IT MAY be hard to believe, but on average, office workers have 4,000 arguments with colleagues over their lifetime – which adds up to almost two per week.
And the biggest source of arguments tends to be personality clashes and differences over working styles.
Conflict at work can be costly – it can lead to sickness or absence from work or reduced productivity and if conflict escalates, poor communication and stress can lead to errors and accidents.
Workplace disputes can take many forms, an individual with a grievance, a disagreement between and employee and a boss, or conflict between colleagues.
Whatever the reason behind it, bad feeling at work gets in the way of the business.
Line managers have a key role to play in identifying and tackling disagreements within their teams.
Often conflict can be avoided, for example by having clear job roles, unreasonable workloads, and lack of equal opportunity.
Having proper contracts in place helps to clarify expectations on both sides, and managers who are trained in line management will be able to identify problems before they escalate.
Furthermore, having clear disciplinary and grievance procedures in place can enable managers to act quickly.
Employers wishing to solve any issues informally should listen carefully to complaints and try to recognise any underlying cause of unhappiness or stress.
Staff should be allowed to speak freely to help them feel they are being listened to and understood.
If stress is at the root of a workplace conflict, the employer should work with the employee to alleviate the causes.
Under the health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, employers are obliged to undertake a risk assessment for health hazards at work – including stress – and to take action to control that risk.
Addressing issues early in a calm and reasonable manner will help to contain a situation, and if a resolution is not possible at an early stage, mediation by a third party may be considered.
Conflict at work is not just bad for business, it is stressful and unpleasant for everyone involved.
Managers owe it to their employees and to themselves to learn how to spot the signs early and keep workplace disputes to a minimum.
Empire is holding two courses to help managers alleviate conflict and spot mental health issues in the workplace:
Wednesday, May 25, Aberdeen – Conflict and Employee Well-being
Thursday, June 9 – Mental Health Awareness for Managers