Internal conflict in the workplace

In the healthcare industry, conflict is likely to be inevitable because of the nature of the work under-taken and the scope of the working environment. In the veterinary profession, veterinary staff and animal owners generally have the same goal and outcomes around animal health and welfare, however there is often the likelihood for a difference of opinion of how to achieve these outcomes, which adds to the complexity and nature of conflict.

Although there appears to be significant research around the conflict between the relationship of veterinarians and animal owners, there is minimal research around the conflict that occurs internally between the veterinary practice staff and/or with their employers. It is also common in veterinary practice where the head veterinarian or ‘employer’ title is interchangeable. This can make conflict in the veterinary profession more complicated because of the natural power imbalance that this affords and the inability to be the neutral party resolving conflicts, specifically if they are at the source of it.

This article will give a high level overview of what conflict is, the different styles of conflict, when conflict is perceived as constructive and what strategies could be explored for effective conflict management at the individual or practice level.

Conflict

The Oxford Dictionary defines conflict as a situation in which people or groups disagree strongly or are involved in a serious argument. In a working environment, workplace conflict is likely to be as a result of individuals' personalities, backgrounds, nature of the work or different working styles. The effects of workplace conflict can have long-lasting and damaging consequences on team dynamics, morale, productivity, output and efficiency (Özkan Tuncay et al, 2018).

Conflict can be minimised by having effective conflict resolution tools in place to prevent the cause and effect, and being able to identify and interpret conflict styles. There are two main conflict management models, Rahim Organisational Conflict Inventory-II (Leever et al, 2010) and the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (Kilmann, 2022). Both models are viewed along a two dimensional framework: Rahim's considers how an individual satisfies their own concerns versus satisfying the concerns of others (Leever et al, 2010); whereas the Thomas-Kilmann model looks at an individual's assertiveness and cooperativeness (Figure 1) (Kilmann, 2022). This is then assessed against the five different styles of dealing with conflict: avoiding; competing; accommodating; collaborating; and compromising (Table 1). This article will focus on the Thomas-Kilmann conflict mode instrument as it is considered the leader in conflict resolution and is designed to measure a person's behaviour in situations of conflict (Kilmann, 2022).

In a study involving healthcare professionals, the nature of the work was considered against the conflict management models and it was found that the ‘compromising’ style of conflict resolution was chosen more frequently and commonly by both nurses and physicians (Hendel et al, 2007). Another study found that individuals not in a leadership role are more likely to choose ‘compromise’ when facing conflict (Saridi et al, 2021), which depending on the context of the conflict may not always result in an ideal outcome or solution, as there is not likely to be resolution of the concern. This again highlights perceptions of a power imbalance and that employees not in leadership roles are more likely to compromise to seek resolution when they are involved in conflict.

In Hendel et al's (2007) and Özkan Tuncay et al's (2018) studies, the collaborating style was chosen more by head nurses or nurse managers. It was thought that the collaborating style was seen as the most effective way of managing conflict and ensuring a positive outcome for all individuals involved (Özkan Tuncay et al, 2018). In roles, such as practice manager, where staff management is required, there is significant stress as a result of trying to maintain collaborative working relationships (Meehan, 2019).

Conflict does not always need to be perceived as being negative — ‘constructive conflict’ allows individuals to open their minds about different points of view, which may ultimately result in a more collaborative working environment. Constructive conflict focuses on the issues at hand, opens communication and encourages those involved to be respectful and to work together to try and resolve the conflict. When conflict is managed well it can also drive innovation, change and enhanced relationships in the workplace, but this is reliant on individuals having an open mind and placing trust in the process (Alvarado-Alvarez et al, 2021). Leaders should understand their team members' different styles; this will allow them to adapt their own approach style when interacting in order to ensure a cohesive working environment.

Conflict in the veterinary industry

The veterinary industry has been under review for several years as a result of the research indicating veterinary professionals are at a greater risk of suicide, depression, anxiety and burnout, specifically veterinarians (Meehan, 2019). The main sources of stress on veterinary staff included remuneration (or lack of), poor work–life balance, conflict with clients and colleagues, other staffing issues and working in an environment with team members who displayed toxic attitudes (Meehan, 2019). It is therefore not surprising to see that 40% of veterinarians are not recommending or encouraging others to enter this profession (Meehan, 2019).

A Polish study of 250 veterinarians found that the main causes of conflict experienced in the veterinary profession were as a result of the animal owners (43.4%), conflict in relation to workmates (15.8%) and their employers (10.5%) (Wojtacka et al, 2020). From this same group of veterinarians, 47.1% found their work to be moderately conflict related and reported that conflict of some nature occurred on average at least once a month (Wojtacka et al, 2020).

In veterinary practices there could be any number of scenarios that may result in conflict. During the time the author worked as a veterinary nurse (albeit 8 years ago) these were common scenarios experienced in clinic:

• A practice manager who deemed themselves to be the ‘go to person’ and who deliberately withheld information to ensure a level of reliance and involvement from the team
• Individuals in the team taking the position of ‘that's not my job’, specifically when these duties were reasonably deemed to be considered as part of their role
• Ongoing toxic behaviour from one individual which in the long run may affect the wider team dynamics. This may unite the team in the sense they deemed this one individual as being the ‘negative one’, however, ultimately it could create and encourage toxic traits among the whole team (Moore et al, 2015). This scenario will always be more complex when the employer is considered the negative person in the team dynamic given their position of power.

Training

It is clear from the research regarding healthcare professionals and veterinary staff that they are not being provided with practical management strategies that they need to cope or manage stress, burnout or dealing with conflict in constructive ways. This may ultimately stem from the beginning of an individual's career in the veterinary industry, before they have graduated and the lack of training provided to prepare them for dealing with conflict or the stressful veterinary practice environment.

In Moses et al's (2018) study, 71% of veterinarians advised that they had received no training around conflict resolution when there may be a difference of opinion around patient care, and 79% had received no training around their own self care. In Wojtacka et al's (2020) study it was interesting to note that more often than not conflict resulted from misinformation or a lack of information, which then resulted in incorrect conclusions being made.

Emotional intelligence is also a phrase that has cropped up in several studies, which refers to having an ability to understand and manage your own emotions and being mindful of how these emotions can affect those around you. Educating managers and employees about emotional intelligence may be an essential tool to assist with managing and resolving conflict in the workplace (Al-Hamdan et al, 2019).

It is further highlighted that if there was more focus on communication skills and emotional intelligence before appointment into the veterinary profession, in most cases, conflict may have been avoided, as effective communication skills would significantly assist with handling conflict and improve stress management (Wojtacka et al, 2020). It is clear from the research that by not being given the adequate skills or management training, there is a significant impact on a veterinary professional's ability to handle conflict, whether that be at the beginning, middle or end of their career

There should be two different approaches to conflict management, the first is from the employee's or individual's perspective, where they can identify different tools or support in order to implement and hopefully improve the conflict. The second is from the employer's perspective, where they have health and safety obligations to ensure that their team have appropriate mental health and wellbeing support in place. An individual who has good mental health and wellbeing, is more likely to be resilient and in a position to think constructively when faced with conflict. An employer that provides employees with the right tools, support and training to be able to manage conflict effectively is likely to see increased engagement and the emergence of innovative behaviour from their employees (Jung and Yoon, 2018).

Some examples of self-directed support that an individual could explore are:

• Mindfulness — the practice of being fully present, aware of where we are, what we are doing and not reacting or feeling overwhelmed by the activities around us (Getting started with mindfulness, 2022). Mindfulness can facilitate constructive conflict management by reducing the need to avoid conflict and focusing on a collaborative approach, by allowing the individual to control any emotional responses (Kay and Skarlicki, 2020).
• In the UK, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons launched the Mind Matters Initiative to improve mental health and wellbeing of those in the veterinary profession, such as students, veterinary nurses, veterinarians and practice managers. There are training courses, resources and support available around which individuals can build a sound support base (www.vetmindmatters.org).

It may be difficult for employers to control external factors (such as an animal owners' behaviour), however, they have the ability to influence internal factors in the work environment (workloads, working hours, formal work processes and training in skills such as interpersonal skills and communication, conflict prevention and stress management) (Gardner and Hini, 2006). The existence of conflict in a workplace can also be minimised by the way an employer manages their staff and also the formal policies they have in place setting clear expectations in relation to acceptable behaviours, conduct and professionalism.

In any profession where conflict is ignored or where individuals' ‘toxic attitudes’ are not being addressed, this is likely to have a negative impact on the wider team dynamics (Moore et al, 2015). If conflict cannot be resolved internally, specifically in scenarios where the conflict is between the employee and employer, employees need to have an understanding of what avenues are available to them to address and resolve any workplace issues. This involves contacting an external party such as Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) or organisations like VetLife who offer advice and support for the veterinary community.

Conclusions

The veterinary profession is likely to always be an industry that will experience conflict, given the relationship between veterinarians, veterinary staff and animal owners. It is important to ensure that the right training is provided in curriculum for veterinary staff around communication skills and how to manage conflict before entering the profession. But this also extends to the duration of their career and ensuring that they have the right tools, support and resources. It is clear that further research and exploration is required into stress and practical management strategies in the veterinary profession to assist staff with conflict management.

The conflict management styles can provide a good insight into an individual's approach to conflict as well as from an employer's perspective to identify how the individuals in the team approach and manage conflict. An understanding of each individual's conflict style will highlight where they might need to amend their approach going forwards if they are not finding that the conflict is being resolved.

There are many different conflict management strategies, and there is no one size fits all approach. It is a case of understanding what the concerns are and identifying what may be the best approach for the individual circumstances and understanding the differences of the team members. An employer or individual that can focus on managing conflict by collaborating is going to result in a win-win outcome for all those involved, which is ultimately going to create a more positive working environment.

KEY POINTS

• There is significant research around the conflict between the relationship of veterinarians and animal owners, there is minimal research around the conflict that occurs internally between the veterinary practice staff and/or with their employers.
• The collaborating style was seen as the most effective way of managing conflict and ensuring a positive outcome for all involved.
• Veterinary staff are not being provided with practical management strategies to cope or manage stress, burnout or dealing with conflict in constructive ways.