Disagreement with co-workers is normal, but when workplace conflict escalates, and is left unresolved, the emotional and financial cost to companies, their workers, managers and productivity can be significant both professionally and personally.
Consider the following:
Recently I mediated a conflict between two co-workers, who worked side-by-side as administrative assistants. They mostly agreed on the facts of the situation. Both reported: Their conflict started within the first week of the last one being hired (five years ago!); that periods of not speaking to each other had lasted as long as one month; and they had met three times with their manager, and had worked out agreements which were not followed. Their employer said he would fire both of them if they could not work out their differences during mediation; and that the high level of work stress was affecting their sleep, family relationships, and even their “bodily functions.”
Conflict such as this leads to increased:
- Time away from work (sick days, time for cooling off, talking with coworkers about that situation thereby affecting others’ work & down time, including other professionals as Human Resources staff, union representatives, upper management, etc.)
- Turnover rates (10-30% of annual salary for hourly wage earners)
- Productivity losses (team work, quality of work, possibility missed deadlines)
- Sabotage
- Theft
- Higher increases in health care premiums paid by employers (stress)
- Negativity affects company’s image with consumers, other employees and workplace comaraderie
But these emotional and financial costs can be reduced, and even reversed if organizations are willing to develop in-house conflict management programs, and participate in conflict coaching or management training, and employees and managers alike are trained in proactively identifying and swiftly addressing conflict before it escalates.
Phoenix Strategies works with businesses and organizations of all sizes, offering training courses in workplace conflict coaching, and conflict management in workplace, as well as offering customized tailored conflict management consulting, and Integrated Conflict Management Systems design. If your business or organization is struggling with conflict between co-workers, customers or other company stakeholders … give PSI a call. We’re here to help.
Upcoming Conflict Coaching Courses…
4/3-5 WRF 8am-5pm Conflict Coaching (#220) Denver
Customized trainings for individual organizations are also available. Please call us at 719-266-8181 to discuss.