management, 31(5), 729–751. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijcma-09-2019-0159

Rahim, M.A., (2010). Managing Conflict in Organization (3rd ed) London: Quorum Books.

Rahim, M. A., & Katz, J. P. (2019). Forty years of conflict: the effects of gender and generation on conflict-management strategies. the International Journal of Conflict Management/International Journal of Conflict Management, 31(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijcma-03-2019-0045