How Conflict In The Workplace Is An Increasingly Difficult Issue Now Due To Additional Turmoil

The current global turmoil has exacerbated workplace conflicts, making it more crucial than ever to address and resolve these issues effectively.

The Impact of Turmoil on Workplace Conflicts is Messy...

Let's be honest,—our country and the world feels like it's on fire right now. Between doom-scrolling through news headlines and trying to keep our own personal lives and responsbilities together, we're all carrying more stress into the office (or our home offices) than ever before. And guess what? That stress doesn't always play nice with others - especially now when civility has taken a back seat for many of us. 

Why Workplace Drama Hits a Little Harder These Days

Remember when your biggest workplace annoyance was someone microwaving fish in the break room? Those were simpler times. Now we're dealing with:

• Co-workers who are just as burned out as we are
• Zoom fatigue meeting in-person awkwardness
• Everyone being one terse or curt email away from blowing up

The result? What used to be minor irritations—like Brad interrupting you in meetings—now feel like personal attacks. Small misunderstandings snowball into full-blown feuds. And that coworker who overshares? They're not just annoying anymore; they're unbearable.

A coaching client of ours who works for a mid-size manufacturing organization summed it up perfectly: "I just don't feel I have the capacity to deal with some of the things I have to deal with seemingly each and every day. So instead of trying to find meaningful solutions, it really is just easier for me to end up crying in the break room." If that hits close to home, you're not alone.

Plot Twist: Some Workplace Conflict is Actually Good 

Here's something that might surprise you—not all workplace conflict is bad. In fact, teams that never disagree are usually teams that never innovate. The trick is knowing the difference between productive pushback and toxic drama.

The good kind of conflict:

• "I think there's a better way to do this"
• "Let's debate these options"
• "I disagree with your idea (not you as a person)"

The toxic kind:

• Passive-aggressive Slack messages
• Talking behind people's backs
• The silent treatment
• Making everything personal

Think of it like cooking—a little spice makes the dish better, but dump in the whole bottle and nobody can eat it.

The Role of Leadership in Conflict Resolution

We are all familiar with the trickle down affect when it comes to those chosen to lead others. If your manager handles conflict effectively, their team usually follows (based on the leaders ability to effectively model the desired behaviors and actions). But if they avoid conflicts or disagreements like the plague or blow up at every disagreement, well...department-wide chaos is not at all uncommon (or difficult to understand). 

Good leaders don't pretend conflict doesn't exist. They:

• Call out tensions before they explode
• Have those awkward but necessary conversations
• Show how to disagree while still being gracious
• Actually follow up to make sure things get resolved

Bad leaders? They either pretend everything's fine, while the team implodes - and business results take a nose dive. 

Understanding How to be Effective in Conflict Resolution 

You can't fix what you don't know how to handle—and most of us are just guessing when it comes to conflict. Most of us never learned how to handle conflict well—we just follow our knee jerk response and hope for optimal outcomes.

What competencies we actually need to develop:

• How to listen without planning your rebuttal
• Ways to calm down before responding
• How to find solutions everyone can live with (compromise)
• When to involve HR (and when not to)

Companies that provide trainings and focus on conflict resolution skill development efforts, see major improvements:

• Significantly fewer HR complaints
• People engaging (enjoying?) team meetings again
• Less time wasted on workplace drama
  
  

We know that conflict at work isn't going away. But it doesn't have to make your work and your worklife suffer. Here's how to start fixing things:

1. Check the temperature: How bad is it really? Anonymous surveys can reveal what people won't say out loud
2. Consider taking training: Learning these skills pays off big time
3. Set ground rules: Make it clear how your team handles disagreements
4. Reward good conflict: When someone pushes back respectfully and it leads to a better outcome, celebrate it
5. Address the unacceptable --stuff fast: Don't let toxic behavior slide—it only gets worse

The Real Talk

We're living in unprecedented times, and work relationships are feeling the strain. But here's the vision: teams that learn to handle conflict well don't just survive the chaos—they actually get stronger. They innovate more, trust each other better, and create workplaces where people want to be.

Ready to make work a little less like a war zone? Start with one small step: the next time you disagree with someone, take a breath before responding. Sometimes that's all it takes to turn a potential disaster into a productive conversation.

Also....learn more about effective strategies and approaches by attending our free Conflict to Collaboration webinar on May 21 at 12pm pst/3pm est. Sign up on our Webinar page.