Most of us have experienced some type of internal conflict at work during our careers. This is normal and can sometimes help us solve deeper issues. However, if the conflicts begin to disrupt people’s ability to do their jobs or cause them to leave the organization, it’s clear there’s a problem. 

Friction in the workplace is uncomfortable for those involved, of course, but also for those around them. It can be distracting and force people to deviate from their short-term goals. 

Knowing how to avoid or solve conflicts can be daunting, so we’ve compiled a helpful guide to ensuring office conflicts don’t derail your strategic efforts. 

Types of Office Conflicts

You can expect conflict to arise in every type of work, in any field, industry, company, or team. It doesn’t matter how harmonious your workplace is or how many happy hours you mandate. When humans interact, clashes are inevitable.

Here are some common sources of office conflict and how to manage them.   

Mismatched Personalities

Perhaps one of the most common sources of conflict is personality differences. It doesn’t necessarily mean that one person is right and one person is wrong. Some people just don’t get along. Maybe they got off on the wrong foot because of an unvoiced misunderstanding, are both exceptionally strong-willed, or have seemingly conflicting values. 

How to Solve It: When two people just plain don’t like each other, they shouldn’t be forced to work on the same projects together. 

However, that’s not always feasible, especially in smaller organizations. When that’s the case, consider having a mediation session between the two to help them find some common ground. Often, personality conflicts are the result of misread intentions or assumptions, and getting the chance to share perspectives in a mediated space can help build bridges.

Consider encouraging employees to use the phrase, “The story I’m telling myself is…” when expressing how they feel and how those feelings arose.

Lack of Clarity

When two or more people think that a specific task does or does not belong to them, it causes confusion. If a manager assigns a task to the team without clearly explaining who is responsible, chaos can ensue.

In other cases, you may deal with people who assume they are in charge of certain teams or projects when they have not been given explicit authority. This is frustrating for managers and team members alike because no one wants to feel like they have more than one boss, or that their directives aren’t being followed.   

How to Solve It: When you hire someone, they should have a very clear idea of their responsibilities, what duties are outside of their scope of work, and who they report to. At The Receptionist, we follow the Entrepreneurial Operating System model, which includes creating an Accountability Chart that specifically outlines “who owns the major functions within an organization.”

Also, consider task or project management software that clearly outlines duties and responsibilities for each project to ensure role clarity.

Cultural Differences

Many organizations are made up of people who come from different cultural backgrounds. People may clash over religion, politics, family, or lifestyles.  

How to Solve It: First, make sure employees know that bringing your personal life to work isn’t required. Create a culture that values your employees’ privacy by keeping conversations professional and to the point. It’s OK to ask how everyone’s weekend was in a Monday meeting, but limit the amount of time spent on personal topics. 

Second, employees should receive regular sensitivity training to ensure that everyone knows what is and is not appropriate to say to their colleagues. 

Poor Communication

Some people aren’t great communicators, and that’s OK—we all have our strengths. However, when a lack of communication or a misunderstanding occurs, it can lead to missed deadlines, customer turnover, or even employee turnover. 

How to Solve It: During the interview process, pay attention to the way the candidate communicates. Ask them questions that will give you a sense of their style. For example, you might ask the candidate how they handle misunderstandings or ask them to describe their ideal mode of communication. If their answers don’t align with your culture, they may not be the right fit.

However, good communication is a skill, and like any skill, it can be learned and improved. Consider adding effective communication training into your professional development curriculum for your staff — certainly for your managers and leaders.   

Confusing or Inconsistent Policies

If some people are allowed to deviate from office rules, such as how much notice is needed for PTO, others on the team may feel like special treatment is being given. This often leads to resentment and could cost you valuable employees. 

How to Solve It: Clearly outline all policies and make them easily accessible for employees in a single place. When policy changes occur, document and communicate them immediately. Require signatures on the employee handbook. 

Office Politics

Office politics are exhausting and demoralizing. They take many different forms, and some are more insidious than others. Maybe some individuals are given more leeway when it comes to breaking rules, or those with more seniority are allowed free reign over the PTO schedule. Maybe everyone knows that Brenda in accounting is mean for no reason, so they tend to walk on eggshells around her and make passive-aggressive remarks during meetings. No matter the politics, they create an unhealthy dynamic that can drive people to leave their roles. 

How to Solve It: While difficult to avoid completely, there are ways to minimize the impact of office politics. 

Avoid giving special treatment to certain individuals or teams. Ensure policies are enforced consistently across the board.

If someone is creating toxicity in your culture, seek to understand where they are coming from and let them know their behavior will not be tolerated. If you don’t see a change, it’s time to cut your losses. 

Be Prepared

The best way to solve office conflicts is to ensure they rarely happen to begin with. It’s not possible to prevent them from happening altogether, but when it does, you can be prepared with the above strategies. 

Good managers ensure that every person on their team has the tools and training required to execute their responsibilities well. When people are focused on their roles and enjoy the work they do, there’s less space for pointless disagreements.