Managing interpersonal conflict in the workplace

As workplaces become more diverse, with advances in technology, shifts in methods of work and changes in organizational structures, the type of conflict being experienced in the workplace is also changing. Increasingly, organizations are being faced with interpersonal and relationship-based conflict caused by the breakdown of trust, communication and understanding between management and workers, and/or between workers themselves. Although differences in cultural, ethnic and demographic background do not of themselves cause conflict, the way in which organizations, their employees and employees' representatives manage and express these differences, can contribute significantly to the development of interpersonal and relationship-based conflict in the workplace. Not only does this type of conflict have a significant impact on the well-being of the individuals involved, it often affects other members of the team or department who directly or indirectly become drawn into the conflictual situation. In addition to the individual and team impact, such conflict carries the risk of negatively affecting productivity and the profitability of the enterprise. Research shows that ineffective conflict handling costs organizations millions of euros each year. If interpersonal conflict is not effectively managed, the sustainability of the business and the jobs of its employees may be threatened.