The better able team members are to engage, speak, listen, hear, interpret, and respond constructively, the more likely their teams are to leverage conflict rather than be levelled by it’ (Runde and Flanagan, 2007: 116).
‘If we manage conflict constructively, we harness its energy for creativity and development’ (Kaye, 1994).
Conflict within the workplace if not resolved can lead to negativity, an unproductive workforce/team and potentially cause damage to a person's mental health (Gadd, 2012). This article will discuss what conflict is and how to manage it effectively within the workplace with particular emphasis on strategies to reduce the likelihood of conflict occurring and methods to resolve it in a positive way.
What is conflict?
Conflict has been defined as ‘the interaction of interdependent people who perceive incompatibility and the possibility of interference from others as a result of this incompatibility’ (Folger et al, 2009: 4). Communication is central to conflict in that communication often creates conflict, reflects conflict and is the way in which it is productively or destructively managed (Wilmot et al, 2007; Brinkert, 2010). Supervisors and managers need to be aware of how conflict develops and how to resolve it when conflict does occur. If unhealthy conflict is allowed to arise, the resultant effects can lead to lasting damage within a team, having a negative impact on the workplace and business.
The effect of conflict on individual and team performance
There are three basic types of conflict: task conflict, interpersonal conflict and procedural conflict.
Task conflict
Disagreement about the content of discussion is called task conflict. Task conflict can be productive by improving the quality of decisions and problem solving processes (Tekleab et al, 2009). This type of conflict can be beneficial in a meeting situation encouraging discussion and decision making as a team. Everyone will have different thoughts/ideas and those ideas can be fully discussed. This can be productive where the leader/chairperson controls the direction of discussion allowing a final decision to be decided on.
Interpersonal conflict
Another potential area for conflict is the interpersonal relationships within the team. The term interpersonal conflict is used to indicate the disagreement that most people call a ‘personality clash’. Conflict of this type can be expressed through subtle nonverbal behaviours. For example particular body language such as avoidance of eye contact or defensive body language. Interpersonal conflict may be inevitable and must be managed for optimal group coexistence and performance. Conflict of this type can also cause a negativity to spread throughout the staff; this could lead to reduced motivation of individuals within their role. However, interpersonal conflict may have a positive impact on performance if the individuals involved are competitive, that is they both want to be recognised for their outstanding performance (Henry, 2009).
Procedural conflict
Procedural conflict exists when team members disagree about the procedures to be followed in accomplishing the team goal. Procedural conflict, like task conflict, may be productive (Hon and Chan, 2013). This sort of conflict is good during meetings when using problem solving techniques or discussing new/evolving tasks that need to change or need to be instigated (Jehn, 2000).
Impact on performance
If the conflict of any type is allowed to develop it is likely to have a negative effect on performance. This is especially true with regards to interpersonal conflict which can impact the team as a whole and an individual's mental health (Spratlen, 1995). Team members may avoid working with other individuals and therefore avoid certain tasks, potentially causing an element of procedural conflict. Conflict types can often be interwoven and therefore must be addressed with a multifaceted approach (discussed later). Irrespective of the type of conflict it is important the line manager must be seen to address the matter when the conflict is brought to the manager's attention. Otherwise this will lead to a breakdown in the relationship between the individual(s) and the manager, leading to a decreased performance overall. Conversely, a well-managed conflict situation which becomes resolved in a positive manner can have a positive impact on the team. Solutions and communication throughout the process of resolving the conflict can lead to problem solving ideas that become incorporated into the practice and improve certain standards or protocol and hopefully reduce the incidence of further conflict. Communication between the two parties can also lead to better understanding of each other's role and a more positive relationship in the future.
Causes of conflict at work and how to avoid them
Conflicting resources
In every veterinary practice there will be certain resources everyone needs to access — whether these are veterinary supplies, help from colleagues, or even a meeting room. When more than one person or group needs access to a particular resource, conflict can occur. This type of conflict can be avoided by making sure that individuals have everything they need to do their jobs well. Teaching team members how to prioritise their time and resources, as well as how to negotiate with one another, can help prevent this type of conflict. Organisation and planning ahead (such as the day before) can ensure resources are available on busy days. This is especially useful in the surgery theatre environment. Ensuring areas are fully stocked each day can also help ensure resources are always available.
If conflict does occur and individuals start battling for a resource, both parties can be sat down to discuss openly why their needs are at odds. An open discussion about the problem can help each party see the other's perspective and become more empathic about their needs. It may also be used as a brain storming session to discuss ways to prevent the conflict from occurring again (Baillien et al, 2011).
Conflicting styles
Everyone works differently, according to his or her individual needs and personality. Some people will want to take their time to ensure a very high standard of work, while others may be more aware of the time involved and be more focused on managing a busy day and have a higher sense of urgency — everyone works differently to achieve the same high standard of care. It is important to recognise that neither of these styles of working are wrong but a balance between the two can be necessary during certain situations. A good leader will recognise these differences and work with the two parties to try and ensure a compromise.
To prevent and manage this type of conflict in the team, consider each individual's working styles and natural group roles when building the team. Discuss different ways of working within team meetings and encourage different working styles, but also discuss as a group how to be more effective and how individuals can work as a team in order to achieve all tasks and to a high standard.
Team members should be encouraged to take a personality test, such as the Myers-Briggs Personality Test (www.myersbriggs.org). This can increase colleague's selfawareness of themselves and others, helping them to become more accepting of other people's styles of working, hopefully resulting in a more flexible approach. In order to encourage participation an attempt should be made to make the experience fun, perhaps during a team meeting (Caldwell and Burger, 1997).
Conflicting perceptions
All of us see the world through our own eyes and differences in perceptions of events can cause conflict (Gross et al, 2004). If team members regularly engage in gossip, there might be a problem with conflicting perceptions. Additionally, negative performance reviews or customer complaints can also result from this type of conflict. Appraisals should be carried out at least once a year and should be a positive experience. Constructive criticism could be left to discuss as a group during a team meeting in order to not single out certain individuals. If there is a serious performance issue with a member of staff then that should be addressed separately and promptly, especially if their actions pose a threat to patient or staff safety. If left to fester the performance issue may have a greater impact or become a much bigger problem (Whitby, 2018). As such it is important that every effort is made to eliminate this conflict by communicating openly with the team, even when there is a need to share bad news. Transparency can be advantageous; team members are much less likely to fabricate their own interpretation of events if they are party to all of the information available. Team meetings are vital for this communication to take place — these should be a priority and held regularly (monthly if possible). One to one meetings held twice a year allow staff to voice any concerns or discuss any current conflicts with the manager themselves (Skjørshammer, 2001).
Assigning a project to one person that normally would be someone else's responsibility, may unwittingly ignite a power struggle between the two. The individual who would normally be responsible for the task may feel put out or it may be perceived as negative feedback. Both individuals may perceive the task being re-delegated because the first individual was not performing effectively, this may leave one individual de-motivated and another feeling empowered. If a task or project is to be re-assigned for genuine reasons then sit down with the individual who is normally responsible and discuss the requirements for the change, it may be that you look at all tasks involved in a particular area and re-delegate tasks/responsibilities due to staff changes, if so discuss it as a group during a team meeting and explain the need for the changes. It is always good to make decisions as a group, it takes everyone's point of view and concerns into account and tasks can be delegated fairly and to people who are happy to take on the responsibility.
Conflicting goals
Sometimes there are conflicting goals in a workplace, for example in stocking areas, cleaning, ordering, instrument maintenance and care. For instance, one manager might stress speed is priority. Another manager might say that in-depth, high-quality service is the top priority. It is sometimes quite difficult to reconcile the two!
Whenever goals are set for team members, make sure that those goals do not conflict with other goals set for that person (Unsworth et al, 2013).
Conflicting pressures
It is often necessary to depend on colleagues to achieve the workload and provide good patient care. Team work is vital for any practice to be successful and provide a high standard of patient care. On busy days team work is essential but can leave everyone feeling the pressure. Having a short team meeting at the beginning of the day to identify priority tasks and areas to share the workload can help with these pressures.
Having structure in the practice can really help, for example having nurses in different areas such as recovery, preparation area, pharmacy, kennels, anaesthesia, surgical nursing etc. The nurse understands what goals are required in that particular area, and if there are tasks set out in each area then it is easy for any staff member to work in that area. Everyone then has their own responsibilities and tasks for the day with little overlap. If there are daily tasks such as cleaning and stocking, try putting them onto a laminated tick sheet for individuals to initial, this way everyone can see what has to be completed by the end of the day and it is completed as a team effort.
Conflicting roles
On occasion team members may be required to perform a task that is outside their normal role. This may cause the individual to step into another team member's ‘responsibilities’ leading to a potential conflict. The same can happen in reverse — sometimes it may be felt that a particular task should be completed by someone else. Conflicting roles are similar to conflicting perceptions. After all, one team member may view a task as his or her responsibility and if someone else comes in to take over that task, conflict occurs (Ballantyne, 2019a). If you suspect that team members are experiencing conflict over their roles, explain why tasks or projects have been assigned to each person. If such conflict is left unaddressed then it can lead to reduced job satisfaction in employees (Acker, 2004).
Different personal values
When work and personal values are different conflict can quickly arise. This may be on purely a personal or cultural level. To avoid this in the team, practice ethical leadership: try not to ask the team to do anything that clashes with their, your or other employee's values (Simpao, 2013).
Unpredictable policies
When rules and policies change at work and that change is not communicated clearly to the whole team, confusion and conflict can occur between the employees themselves and with management. When rules and policies change communication is key — it is important to ensure the change is detailed exactly and, more importantly, why the policy is changing. When people understand why the rules are there, they are far more likely to accept the change (Pugh, 1993). Once the rules are in place, strive to enforce them fairly and consistently.
Recognised techniques used to minimise and resolve conflict
- Problem solving— useful for procedural or task conflict. Set up a meeting if the conflict is regarding a task/role within the job. Allow a problem-solving discussion to take place, ensuring the leader maintains control of the discussion and keeps it a positive effective meeting. Taking ideas from each member of the team can improve job satisfaction and make members feel they contribute to the team's role.
- Super ordinate goals— reduce/solve any problems with any goals/tasks impeding individuals within their roles which may result in conflict amongst team members. For example, ensure all roles and responsibilities are clear and achievable for all members. A clear and concise job description can help with this.
- Expansion of resources— ensure resources are adequate for all individuals so that there is no conflict over resources, for example computers to work from.
- Avoidance/smoothing— line managers could have a meeting with individuals or the team regarding conflicts that are affecting team or individual performance (Kerrigan, 2019). The manager may speak to the team individual in order to assess the conflict. Once the manager has made observations and assessed the situation they then may discuss the conflict with the team or individuals and try to resolve it by discussing it and offering advice. This may be a technique required for interpersonal conflicts such as personality clashes. The manager may approach individuals and discuss their personality differences and suggest ways to deal with the clashes and conflicts. It is often appropriate for the manager to obtain both sides of the story before making judgement and to understand the reason for the conflict before having a meeting with all involved parties together to resolve the issue.
- Compromise— as above, compromise will be required when dealing with interpersonal conflict if the conflict is to be resolved or moved forward.
- Authoritative command— during times of conflict the line manager needs to be seen as an authoritative figure. This may involve telling members of staff to keep issues to themselves and to not discuss it amongst team members. This would help to eliminate the spread of negativity towards individuals. If the team are aware that negativity is not tolerated hopefully this will reduce the incidence of idle chat amongst staff (at least when the line manager is present anyway!).
- Human resources (HR)— in larger organisations a HR department may get involved in extreme circumstances. They may separate individuals where possible through re-structuring.
Promoting a positive atmosphere in order to minimise the adverse effects of conflict
- Team spirit— organise a team get together, either as a meeting or a social event. The manager would need to ensure everyone has put the conflict behind them and are open to moving forward together as a team. This would obviously be after a conflict situation has occurred. Team building events may be arranged in order to increase team spirit
- To avoid conflict— ensure clear job roles. A manager can help to prevent conflict by ensuring all team members are aware of their role and responsibilities and are trained/capable within all tasks. Structure and involvement of all team members can be achieved by setting out specific daily tasks that need to be carried out routinely. For example, creating a morning and evening check/tick list including stocking, cleaning etc. for everyone to assist with daily tasks no matter what their role is for the day.
- To avoid conflict— communicate positively and openly. In order to create a positive work environment each employee needs to feel valued. This is best accomplished through listening to each person and honouring each one for what she/he has to say. This will show value and respect to every individual, and not one over and above the other (Ballantyne, 2019b). One important aspect of communicating openly is to meet with staff and discuss the teams, values, mission and goals. A manager should lead discussion asking for ideas and thoughts on how individual and team goals can be achieved. Only after everyone has shared their ideas, the manager should take the time to share their own vision of how they see everyone working together to achieve a shared goal. Having regular one to one meetings with each individual staff members can help to open up communication and build relationships between the manager and team. Building up a rapport with the team is vital in order to gain their trust and respect (Shetach, 2012).
- Create team spirit— to create a team feeling a manager must convey to the entire staff that every person plays an important role. An attitude of cooperation rather than competition should be encouraged. When team spirit and identity is created, staff members will see themselves as a group of people all working for a common goal, rather than a group of individuals competing with each other and working for themselves. Communicating that each member is a valued part of the team will teach the team members to respect each other for their unique contributions.
- Give credit and take responsibility— credit should always be given for success, and responsibility taken when things do not go well. It is the manager's role to make staff feel a sense of achievement and ensure that they are well trained, capable and competent. If for some reason they fail to perform their job in the expected manner, it is the line manager's responsibility to ensure they receive further direction and training so they will perform tasks up to standard.
- Performance development reviews (PDRs)— these should be an extremely worthwhile exercise and a positive experience. Appropriate and positive feedback should be given, with discussion of developmental needs and any issues that may affect the individual's work performance. Again the individual should be made to feel valued. A manager should be approachable, offering support and extra training if required.
- During a conflict situation/meeting —it is vital that a team feel they can trust their manager/leader. The manager being up front open and honest with the team members can help. How a manager acts with the team and deals with situations that arise will indicate to the team members who they are as a person. Team member will make their own judgements on this, depending on the situation the team members may judge the manager on reliability, trustworthiness, honesty etc. The more the team feel they can depend on the manager the more likely they are to approach them and confide in them. Even if an individual does not like what is being said, if said honestly, compassionately and tactfully respect and trust will be achieved. An employee's level of trust will also be determined by how well confidences are kept; private discussions should not be disclosed to any other member of staff. Employees need to be confident in the knowledge that they can talk to their line manager about sensitive subjects and that the information shared will be kept in strict confidence. Confidentiality is critical in all aspects of the managerial role. This also applies to never discussing one employee with another, except in positive terms. Any problems with a team member must be kept between the line manager and that employee, and perhaps the line manager's supervisor if necessary.
Conclusion
Communication is key at a one to one and whole team level. It is vital that measures are put into place in order to prevent conflict from occurring in the first place. When conflict does arise respecting people's views and leading the conflicting parties to resolve their issues with group discussion can work well. However, with personal conflict discretion is needed and resolution is often a combination of individual discussion, empathising with both parties. While some conflict can have a negative impact on the team, some types of conflict can be harnessed by a good manager and used to improve the performance of the team as a whole (Ballantyne, 2019a).
KEY POINTS
- Conflict in the work place can take many forms and can have both positive and negative impacts on the team. It is imperative that a manager identifies the cause/type of conflict and puts in place the required measures to resolve any issues that may impact on the team's performance and lead to reduced job satisfaction.
- Communication is central to conflict in that communication often creates conflict, reflects conflict and is the way in which it is productively or destructively managed.
- Conflict can arise for many different reasons and there are different types of conflict such as: task conflict; interpersonal conflict; conflicting goals, pressures, roles and unpredictable policies.
- Techniques such as problem solving, identifying clear roles/responsibilities of staff, expanding resources, meetings (individual or including both parties or both), compromise (discussed during meetings) and authoritive interaction from the line manager can be used to help resolve conflict within the workplace.
- Promoting a positive atmosphere within the workplace can minimise the adverse effects of conflict. For example creating team spirit, ensure clear role responsibilities and all staff are fully trained within each role. Communicate positively and honestly to the team, give credit and take responsibility for your actions as a line manager. Appraisals and one to one meetings twice a year can open up communication. Be confidential, ensure you gain the teams trust and respect.
- While some conflict can have a negative impact on the team, some types of conflict can be harnessed by a good manager and used to improve the performance of the team as a whole.