Learning to defuse conflict at work
How can you recognise conflict within your teams before it escalates? Can it be prevented? Conflict management experts share their advice on how to continue working effectively despite differences of opinion.
In the workplace, an escalating conflict can seriously undermine performance. A deteriorating working environment can lead to absenteeism, affect employees’ physical wellbeing, and even result in burnout. Under Article 6 of the Labour Act, employers are required to protect the health of their employees. But how can organisations intervene before difficult situations become unmanageable, and even prevent conflict altogether?
1,000 variations
According to Albert Vollmer, Professor at the FHNW School of Applied Psychology, everything depends on the nature of the disagreement. “The conflict may relate to the work itself. People may disagree, for example, over the design of a new website, the marketing strategy, or the limits on the use of AI within the company.” Another type of conflict concerns work processes, such as how tasks are allocated and how collaboration is organised. “People may debate who has the authority to decide when a new product should be launched, how orders should be processed, or how resources should be allocated.” Finally, there are so-called interpersonal conflicts. “These may take the form of disagreements between colleagues, where one person feels hurt by another or feels that their competence is being questioned. Communication becomes strained and unpleasant.”
Research carried out by the FHNW team shows that the most common cases often combine disagreements over tasks or processes with a greater or lesser degree of interpersonal conflict. “There are countless variations of these different types of conflict. The important thing is for managers to develop an awareness of these conflicts and to be able to identify them quickly within their teams.”
Clarify and communicate
Certain situations are particularly conducive to conflict, observes Jacqueline Chorand, a human resources consultant and trainer. Managers need to recognise these situations so they can remain vigilant. “Differences often arise because certain resources are scarce. People argue over the only office near the window or the last available parking space. The risk of conflict is also greater when managers have not clearly defined roles and responsibilities, especially nowadays when employees are increasingly expected to be multi-skilled. During periods of excessive workload, managers also tend to prioritise operational matters over relationships, allow the workplace atmosphere to deteriorate, or fail to address the behaviour of a high-performing employee who may be useful in the short term but toxic to the team.”
Breaking the taboo around conflict is of great importance, according to Professor Albert Vollmer. “The subject needs to be discussed openly throughout the company, while reminding everyone that when people share common goals, it is perfectly normal to have differing views on how those goals should be achieved. Disagreements and conflicts about tasks and processes can actually be beneficial because they often lead to innovation or to solutions that improve the way the company operates.” For example, team meetings can include a standing agenda item to discuss what is working well and what is not within the company. Beyond prevention and the management of escalation, the aim is to establish clear decision-making mechanisms, a culture of measured debate and opportunities for experimentation, so that disagreements do not become a stumbling block but lead to better solutions.
A clear framework
Conflict management workshops led either by trained in-house staff or by external consultants are an effective preventive measure. “Team members can learn how to hold constructive discussions despite differing viewpoints and how to overcome disagreements. They learn to negotiate working arrangements, the division of responsibilities and each person’s expectations. Where interpersonal tensions or animosity arise, they should also be able to re-establish dialogue, clarify misunderstandings and, where appropriate, rebuild working relationships.” Companies are also encouraged to establish clear procedures for handling disagreements. “Employees should first try to resolve the issue between themselves. If that does not work, they should then speak to their manager,” adds Albert Vollmer. “If a senior manager finds themselves at an impasse, they can seek assistance from an external adviser.”
Managers, meanwhile, should learn how to gather information when conflicts become open. “Sometimes managers have missed the warning signs, and the employee’s report only reaches HR once the crisis has already erupted and emotions are running high,” notes consultant Jacqueline Chorand. “In these situations, it is useful to have a questionnaire prepared in advance so that the right questions are asked, encouraging the person to provide specific examples of what happened.” When taking action, the focus should always remain on the expectations of the role rather than on the individual. “For example, it is far better to say, ‘I expect a Human Resources Director to act calmly and respectfully towards others,’ than, ‘You’re too impulsive’ or ‘You’re unpleasant.’”
Once the conflict has been resolved, the team can carry out a brief analysis to identify what worked well in managing the disagreement, and what might have been done differently. The aim is to foster the ability to learn from mistakes, rather than adopting a purely reactive stance.