Workplace conflicts are on the rise. According to Conflict at Work research, 36% of workers report dealing with conflict regularly these days. Compare that to only 29% of workers in 2008.
It does not matter if you work in a remote, hybrid, or in-person setting, either. Conflicts can arise no matter how you work, though the cause of the issues may come about differently.
Avoiding conflict, then, is crucial to surviving your 9 to 5. You need to understand how to identify and resolve issues yourself, especially since 25% of people believe their managers do a poor job of handling conflict.
Are you wondering how to improve your conflict resolution skills at work? If so, you clicked on the right article. Below, we outline some of the most common workplace issues and problematic coworkers and how to deal with them.
56% of in-person workers say poor communication is the leading cause of conflict in the office. Meanwhile, hybrid and remote workers say a lack of transparency is the bigger problem.
Regardless of the specific reasons for workplace problems, there are a few types of conflicts where these issues commonly arise. We discuss four of them next.
Process conflicts are also known as operational conflicts. They arise from disagreements about how to execute work activities.
Here's an example of a process conflict. A manager delegates tasks to a group of workers, but some feel like they got the short end of the stick. Next time, the workers want to divvy up the tasks themselves, but their manager disagrees.
Coworkers come from all walks of life. So, it should be no wonder we all have different perceptions about the methods and strategies we should use to get work done.
Task-based conflicts are similar, except that they revolve around individual projects or tasks. These conflicts come from individual perceptions of how a problem should be solved.
Often, these types of issues arise not only between individuals but also entire departments. For example, the sales department typically does not agree with the way the accounting department sees things.
These types of conflicts often resolve themselves. After all, you have to complete tasks within a limited time.
Process and task-based disagreements may not be a big deal on their own. But they often lead to the most dangerous form of workplace conflict: interpersonal conflicts. Interpersonal means between two people.
Relationship conflicts can arise for many different reasons, from clashing personalities to out-of-office issues.
Of all the types of conflict in the workplace, interpersonal problems can cause the most damage. Coworker relationship issues can cause stress and even reduce your quality of life at home. It is critical to nip them in the bud.
Value conflict is a specific type of interpersonal conflict. It involves disagreeing with others on the basis of different principles. And by values, we mean political views, religious beliefs, or ethical positions.
Many workplaces explicitly make these subjects off-limits. This is a proactive approach to preventing these issues from arising in the first place. Yet, it is not always enough.
Differences in values can arise more indirectly, too. For example, a company experience value conflicts based on the introduction of a new diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) or workplace harassment policy.
These issues may not blatantly revolve around values. But each worker's response to the new policy or policies may inadvertently show their stance, bringing about conflict.
As we mentioned, relationship problems in the workplace often arise from personality clashes. Not everyone can be agreeable, cooperative, and empathetic all the time.
Still, it can be difficult to deal with people who consistently showcase the following problematic behaviours:
You can avoid many of these issues by focusing on what you came to do: work. Yet, some of these problems may persist no matter how hard you try to ignore them. This is where conflict resolution skills can help.
Our first tip for handling workplace conflicts professionally and effectively is to avoid sweeping them under the rug. As we will discuss next, some problems are small enough to ignore. But others will get worse if left unaddressed.
So, the first step to solving problems at work is to deal with issues as soon as they arise. Speak to your manager or pull aside your problematic coworker proactively to avoid bigger blowups in the future.
But what exactly do you say to your manager or coworker when you work up the nerve to address the issue? Keep reading to find out.
Unfortunately, we can't resolve all conflicts that arise in the workplace. When they are small, it may be more helpful to let the issue roll off your shoulders. That way, you can make room for the bigger issues at hand.
Yet, a small issue can be indicative of a larger problem at hand. Take note of small problems that continuously arise for you or others.
Once you identify the problem at hand, you can analyze it for the source. Are you contributing to the problem? Or is the problem due to a structural issue for which you may have a solution?
Sometimes, it can be difficult to identify big workplace issues yourself. A career counsellor can help you identify what's going wrong and give you tools and skills to help you resolve it.
EIQ stands for emotional intelligence quotient. Also known as emotional intelligence, EIQ or just EQ showcases someone's ability to understand their own emotions and those of others.
When you have good EQ, you can communicate with and relate to others more effectively. This skill is invaluable in the workplace, especially when dealing with interpersonal conflict.
Having emotional intelligence also means being self-aware. You need to understand what you have done to exacerbate the situation. That way, you can take accountability for your part in the conflict.
Assertive communication styles often get a bad rap. Yet, being assertive is one of the best ways to solve problems at work and in life. That is because it involves being both direct and respectful.
Compared to passive and aggressive communication styles, the assertive style takes into account what you need. But it also places equal consideration on the needs of others.
Being assertive is not about trying to win or people-please others. Instead, it is about getting your needs and the needs of the person you are in conflict with met. That may require a healthy compromise or two.
Remember how we mentioned that complainers are often difficult to deal with in the workplace? You may not see this quality in yourself. But if you bring up problems without solutions often, you may be part of the problem.
You can come up with potential solutions yourself when dealing with conflicts between yourself and one other coworker. But if the conflict is organization-wide, it may be better to collaborate with your coworkers.
Once you come up with a solution, create an action plan. Your plan should outline potential ways to solve conflicts and prevent them from happening again in the future.
Sometimes, you can try everything in your toolbox, but you still can't get along with your problematic coworker. That is why you need to decide how much stress you are willing to deal with from your coworker before calling it quits.
That is not to say that you always have to quit your job if a coworker is making your work life miserable. Instead, consider how much support you can expect to receive from your manager or company's HR department.
If the answer is little to none, it may be time to start searching for a new job. This is where CareerHD comes in.
Workplace conflicts are on the rise, so there is no better time than now to polish your conflict resolution skills. We hope this post helps you understand common workplace issues and how you can start solving them.
Are you in the market for a new job? At CareerHD, we offer resume writing services, interview coaching sessions, and career counselling for individuals in Canada and the US.
Book a free consultation today to find out how our services can help you advance your career.
