Table of Content

SI.NO CONTENTS PAGE.NO

1 Introduction

2 Understanding conflict

3 The big why; reasons for workplace conflict

4 Of tasks, relationship & value

5 Keys to a conflict-free workplace

6 Referee your organization

7 Detoxing your company or conflict

 I. INTRODUCTION:

Conflict Management is the use of processes, tools, and skills to find creative and respectful
ways to manage disagreements and disputes. It includes the ability to resolve conflict
collaboratively through effective communication skills, such as active listening and
assertive speaking.Managing conflict is an art. It is something you improve on—not master.
Individuals can increase their conflict competence through skills-based training, coaching,
and having leaders who walk the talk. Direct intervention of conflict resolution
practitioners can help organizations become more adept at addressing conflict and
developing conflict competent employees. Successful leaders recognize the importance of
these skills and the impact they have on their organization's health and productivity. They
also know that the lack of these skills can lead to poor morale, decreased productivity, and
low retention rates among employees. The cost of developing conflict competent employees
is a fraction of the cost of unresolved conflict.

II. UNDERSTANDING CONFLICT

A conflict is a struggle or sharp disagreement between people who have

different/opposing ideas and interests in a subject. Conflicts can arise within one person,
between two people, or even among groups. It is a natural part of life and can either give
rise to positive outcomes or incredibly destructive ones – depending on how it is
resolved.
Conflicts arise from changes in relationships, life changes, power struggles, and poor
communication. We see it everywhere around us – in our personal lives, in our
relationships, and even between countries. The workplace has not escaped its clutches,
and conflict is common in organizations.
If left unresolved, conflict within a company can impact leader-employee relationships. It
can take a significant toll on trust, lower morale, increase stress and health risks, increase
absenteeism, decrease motivation, performance, and productivity, and even lead to high
employee turnover.
There is a high chance of conflict arising wherever people work together, presenting a
massive challenge to which management must respond constructively.
Conflict management is the process of limiting the negative aspects of conflict while
increasing its positive effects. It aims to teach groups conflict resolution skills that will
help them effectively communicate when in conflict with a team member.
Let us listen in to a very insightful TEDx talk by Liz Kislik on why there is so much
conflict at work and what we can do to fix it.
Types of conflict
In cases of intragroup conflict, there is a conflict between the overall goals of the general group, and the goals
of at least one person in that group. The disagreements may also be examples of interpersonal conflict, a
conflict between two or more people.More specific types of conflict include the following.

 Content conflict occurs when individuals disagree about how to deal with a certain issue. This can be a
good thing as it has the potential to stimulate discussion and increase motivation. [12]
 Relationship conflict occurs when individuals disagree about one another. This relational conflicts
decreases performance, loyalty, satisfaction and commitment, and causes individuals to be irritable,
negative and suspicious.[12] This stems from interpersonal incompatibilities. It is an awareness of frictions
caused by frustrations, annoyance, and irritations. Relationship conflict is comparable to affective and
cognitive conflict as defined by Amason and Pinkley, respectively. [13]
 Process conflict refers to disagreement over the group's approach to the task, its methods, and its group
process.[13] They note that although relationship conflict and process conflict are harmful, task conflict is
found to be beneficial since it encourages diversity of opinions, although care should be taken so it does
not develop into a process or relationship conflict.[13]
 Task conflict is related to disagreements in viewpoints and opinion about a particular task in group
settings. It is associated with two interrelated and beneficial effects. The first is group decision quality.
Task conflict encourages greater cognitive understanding of the issue being discussed. This leads to better
decision making for the groups that use task conflict.[13] The second is affective acceptance of group
decisions. Task conflict can lead to increased satisfaction with the group decision and a desire to stay in
the group.[14]
 Affective conflict is an emotional conflict developed from interpersonal incompatibilities and disputes. It
often produces suspicion, distrust, and hostility. Therefore, it is seen as a negative kind of conflict and an
obstacle to those who experience it and is described as "dysfunctional." [15]
 Cognitive conflict occurs during tasks and comes from a difference in perspective and judgement. It
improves decision making and allows for the freer exchange of information between group members.
Cognitive conflict is seen as a positive tension that promotes good group work. [15]
The following are examples of conflict that could be either intragroup or intergroup conflict.

 Conflict of interest is involvement in multiple interests which could possibly corrupt the motivation or
decision-making.[16]
 Cultural conflict is a type of conflict that occurs when different cultural values and beliefs clash. [17]
 Ethnic conflict is conflict between two or more contending ethnic groups.[17]
 Intergroup conflict is conflict between two or more groups.[11]
 Organizational conflict is discord caused by opposition of needs, values, and interests between people
working together.[18]
 Role conflict involves incompatible demands placed upon a person in a manner that makes accomplishing
both troublesome.[19]
 Social conflict is the struggle for supremacy or autonomy between social classes.
 Work–family conflict involves incompatible demands between the work and family roles of an
individual.[20]
Conflict is rarely seen as constructive; however, in certain contexts (such as competition in sports), moderate
levels of conflict can be seen as being mutually beneficial, facilitating understanding, tolerance, learning, and
effectiveness. In a team setting, the group can learn to overcome intragroup conflict which would conclude to
minimizing negative outcomes. With minimizing negative outcomes, positive outcomes will grow with
increase of teamwork, working as a group, and increase of understanding and cooperation with teammates
which eventually leads to the control on intragroup conflict.[21]
Five beliefs that propel groups toward conflict
Roy and Judy Eidelson (2003) investigated some of the important roles that beliefs may play in triggering or
constraining conflict between groups. On the basis of a review of relevant literature, five belief domains stand
out as especially noteworthy: Superiority, injustice, vulnerability, distrust and helplessness.[22]

Superiority
Individual-level core belief: This is a belief that an individual is better than anyone else and therefore many of
the social constructs because the individual sees their own thoughts as "privileged" and therefore do not get
along well with others. People with this belief often have attitudes of "specialness, deservingness, and
entitlement."[22]
Group-level worldview: When moving from the individual-level core belief to the Group-level worldview
most of the concepts stay the same. The major difference is that these attitudes apply to large groups instead
of individuals. One example of this is "ethnocentric monoculturalism," a term meaning that one sees their own
cultural heritage as better than another's.[22]

Injustice
Individual-level core belief: This belief is that an individual has been mistreated in a way that affects them in
a major way. This mistreatment is most often an interpretation of "disappointment and betrayal". [22]
Group-level worldview: This is the receiving end of the superiority group-level. This group takes grievance at
another group for the same reasons an individual takes grievance at another. For perceived injustices from
disappointment, betrayal, and mistreatment.[22]

Vulnerability
Individual-level core belief: This is a constant anxiety. It is when a person feels that he/she is not in control
and feel as though they are living "perpetually in harm's way".[22]
Group-level worldview: A group that feels vulnerability due to an imagined threat in the future. This
strengthens the group's ties and allows them to "focus group behavior in specific directions that include
hostility."[22]

Distrust
Individual-level core belief: This is based on a "presumed hostility and malignant intent seen in others". [22] It
drives one to act in hostile ways and prevents the creation of healthy relationships. [22]
Group-level worldview: This separates the in-group from the out-group in a way that is not easily rectified, as
the in-group forms a lasting stereotype that is applied to the out-group and must be disproven by the out-
group.[22]

Helplessness
Individual-level core belief: A deep set belief that no matter what an individual does the outcome will be
unfavorable. As though the individual is "lacking the necessary ability" or a belief the individual did not have
sufficient help or the environment is against them.[22]
Group-level worldview: When a group has those same beliefs of dependency and powerlessness. This also
reflects how much growth the environment has to offer.[22]

Conflict escalation
Although the involved parties may hope to reach a solution to their dispute quickly, psychological and
interpersonal factors can frustrate their attempts to control the conflict, and in this case, conflict
escalation occurs. Conflict escalation "can be understood as an intensification of a conflict with regard to the
observed extent and the means used".[23] A number of factors including increased commitment to one's
position, use of harder influence tactics, and formation of coalitions propel the escalation of the conflict. [24]
Uncertainty and commitment
As conflicts escalate, group members' doubts and uncertainties are replaced with a firm commitment to their
position. People rationalize their choices once they have made them: they seek out information that supports
their views, reject information that disconfirms their views, and become more entrenched in their original
position (also see confirmatory bias).[25] Additionally, people believe that once they commit to a position
publicly, they should stick with it. Sometimes, they may realize the shortcomings of their views, but they
continue defending those views and arguing against their opponents just to save face. [26] Finally, if the
opponents argue too strongly, reactance may set in and group members become even more committed to the
position.[27][28]

Perception and misperception

Individuals' reactions to the conflict are shaped by their perception of the situation and people in the situation.
During the conflict, opponents' inferences about each other's strengths, attitudes, values, and personal
qualities tend to be largely distorted.[29]

Misattribution
During the conflict, people explain their opponents' actions in ways that make the problem
worse. Fundamental attribution error occurs when one assumes that opponents' behavior was caused by
personal (dispositional) rather than situational (environmental) factors. [30] When conflict continues for a while,
opponents might decide that this conflict is intractable. People usually expect intractable conflicts to be
prolonged, intense, and very hard to resolve.[31]

Misperceiving motivations
During the conflict, opponents often become mistrustful of one another wondering if their cooperative
motivations were replaced by competitive ones. This loss of trust makes it difficult to return to the
cooperative relationship. People with competitive social value orientations (SVOs) are the most inaccurate in
their perception of opponents' motivation. They often think that others compete with them when in fact, there
is no competition going on.[32] Competitors are also more biased in their search for information that confirms
their suspicions that others compete with them.[33] They also tend to deliberately misrepresent their intentions,
sometimes claiming to be more cooperatively oriented than they actually are. [34]

Soft tactics and hard tactics

People use soft tactics at the outset of the conflict, but as it escalates, tactics become stronger and harder. To
demonstrate this phenomenon, Mikolic, Parker, and Pruitt (1997)[35] simulated a conflict situation by creating a
"birthday card factory" with study participants who were paid a small amount for each card they
manufactured using paper, colored markers, and ribbons. The work went well until researchers' confederate
who posed as another participant started hoarding production materials. Initially, group members tried to
solve the problem with statements and requests. When these methods failed they shifted to demands and
complaints, and then to threats, abuse, and anger.
Although hard tactics can overwhelm the opponent, they often intensify conflicts. Morton Deutsch and Robert
Krauss (1960)[36] used trucking game experiment to demonstrate that capacity to threaten others intensifies
conflict. They also showed that establishing a communication link does not always help to solve the dispute.
[37]
If one party threatens the other, the threatened party will fare best if it cannot respond with a counterthreat.
[38][39]
Equally powerful opponents, however, learn to avoid the use of power if the fear of retaliation is high. [40]

Reciprocity and upward conflict spiral

In many cases, upward conflict spirals are sustained by the norms of reciprocity: if one group or person
criticizes the other, the criticized person or group feels justified in doing the same. In conflict situations,
opponents often follow the norm of rough reciprocity, i.e. they give too much (overmatching) or too little
(undermatching) in return. At low levels of conflict, opponents overmatch their threats, while at high levels of
conflict they undermatch their threats. Overmatching may serve as a strong warning, while undermatching
may be used to send conciliatory messages.[41]
 Few and many
When conflicts erupt, group members use coalitions to shift the balance of power in their favor, and it is
typical for multiparty conflicts to reduce to two-party blocks over time. Coalitions contribute to the conflict
because they draw more members of the group into the affray. Individuals in coalitions work not only to
ensure their own outcomes but also to worsen outcomes of non-coalition members. Those who are excluded
from the coalition react with hostility and try to regain power by forming their own coalition. Thus, coalitions
need to be constantly maintained through strategic bargaining and negotiation. [42]

Irritation and anger

It is generally difficult for most people to remain calm and collected in a conflict situation. However, an
increase in negative emotions (i.e. anger) only exacerbates the initial conflict. Even when group members
want to discuss their positions calmly and dispassionately, once they become committed to their positions, an
emotional expression often replaces logical discussion.[43] Anger is also contagious: when group member
negotiates with someone who is angry, they become angry themselves.[44]

Conflict resolution
Main article: Conflict resolution
Nicholson notes that a conflict is resolved when the inconsistency between wishes and actions of parties is
resolved.[45] Negotiation is an important part of conflict resolution, and any design of a process which tries to
incorporate positive conflict from the start needs to be cautious not to let it degenerate into the negative types
of conflict.[46]

Conflict mediation
Conflict is a social process that is exacerbated when individual members of a group take sides in the debate.
Among the methods to resolve conflict is mediation of the dispute by a group member not currently involved
in the dispute. More specifically, a mediator is defined as a person who attempts to resolve a conflict between
two group members by intervening in this conflict. Put simply, the mediator can be thought of as a
disinterested guide directs the disputants through the process of developing a solution to a disagreement
(Forsyth, 2010).
Although the tendency will be for group members who are uninvolved in the dispute to remain uninvolved, in
some cases, the sheer intensity of the conflict may escalate to the point where mediation is unavoidable. Third
party mediation of the conflict opens avenues for communication between group members in conflict. It
allows members to express their opinions and request clarification of other member's standpoints while the
mediator acts as a form of protection against any shame or "loss of face" that either disputant may experience.
This can be done by shedding a positive light on the reconciliation that was made during the mediation
process. For instance, if it was negotiated that two cashiers will rotate the weekends they work, the mediator
might point out that now each worker gets a weekend off every two weeks (Forsyth, 2010).
The mediator can also offer assistance in refining solutions and making counter-offers between members,
adjusting the time and location of meetings so that they are mutually satisfying for both parties (Forsyth,
2010).
According to Forsyth (2010), there are three major mediation approaches:

1. Inquisitorial procedure: Using this procedure, the mediator asks each of the disputants a series of
questions, considers the two sets of responses, and then selects and imposes a mandatory solution on
the members. The inquisitorial procedure is the least popular approach to mediation.
2. Arbitration: Here, mediation involves the two disputants explaining their arguments to the mediator,
who creates a solution based on the arguments presented. Arbitration is best for low intensity
conflict, but is the most favored mediation style overall.
 3. Moot: The moot approach involves an open discussion between disputants and the mediator about the
problems and potential solutions. In the moot approach, the mediator cannot impose a mandatory
solution. After arbitration, a moot is the most preferred mediation style.
In practice, conflict resolution is often interwoven with daily activities, as in organizations, workplaces and
institutions. Staff and residents in a youth care setting, for instance, interweave everyday concerns (meals,
lessons, breaks, meetings, or other mundane but concerted projects) with interpersonal disputes. [47]

III: THE BIG WHY: REASONS FOR WORKPLACE CONFLICT

Different beliefs, perceptions, and values affect the way each of us approaches work and
problem-solving. When employees find it hard to accept others’ methods, clashes arise.
Here are some of the most common reasons for workplace conflict
1. Competition for scarce resources
Anything of value (information, budgets, space, office services, and personnel) within an
organization can be sought after by several employees. A scarcity of these valuable
resources can lead to conflicts between employees.
When resources are limited in an organization, every department head will try to obtain
the maximum they can of those resources for their respective departments. That can give
rise to conflicts between departments.
Unequal distribution of resources between employees or departments also gives rise to
conflicts.
2. Time pressure
Some employees can perform better when they have to meet tight deadlines, but some
employees have destructive emotional reactions that are triggered by stress.
When employees cannot meet deadlines, they might try to shift their responsibilities to
another employee. That could give rise to conflicts among
employees and even between departments.
3. Unreasonable policies, rules, standards, and procedures/ambiguous goals and
objectives
When employees cannot attain policies, regulations, standards, and procedures, it leads to
dysfunctional conflicts with their managers.
On the other hand, if an organization’s goals and values are not clearly defined and easy
to understand, it could obstruct the flow of work.
4. Communication breakdowns
Barriers to communication are a significant cause of conflict within an organization and
give rise to misunderstandings. When employees don’t have the freedom to communicate
their problems with their higherups, it triggers inadequate communication,
misinterpretations or selective interpretation, that often leads to disputes between
employees.
5. Personality clashes
The most common reason for workplace conflict is a clash of personalities. People have
different values and perceptions, and when these do not match with their peers, it leads to
severe disagreements between employees, between management and employees, or
between a manager and an employee.
Two employees or managers who are both dogmatic and autocratic, are bound to have
clashes in their viewpoint.
When employees have different attitudes in the workplace and conduct themselves
differently, organizational conflicts arise.
6. Overlapping or ambiguous jurisdictions
Unclear job boundaries such as the range of powers and duties can create competition
between managers. Conflicts can also occur between departments for control of
resources.
7. Unrealized expectations
When an organization fails to meet its employees’ expectations, employees are left
feeling dissatisfied. On the other hand, unrealistic expectations result in destructive
conflict.
8. Task interdependence
Two departments that are interdependent for directions, supplies, or even information
must coordinate their activities. When the departments cannot find a way to coordinate
their actions, it could lead to conflicts between them.
9. Status issues
When employees disagree with the organization’s status hierarchy, they become resentful
and frustrated. Employees try their best to improve their position or protect their current
situation, and conflicts can arise from status discrepancies.
Status conflicts also arise from differences in job assignments, status symbols, working
conditions, and inequitable rewards.

Why is Resolving Workplace Conflict Necessary?

85% of employees face office conflicts & 9% of workers say that conflicts
reduce employees' ability to complete projects. Now, this negatively impacts a
company's revenue and increases monetary losses. However, is that all? No.
Here are some crucial reasons why addressing workplace conflicts is vital for
business growth.

 Ignoring conflicts can cause aggressive work settings and impact

workplace morale & productivity.

 Constant work conflicts lead to absenteeism and higher staff turnover

 Prolonged office conflict among employees can lead to legal problems.

  Office conflicts increase anxiety, stress, and tension and stress in the
office leading to poor work performances.

 Disagreements in the office demotivate workers & create a toxic

workplace culture.

 The more the office staff spends time on arguments, the more negligence
in their duties increases.

 Regular conflicts among employees harm the public image of a company

& impact the customer experience.

Most Common Causes of Workplace Conflicts

Many factors can affect how an employee behaves in the office. Here are the
top reasons that cause office conflicts.

 Unclarified Job Roles and Poor Responsibility Distribution in the

Workplace

When a company fails to provide clear job roles to each employee , work
conflicts happen due to confusion. Besides, when one employee is given the
unofficial position of supervising another worker, jealousy & resentment can
increase.

 Lack of Opportunities

Workforce slowdown & sudden reduction in the workforce often causes

anxiety in employees. In such situations, when a team member gets a
promotion, others may start feeling left out. It often causes work style conflicts
among each other while working on the same project.

 Unhappy Employees and Poor Work Environment

Failing to communicate well, presumptions about someone's personality, &

distrust among workers can cause workplace conflicts. Therefore, it is crucial
to teach employees to resolve their differences in time.
  Personality Differences

49% of office conflicts happen due to personality clashes. Disagreements arise

when a new member responds to a challenging situation in an unproductive
way. In such circumstances, other teammates become distasteful towards the
person. Result? Arguments become inevitable.

 Unrealistic Expectations

Workers won't appreciate it if you overload them with work & make it difficult
for them to carry out responsibilities. Therefore, conflict at work often happens
when employers ignore the needs of workers.

 Unclear Company Policies

A company must exhibit its fair procedures and policies in its behavior.
However, when a company fails to do so, employees lose trust in management.
In such cases, if an office conflict happens, they hesitate to go to the
supervisor, and the fights increase.

 Unresolved Harassment Issues at the Office

Your employees might want to move to another team for various reasons.
Unfortunately, one of them can be conflicts with colleagues. If your senior
managers do not try to find the root cause, aggression in the office may
increase.

 Lack Promotions at Work

If a company fails to provide work satisfaction to its employees, conflicts are

inevitable. Sometimes office conflict happens when employees feel they are
not appreciated. It increases resentment against managers, and disputes arise
when workers feel managers are biased. Therefore, a company’s appraisals or
pay systems must be equal to all employees.

How Can You Tackle Workplace Conflicts?

 Resolve Conflicts by Talking with the Other Person

Working out the differences by patiently talking with your colleague can help
build a good relationship. Ensure to arrange a meeting where you won't be
interrupted by a third party as it can escalate fights.
  Focus on the particular incident while resolving fights

Describe a specific instance rather than saying that the person is always wrong.
It shows that you don’t detest the person, but only one incident has bothered
you.

 Listen to your office pal's side of the story

Let the other person say what he thinks rather than interrupting the other
person or reacting. You can ask questions to clarify your understanding if you
have doubts honestly.

 Raise the points of agreement and disagreement after a conversation

If you argue with a co-worker earlier, they will disagree with you on various
points. Therefore, it is crucial to talk it out and modify your assessment until
the person agrees with you.

 Examine the areas of conflict

Discussing with your team which areas of conflict are most crucial can reduce
the possibility of future fights.

 Plan to work on workplace conflict from the beginning of the

interview process

If you ask candidates about their past office conflict experiences, you can
tackle such situations in the future. Therefore, be proactive and try to curb
potential office conflict situations before they happen.

 Focus on the future and always follow through with your plan

Setting up meetings multiple times to discuss workplace conflicts helps

employees to work on their disputes.

 Appreciate office mates' insights and achievements

Congratulating others when they progress can motivate them to be more

friendly & empathic. This lesson the possibility of misunderstanding &
workplace disagreements.

 Make robust company guidelines on how workers should behave if

they experience conflict
Management should be strict that they expect their staff to resolve conflicts
themselves before approaching a manager for help. This approach will push
employees to solve their problems fast.

 Leaders should be ready to train employees on how to reduce

workplace conflicts

95% of workers say conflict resolving training is beneficial. Therefore, the

Senior Management of a company must be available to coach office staff on
handling critical work situations.

 Make robust company policies

Ensure all employees notify managers if they are involved in physical violence,
theft, etc. Workers should not have to handle every conflict on their own. A
company should state it clearly that they won’t ignore inappropriate or
potentially illegal behavior.
Lastly, your staff must understand how empathic workplace culture is best for
their progress. To do so, expert training on how to improve office skills is vital

4 ;Of Tasks, Relationships & Values

Workplace conflict is categorized into three types – tasks, relationships, and values. All
three categories are commonly seen in the workplace. The first step to effective conflict
management is to understand these types of conflicts and the consequences of leaving
them unaddressed.

What is task conflict?

Task conflict is a workplace disagreement over the best way to accomplish work tasks.
Causes of task conflict can include differing attitudes, needs or behaviors in an
organization. Here are areas of work where employees may experience task conflict:

Division of labor: Employees of an organization may disagree about the way a team
distributes work to each member, creating a task conflict.
Allocation of resources: A disagreement over the way a company distributes its resources
may cause task conflicts among employees.
Managing expectations: If an employee's expectations of a subordinate aren't clear and
the subordinate performs a task incorrectly, this is an example of task conflict.
Interpretation of facts: Different people may have different understandings of the facts
surrounding their job, which can lead them to perform tasks differently and create task
conflicts.

Other types of workplace conflict

Task conflict is one of three common types of conflict in the workplace. Here are the
other types of conflict:

Relationship conflict
Relationship conflict is a disagreement in a workplace that results from differing
personalities that can cause negative, emotional interactions among employees. An
example of a relationship conflict in an organization is tensions between coworkers who
express themselves differently.

Value conflict
Value conflict occurs when coworkers experiences differences in lifestyles, values and
identities. Here are examples of areas where employees can experience value conflict:

Religion: Coworkers who hold different religious beliefs may clash and experience value
conflicts in the workplace.
Politics: Political differences can cause tensions in the workplace due to a value conflict.
Ethics: Differences in ethical beliefs between coworkers can lead to value conflict.
Social norms: Opposing ideas about social norms like hygiene, dress and timeliness in a
professional environment can lead to value conflict in the workplace.
Related: 5 Conflict Management Styles and How To Use Them Effectively
Impacts of task conflict
Below is a list of the positive and negative impacts of task conflict:

Positive impacts
Here are some of the positive results of task conflict:

Fosters healthy competition: Managers can use task conflict among employees to
promote healthy competition, for example, by rewarding employees' ideas for
improvements.
Improves problem-solving: Handling task conflict in an office can give managers and
employees chances to improve their problem-solving skills.
Results in new processes: When an employee disagrees with a company's workflows, a
task conflict, the employee may be able to suggest a new process that is more efficient or
beneficial to the rest of their coworkers.
Teamwork: When employees choose to handle task conflict by speaking about their
differences, they can work together to find compromises and create solutions, improving
their teamwork skills.
Negative impacts
Below are some of the negative results of task conflict. You can watch for these results to
help resolve conflicts as they arise:

Impacts working relationships: Task conflicts can negatively effect professional

relationships between two or more employees.
Can lead to disengagement: Employee disengagement occurs when an employee loses
interest in their work. Workplace conflicts, including task conflict, can be a cause of
disengagement.
Resentment: If employees or managers don't resolve task conflicts, this can lead to
resentment among employees.
Productivity: When employees spend their time nurturing a workplace conflict instead of
focusing on their work, productivity can suffer.
Related: 10 Reasons Why Employee Engagement Is Important
How to handle task conflict in the workplace
Here are steps you can take to manage task conflict at work:

1. Identify the task conflict

The first step to handling task conflict in the workplace is to identify the conflict.
Identifying the aspects of the conflict can help you identify potential solutions. You can
recognize the following elements in the conflict:

Who's involved in the conflict: First, you can identify the people in the workplace who
are experiencing the conflict. This could be as few as two coworkers or an entire team.
The source of the conflict: Next, you can identify the task that's the source of the clash for
employees.
Symptoms of the conflict: You can also identify the signs of conflict. Examples of
conflict symptoms may be hostility, arguments and gossip.
Results of the conflict: Another element to identify is the impact of the task conflict. This
may be a toxic work environment or a lack of productivity.
2. Address the conflict
Addressing conflict is an important part of resolving issues in the workplace. If you're a
supervisor, you can set up a meeting between yourself and the people experiencing the
task conflict. If you're an employee, you can respond to task conflict proactively by
discussing the problem with your coworker one-on-one. Here are some tips for
addressing conflict in a meeting:

Listen: All parties can use their active listening skills to understand others' perspectives
on the subject. This can help avoid tension and encourage open communication.
Collaborate on possible solutions: Coworkers who don't agree on the correct methods to
complete tasks can discuss ways to solve the conflict to all parties' satisfaction.
Ask questions: Employees can ask their supervisor questions about tasks, roles and
allocation of resources to gain a better understanding of the most efficient ways to
accomplish tasks.
Related: Interview Question: "How Do You Handle Conflict in the Workplace?"
3. Identify strategies for conflict resolution
Next, you can identify conflict-resolution strategies that you can use to solve the task
conflict. Here are some common strategies for task conflict resolution:

Specify tasks and roles: Managers can specify which tasks belong to which roles, rather
than leaving this decision to the team, to help employees' avoid task conflicts.
Collaborate on solutions: Employees and managers can use their creativity skills to
collaborate on task conflict solutions. A solution that each person involved agrees to can
be more likely to work long-term.
Trial runs: Employees can agree to try different methods to accomplish tasks to determine
which is more effective.
4. Resolve the task conflict
After you've identified the strategies for resolving the conflict, you can implement the
strategies. If employees aren't able to agree on their own, they can consult their manager
to help them further mediate the task conflict.
5. Evaluate results
Lastly, you can analyze the results of your task conflict resolution. You can determine the
degree to which your resolution strategies worked to solve the problem. Managers can
determine whether the original symptoms and results of the task conflict remain to
analyze whether their conflict-resolution strategies were successful.

Task conflict includes disputes involving issues related to an employee’s work

assignments, distribution of resources, a difference of opinion on policies and procedures,
and managing expectations of work.

Relationship conflict
Relationship conflicts arise from differences in personalities, styles, attitudes to work,
tastes, and even differences in conflict styles. People who have nothing in common are
often thrown together to work in an organization. So, it’s not surprising that relationship
conflicts are frequent in organizations.

Value conflict
A difference in values and identities – including differences in ethics, politics, religion,
and norms lead to simmering, unvoiced conflicts. While most organizations do not
encourage political and religious discussions in the workplace, values and identities play
an essential role in the context of policies and work decisions.

Workplace conflicts – whether they are task-based, relationship-based, or value-based

lead to conflicts within oneself, between individuals, or between groups.

1. Conflict within oneself

Value conflicts – Conflict within oneself usually arises when there is an internal conflict
between one’s values and what one is expected to do. For example, an employee asked to
regularly work over-time may feel it is against his core value of maintaining work-life
balance.

Role conflicts – when an employee is following a set of orders that contradict the second
set of rules, it leaves the employee confused. For example, if a customer care executive is
ordered to be very helpful to customers, but is then reprimanded for spending too much
time on each customer, this would cause conflict in the executive’s mind.

Choice conflicts – having to choose between roles. For example, a police officer
attending a best friend’s party where drugs are used must decide whether he wants to do
his duty as a police officer or as a friend.

2. Interpersonal conflict
It is the most widely recognized type of workplace conflict. It could be a conflict between
two employees or two managers who are competing for the same job, position, resources,
or power. Interpersonal conflicts can also occur from disagreements over the
organization’s goals and objectives, and policies.

Interpersonal conflicts arise from personality clashes.

3. Conflicts between an individual and the group.

All members of a group must adhere to specific norms of behavior to achieve specific
goals. A person might want to remain in a group but may disagree with the group’s rules
and practices used to achieve these goals.

For example, if tips are shared equally among waiters, there might be a waiter in the
group who believes that he deserves to keep his tips to himself, which causes conflict
between him and the other members of the group.

4. Intergroup conflict
Organizations are made up of a network of several departments, teams, groups, and
sections. Conflicts between these are very common. A relatable intergroup conflict is one
between the union and the management of an organization. Another example is the
conflict between line and staff members where both groups are interdependent but cannot
find a way to work together.

5. inter-organization conflicts
Organizations that depend on each other for the procurement of raw materials or goods
can end up disagreeing with each other with regards to policy issues, delivery times,
quality, quantity, etc. Inter-organization conflict can also arise between:
• Unions and organizations that employ their members.
• Government agencies that regulate organizations and the organizations themselves.

05 Keys to A Conflict-Free Workplace

It’s critical to accept that workplace conflict is inevitable. The good news is that
within every conflict lies an opportunity for learning. Embrace conflict and look at
it as a way to stimulate change and innovation.

Conflicts can be resolved by managers, opposing teams, or individuals.

As a mediator, you must keep the following points in mind.
• Ensure open communication – the key to conflict management.
• Set rules, define acceptable behavior, and establish meeting guidelines. For
example, both parties must agree to express their view calmly and avoid interruptions.
• Be empathetic to both conflicting parties.
• Choose a neutral location for your meeting with them. A cafeteria or a walk
outside are excellent ideas.
• Approach the conversation strategically. Keep in mind the interests of both
sides and understand both sides.
• As a mediator, you must have excellent listening skills.
• Avoid coercion or intimidation – these do not solve the problem on a long-term
basis.
• Acknowledge that resolving conflict will take time and requires patience.
• Focus on the issue and not on the conflicting individuals.
• Seek outside help when necessary.
There are five steps that managers must follow to ensure successful conflict
management and resolution between individuals or groups.
Step 1. Find the source of the conflict.
Accept the fact there is a conflict, find out its source and gather as much
information about it as you can before you address it. The more information you
have, the easier it is to resolve the conflict. You can ask a series of questions to
identify its source.
Give both conflicting parties a chance to voice their side of the story. As well as
giving you a better idea of the situation, this will also show that you are impartial
to both parties.
Step 2. Look beyond the conflicting incident
Often, a particular event (even a minor one) triggers conflict that festers over
time. Ultimately, one side breaks, resulting in visible and disruptive behavior. The
source of the dispute (the trigger incident) is forgotten, and only the present
behavior is addressed.
However, you must get to the source of the conflict and discuss it.
Step 3. Request solutions
Once you have got both party’s viewpoints, the next step is to find ways to
resolve the conflict. Most often, the best solutions are provided by the parties
themselves. As a mediator, get solutions from both sides. You must be an active
listener as well as a good reader of verbal nuances and body language.
At this stage, both the disputing parties could resolve in finger-pointing and blame
games – both of which must be discouraged.
Step 4. Identify solutions that both the disputing parties are ready to support
Now that you have all the viable solutions, point out the merits of each of the
solutions from the perspective of the disputing parties and organization.
Step 5: Agree on a solution
The final step is to choose the best solution – one that works for both parties and
the organization, and get both parties to accept it as the future course of action.
Act decisively. Do not leave any part of the conflict in limbo.
It is critical at this point to also talk about how to avoid conflicts and how future
conflicts will be addressed.

Communication tips for conflict resolution in the workplace

Here are five ways to resolve workplace conflict — and improve employee
relationships — through better communication.

1. Address issues immediately and openly.

When a conflict arises among your team members, action should be taken
quickly to resolve it. Instead of ignoring or avoiding conflict, accept it and work
toward addressing it immediately.

“Not addressing the conflict until a later time allows resentments to simmer,” Nick
Kamboj, CEO of Aston & James LLC told Business News Daily. It’s essential to
address the issue immediately and transparently.

Erin Wortham, former director of talent at Headspring, agreed that fast resolution
retains a sense of harmony in the workplace and advised leaders to encourage
open dialogue during these discussions. Similarly, in their book The Essential
Workplace Conflict Handbook (Career Press, 2015), authors Cornelia Gamlem and
Barbara Mitchell said getting to the source of a problem involves honest
conversations and a little detective work.
“Get good information by varying the types of questions you ask, such as open-
ended questions, close-ended questions, fact-based questions or opinion-based
questions,” Gamlem said. [Related article: Communication is Key to Genuine
Employee Engagement]
2. Set clear expectations.
Managing expectations — both in terms of what you expect from others and what
they expect of you — is one of the most important things a team can do to
facilitate better communication. Anything you or your colleagues need from each
other should be clearly defined and expressed.

Miki Feldman Simon, executive coach and founder of IAmBackatWork, made it a

point to have set expectations at her company from the start.

“I once worked with a company where people would often interrupt [each other],”
she said. “I established a principle where [interruption] was not acceptable.
Consistently applying this principle changed the communication habits within my
company, making it possible for everyone to voice their opinion.”

Knowing what is expected of them can help employees feel more comfortable,
thus preventing conflict-causing tension.

“If people don’t understand what the organization, their manager or their
teammates expect, confusion and conflict can result,” said Mitchell. “Set
expectations early, beginning with the job interview and again during the first
days of employment.”

3. Build active listening skills.

You may hear what your colleagues say, but are you listening to them? People’s
minds wander when others speak, especially in group settings, and they don’t
truly absorb what’s been said. Even in digital communications, it’s easy to read
and immediately forget about a message. Gamlem emphasized the importance
of creating a culture where people listen to each other.

“Listening is such an undervalued skill, and it can have a real impact on how
often conflicts arise and how they can be avoided,” she said.
Additionally, with the application of good listening skills, conflict can be helpful.

“Differing opinions and ideas can lead to great innovations,” said Lindsay Anvik,
CEO at See Endless. “Take the consistent stance of being open to someone
whose opinions differ from yours. This allows you to see things from a new light
and decide when to go to bat for your idea.”

4. Use neutral terms and open body language.

When engaged in a conflict, it’s natural to want to be closed off — but this only
hinders the chance of resolution. Give yourself (or those in the conflict) time to
cool off first. When managing the conflict, speak in a calm, agreeable manner.

Use neutral language and separate the other person from the problem. It’s better
to speak in “I” language instead of “you” language to avoid the other person
feeling attacked. For example, saying “I feel undervalued in my position” is going
to be more effective than saying “You don’t value my work.” Using “you”
language only causes the other person to get defensive, which doesn’t bode well
for conflict resolution.

In addition to choosing your words carefully, do not underestimate the power of

body language and tone. Often, it’s not what’s being said that propels conflict
further but how someone is saying it. Use open body language to signify your
willingness to resolve the conflict and reach an agreement. People tend to mimic
those around them, so this can help elicit a calm, open demeanor from anyone
else in the conflict.

5. Recognize and respect personal differences.

Opposing viewpoints, behaviors and work styles can cause a lot of arguments
and misunderstandings among colleagues, Wortham said. If clashing
personalities are the root cause of a lot of your team’s problems, work on being
more aware of the differences in how you view a situation.

“Whether it be how a meeting was run, how a strategy was deployed or how
stakeholders were engaged, recognizing that other people can interpret the same
event in different ways is important to remember to resolve conflicts when they
arise,” Wortham said. “[Knowing] how you prefer to communicate and being able
to recognize others’ communication styles can help build the bridges of
understanding.”

“Each of us sees and experiences the world differently using our own
experiences, values, individual diversity and culture,” Mitchell said. “We each
interpret what we’ve heard or seen, give it meaning and draw conclusions based
on our experiences. Recognizing that differences exist makes it easier to begin
having discussions that help resolve workplace conflicts.”

06 Referee Your Organization

Senior management plays an integral part in company-wide conflict management. Leaders
who ignore conflicts or allow conflict to fester will find that over time theirs is a toxic
workplace environment. The best solution to avoid that kind of situation is to confront
conflict head-on. Conflicts give you a chance to build trust and relationships with your
employees.

Managing conflict in a company-wide ecosystem can be tricky because you might not be
familiar with how the broader ecosystem or the environment, the conflicting individuals,
teams, or departments operate. However, it must be done. Here are some tips that will
help.

1. Don’t prevent or avoid conflict

Preventing conflict will only lead to the festering of dissatisfaction, enmity, and decreased
production – all of which are bad for the organization.
2. Time conflict management wisely
The best time for action is when you have enough proof that there is indeed a conflict that
must be addressed. Act immediately if everyone is aware of the problem. You lose respect
as a leader if everyone sees the problem but you refuse to address it.
3. Decide on a course of action
How you deal with adversity is as vital as acknowledging it and taking action. The way you
approach the problem and solve it will reveal the kind of leader you are.

4. Know your boundaries

While you must manage conflicts within the organization, you must know that there are
limitations and boundaries of the conflicting parties that you cannot cross.
Understand the rewards and the risks of conflict management within the limits of the
conflicting employees. Also, help others recognize their boundaries and let them know
when they cross the line – all this is done through careful observation.

5. Respect differences
As a leader, you might be tempted to impose your authority over your employees. It is
essential to respect their differences and learn to see things from their points of view. That
will also help you better understand how conflicts can be avoided in the future.
6. Confront the tension
As a leader, one of your skills must be to perceive tensions that are not obvious to others.
When you sense tensions arising from conflicts, use your leadership to actively address the
conflicts before they get out of hand and before circumstances force you to take action.

Three Keys To Refereeing Conflict

Ever feel like more of a referee than a leader, spending your time resolving
internal conflicts? Sometimes it’s the highest value activity you can engage in. Get
better at it by being present in the right place at the right
time, managing behavior while supporting people and communicating decisions
clearly.

During a gorgeous pre-dawn car ride into Dublin, Brendan Shorte related some of
his experiences refereeing international soccer matches. When he explained the
three keys were “Positioning, man management and decision-making,” it all
crystalized into a powerful leadership lesson.

Positioning

Brendan’s first step was to “figure out what the 22 players were going to do and
position myself to do my job without interfering with them.” This required:

 Figuring out the teams and players’ biases by observing the first few
minutes of that match.

 Reading the flow of the match to anticipate what was going to happen
next.

 Physical conditioning and commitment to get to the right place at the

right time.

Like Gretzky skating to where the puck was going, great referees get to where
they can control the action.
Man Management

Managing employees is complicated, especially if your span of control gets

beyond about seven people. Imagine “managing” two separate groups of
11 individuals with egos inflated almost as high as their paychecks. And imagine
doing this in the most public setting with 40,000 or more people watching every
move you make.

This was Brendan’s normal workday, trying to separate out the “lunatics from the
skillful footballers” (on the field) to enable safe and fair play with the minimum
of interference.

When it came to egregious fouls, the first time players committed one he gave
them yellow warning cards as a matter of course. The next step, red cards, meant
the players were ejected for the rest of the match. So Brendan used them
sparingly.

Instead, when players got close to committing their second “cardable” offense,
Brendan warned them – not by calling them over to him and publicly shaming
them, but by running alongside them and giving them a private warning: “Do that
again and you’re out”. Point made. Ego preserved. Back to the match.

Decision Making

As a referee, Brendan decided penalties, possession, extra playing time and the
like. This required:

 Knowledge of the “laws of the game.”

 Clarity of communication so that everyone understood the decisions

quickly and thoroughly and could then get back to the match.
(Brendan liked to use both words and gestures at the same time to
make his decisions clear.)

 Confidence to get back to the match himself, not second-guessing

decisions even knowing he was going to get some of them wrong.
Strong referees aren’t there. Of course they are there - but no one notices them as
they facilitate play. No one is aware of how much they matter. Weak referees
interfere and become a memorable part of the story.

Implications for you

This is directly applicable. If you don’t have conflict in your team, you don’t have
enough diversity in your team. Managing conflict should be as much a part of
your job as it was of Brendan’s.

Yet, as Lao-tzu put it,

The great leader speaks little. He never speaks carelessly. He works without self-interest
and leaves no trace. When all is finished, the people say, “We did it ourselves.”

Just as no one likes to win or lose because of the referee, no one likes to win or
lose because of the leader. So, do think in terms of positioning, man management
and decision making:

1. Positioning: Anticipate points of conflict and be present at them to

keep the conflict positive.
2. Man Management: It’s not about managing your people. It’s about
guiding behaviors while supporting the person.
3. Decision Making: Some conflict is unresolvable. This is where you
step in as the leader and make the call so all can back to the match,
right or wrong.
 How to detox a poisonous workplace
Two industry leaders offer their insight into facilitating respectful employee
relations and resolving workplace conflict.

A healthy work environment is an environment where people are satisfied with

their work and motivated to excel in their respective fields. Such environments are
often rare and highly valued in the workplace as they facilitate extensive collaboration
and teamwork, and promote employee creativity and productivity. This in turn,
translates into high levels of employee investment in the company and workforce at
large.

The opposite of a healthy work environment is a toxic environment, one that is full of
gossip, rumors, and interpersonal conflict. Toxic work environments needlessly results
in unfriendly and uncooperative staff. In short, toxic work environments need to be
turned around quickly… but how?

Tamara Reid, human resources coordinator and Charles Qabazard, sales management
instructor at Ashton College, outline their expert opinions on supporting a healthy
work environment and resolving workplace conflict:

1. Rapid Response

For Reid, a rapid response from Human Resources to a toxic workplace is crucial:
“When conflict occurs in the workplace, it’s important to listen to both sides of the
story and to do it quickly. In many cases, a conflict can arise from a simple
misunderstanding, but can easily get blown out of proportion if not handled quickly
and efficiently.”

From a crisis management perspective, the best course of action for conflict resolution
is to get as much information as possible from all parties involved. When this occurs,
a Human Resources professional can make an informed, objective decision on what is
the best way to handle the situation.

2. Managing Diversity

Another important aspect of conflict resolution is recognizing that people often have
very different understandings of social conventions and cross-cultural communication
styles. This is especially true in diversified work environments where day-to-day
operations involve a mix of individual cultures, corporate cultures, as well group and
even inter-office cultures.

As Qabazard says, “there are so many things mixed together in a work environment,
and you need to make sense of them to understand what’s causing the conflict.”

Qabazard shares an example from his own practice to highlight how simple things can
create an unfriendly, if not toxic, work environment. “I worked with a company once
that had executives from Norway, Germany, Netherlands, UK and Italy. You’d think
they are all similar, but they’re not. An English person, for instance, is very
diplomatic, and he would be much more delicate when correcting you. Someone from
Holland, on the other hand, is incredibly blunt – to them, if they like you and they
respect you, they are very straightforward and honest with you. Add to the picture
someone from Naples, who is often very emotional and passionate about their work.
Try putting them together to work on the same project, and you will most likely see
tension, if not an open conflict. This is why you have to look at things in a big picture:
if you remember how differently people see the world, you’ll be able to resolve the
conflict faster.”

3. Awareness and Education

Every workplace has procedures in place for dealing with inter-office conflict. These
can take the form of grievance policies or specific guidelines and strategies for
managing conflict resolution. Similarly, many organizations and companies have
policies designed to protect and ensure workplace diversity, equity, and fairness.
When a work environment becomes toxic, it’s important to always refer back to those
policies as a benchmark for workplace conduct.

As Reid notes, however, simply having a policy or procedure in place often isn’t
enough. “A huge aspect of Human Resources is educating employees and helping
them understand what the organization stands for in terms of acceptable behaviour.
Policies alone are not very efficient. As an HR professional, you need to ensure that
people are aware of these policies, and also that they’re aware of what’s behind them.”

Reid also stresses the importance of highlighting the benefits of a cooperative and
healthy work environment: “I don’t think there is as much awareness about the long-
term ramifications of conflicts and gossip at work. A toxic work environment destroys
people’s desire to challenge themselves and aspire to new heights in their careers. This
also has the unfortunate effect of making work just much less enjoyable, negatively
impacting an organization’s overall productivity.” For Human Resources
professionals, it’s crucial to facilitate cooperation between co-workers from day one
and to let them know that help is readily available during times of conflict.

4. Learn to Accept Constructive Criticism

Charles Qabazard shares a few helpful tips that individuals can do to avoid getting
themselves into an unnecessary, heated situation. “Quite often when we hear a
criticism or negative feedback, we tend to take it personally, get very emotional and
jump to conclusions. Instead, I would suggest truly listening and asking yourself what
the positive intentions behind that criticism might be.”

Remembering that constructive criticism exists to focus your improvement and growth
can prevent many conflicts in the workplace. For Qabazard, the key is to learn to see
things from the other person’s point of view, and to ask for clarification if ever unsure
of something. Clarity is very important; and Qabazard believes that clarity can be
found just by asking a few simple questions, such as “what exactly do you mean by
this?” or “in what way can I improve this?”

“This isn’t always easy,” says Qabazard. “It can be difficult to do because as humans,
we’re often very emotional. But if we take charge of our emotions, monitor them, and
at the same time discipline them, we can be much more productive with our time and
can experience less conflict as a result.”

While its impossible to permanently avoid conflict in the workplace, it is possible to

develop a positive workplace environment after a conflict has been resolved. Here are
three tips to follow at an organizational level, individual level, and at a team level.
1. Take immediate and practical affirmative steps.
While the conflict has been resolved, steps must be taken to ensure similar situations are
avoided. These steps include:
• Working with stakeholders to come up with necessary documentation.
• Coming up with a plan of action regarding situations you have been avoiding.
• Managing internal repercussions in the organization.
• Reorganizing your schedule to meet responsibilities assigned to you.
2. Exorcise the conflict from your body so it does not stick with you and slow you
down.
• Exercise can help relieve the stress that has been accumulating in your body.
• Consider yoga, tai chi, and meditation that are all known to relieve the body of stress.
• Get a massage, have a drink or watch a movie – whatever works for you.
3. Concentrate on the future and not on the past.
• Avoid ruminating on the past.
• Managers in conflict should seek new opportunities and responsibilities.
• Employees must wrap up their existing projects and move on to the next project. Seek
out personal interactions with people who do not concentrate on the conflict as the main
topic of conversation.
Follow the above tips, and you will find that in time you will stop ruminating and
thinking about how things were or how things might have turned out.
Conclusion

Conflict in organizations is inevitable. However conflict is not necessarily a bad word.

When managed well and kept free of personal attacks, creative conflict often leads to rich
decision making. However, like all things that are learnt, managing conflict is also a skill
that everyone working in organizations needs to master. Dive to the sections below to get
more insights on mastering this very important skill. Conflict in project management is
not necessarily unfavourable when properly managed. Several advantages have been
identified such as increasing personal growth and morale, enhancing communication,
and producing better project outcomes. However, conflict can be the decline of an
organization if it is not effectively managed. The challenge for
organizational leaders and project managers is to try to maintain the right balance and
intensity of conflict in project management. By utilizing project management
principles, understanding the dynamics of conflict, and learning approaches to conflict
resolution, managers will be able to establish an environment in which creativity and
innovation is encouraged and project goals are accomplished.
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