Causes of Conflict In The Workplace

Conflict is a natural part of the human experience. It cannot be eliminated in the workplace because, so long as there are more than one persons gathered in any environment, there is always the potential for conflict.  This is because each of us has different values, beliefs, relationships, interests, etc.  When these differences are brought together in a closed environment like the workplace, conflict is a given.

CONFLICT INCREASES INTENSITY OVER TIME UNLESS THERE IS DE-ESCALATION

As the chart above shows, conflict will grow in intensity over time unless there is some intervention to de-escalate it. 


The consequences of conflict in the workplace can become dire when it is allowed to escalate to the point where employees start hurting each other. When this happens, they start engaging in activities like: verbal abuse,belittling, threatening behavior, intimidation, humiliation making unreasonable demands, setting colleagues up for failure, etc. These behaviors lead to negative feelings like resentment, defensiveness, and mistrust. As the chart below shows, the result is an increase in the causes and intensity of conflict at work.

CAUSES OF CONFLICT IN THE WORKPLACE

The workplace conflict scale highlights the fact that conflict in the workplace leads to increased emotional distress for employers; and loss in money and time for employers. These results can be minimized if employers put policies in place that address and de-escalate conflict in its early stages. Seeing that conflict negatively affects both employers and employees, both must work together to create a harmonious workplace environment.


~Wishing you all a harmonious workplace!