If you’ve watched The Office, you’ve probably laughed at Michael Scott’s or David Brent’s cringeworthy but oddly endearing attempts to smooth over workplace conflict. However, what’s funny on TV can feel far less amusing in real life, where clashing personalities, mismatched priorities and minor misunderstandings can quickly escalate, disrupting teams and draining productivity.

“In an ideal world, it would be great if we could get along with all of those who we work with, but often that is not the case because we have people with different personalities, backgrounds, ways of working and levels of leadership working together with each other,” says Sharon McDonald, director of McDonald HR in New Zealand.

“Workplace conflict is a natural by-product of human interaction; differences in opinions, priorities and working styles are bound to happen,” adds Holly Wilson, an adviser at Ombpoint, a workplace conflict support platform.

And the problem appears to be growing.

Data from Safe Work Australia reveals an increase in complaints related to psychosocial hazards such as bullying and harassment. In fact, workplace psychological injury claims rose by 23% between 2022 and 2023.

Why do workplace conflicts happen?

Chris Gardner, a workplace strategist and lawyer at Seyfarth Shaw LLP, links this trend to the impact of social media.

“If social media is impacting the way younger people relate in adverse ways, we will inevitably see more interpersonal conflict in the workplace from a generation that has not learnt the same relationship skills of past generations.”

Wilson agrees, observing that digital communication – emails and texts – can easily lead to misunderstandings. Without hearing a tone of voice, and bereft of the cues of body language and the nuances of face-to-face interactions, it is far easier for miscommunication to occur.

Both Gardner and Wilson note that workplace conflict has become more visible as more workplaces encourage a ‘speak up' culture and offer confidential reporting options.

“I think this increased transparency is a positive step, but it also means workplaces need to be ready to handle issues quickly and constructively,” Wilson warns.

In fact, managers now spend an average of four hours a week dealing with conflicts, according to Conflict at Work, a 2022 report by The Myers-Briggs Company.

So, what can managers and leaders do to handle conflicts effectively and keep teams working together?

“For leaders, it’s crucial to remember the significant impact you have on your team. They’re looking to you to set the tone.”

Creating a supportive environment

For both Gardner and Wilson, the first step in resolving conflicts is to establish a solid foundation, including clear policies, procedures and reporting mechanisms for anyone wishing to report a conflict.

However, simply having these systems in place is just the starting point, according to Wilson. What truly matters is creating awareness, and providing education on forms of discrimination and the subtle biases that can easily slip into the workplace.

Leaders play a vital role in this process, and creating an inclusive culture requires them to lead by example.

“For leaders it’s crucial to remember the significant impact you have on your team. They’re looking to you to set the tone for cultural norms. So, when dealing with leadership conflicts, make sure you handle them in a way that reflects positively on you and aligns with the standards you want your team to uphold,” says Wilson.

At times, objectivity is the key. Seeking an outside perspective during conflicts can be beneficial, especially in situations where there is a power imbalance.

Wilson shares an example of supporting an employee who was anxious about giving feedback to her manager.

“She reached out to Ombpoint because she wasn’t sure how to approach the conversation and feared it wouldn’t be well received. I was able to help her prepare by refining her feedback, positioning the language to keep it constructive and anticipating possible pushback. This gave her the confidence to enter the conversation feeling more prepared.”

Gardner also emphasises that reaching out for support – whether from HR or an external mediator – can offer valuable assistance and enhance your confidence in handling delicate situations.

“From a legal standpoint, employers do need to turn their mind to whether and what mechanisms they put in place to ensure conflict is dealt with,” he says.

Keep conflicts private

It’s natural to want support from your co-workers during a conflict, but keeping details private can help prevent the situation from getting out of hand.

“When conflicts occur in the workplace, gossip and over-communication can infiltrate across the organisation, making the situation a lot worse,” says McDonald.

She likens it to a game of ‘telephone’ – when a word is spoken in hushed tones to the person next to you and then whispered to the next person down the line – where gossip can quickly distort the facts, spread negativity and make things more complicated.

Managers, leaders and HR teams should encourage employees to handle conflicts privately, and ensure that personal information is kept secure. Keeping conflicts contained builds trust, helps resolve issues faster and protects the overall work culture.

Address conflicts early

Letting conflicts linger can be detrimental as it allows tensions to grow, which can quickly disrupt productivity.

Wilson advises managers to intervene sooner rather than later. “Don’t let them drag on longer than necessary. The longer a conflict lingers, the harder it becomes to resolve.”

Wilson recommends “engaging in direct, thoughtful conversations with each individual, making sure to listen carefully to both sides.”

She adds, “If you’re unsure how to handle it, don’t hesitate to seek support from others, whether it’s your HR team or external services. Having guidance can help you navigate these situations more effectively and ensure you’re not handling it on your own.”

McDonald points to an example of a sales manager upset with his new supervisor, who shared his frustrations with the admin staff, causing division in the workplace.

“Address conflict issues early because that will often nip the situation in the bud, so you don’t end up with a toxic workplace environment [such as in the above example].”

Understanding different personalities

Not everyone thinks, speaks or works in the same way. Helping teams understand each other’s working styles can prevent conflicts before they arise, says McDonald.

“In personality conflict resolutions, if both parties are open to using tools to understand and share their profiles with the view that there’s going to be an action plan to use each other’s preferences or strengths, they can understand when something’s going a bit awry and why,” she says.

Sharing an example, McDonald says that a middle manager felt constant friction with a senior manager, even though they didn’t directly report to them.

“In a mediation session, we discussed their issues, set ground rules for respectful communication, and did HBDI [Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument] assessment tool peer profile work, to explore their communication styles. Through this, the middle manager realised that the senior manager’s directness was not personal – it was just their way of communicating. The senior manager, in turn, understood that the middle manager valued a warmer, more positive tone.”

With these insights, both parties learnt how to collaborate better, making their interactions smoother and more productive.

Wilson also advocates raising team awareness about different working styles, to help avoid conflict.

“Implementing tools like the DISC assessment [dominance, inducement, submission and compliance] or the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator [MBTI], can give team members insight into their own styles, as well as those of their peers.

“For example, if one team member prefers detailed planning while another thrives in a more flexible, spontaneous environment, this awareness may increase their understanding of how they can work better together,” Wilson explains.

“Managers can also use this information to tailor their approach to different individuals in the team.”

Get to know the why behind the conflict

Workplace conflicts often stem from underlying psychological factors, says Gardner. These issues can arise from unmet needs, misunderstood intentions or personal insecurities.

Typically, companies use internal or external mediation to handle conflicts, but Gardner believes “psychology and the understanding of human behaviour are going to become more and more front and centre in dealing with workplace conflict.”

For managers who pursue developing coaching skills to help understand people’s motivations, this can be effective in driving individual and team successes. “Exploring underlying motivations,” Gardner says, “can help managers resolve current conflicts and even prevent future ones.”

Gardner also stresses that it’s important to help employees see the difference between regular differences of opinion and real conflict. When employees understand this, they are better able to work together.

Maintain an objective mindset

Conflict can bring out negative emotions like anxiety, anger and frustration, says McDonald. But it’s important to manage your mindset and stay positive as you work through these situations.

“It is often hard to get outside of your own mind; as they say, everyone is the hero of their own story, and it can be hard to see yourself from another perspective,” she says.

McDonald recommends maintaining as much objectivity as possible when discussing the conflict with a manager, colleague or mediator.

“Try to catch yourself when you find yourself slipping into a poor or negative mindset and remind yourself of what you are seeking to achieve,” she says. “You are in control of how you approach the situation. Other people’s actions are often a reflection of their personality, attitude and the way they think, not yours.”

Wilson says that her first step in coaching someone in dealing with a personality clash in the workplace, is to acknowledge that it’s natural to connect with some people more than others.

“However, this doesn’t prevent you from maintaining a productive, professional relationship. It’s important to keep interactions respectful and focused on the work itself.”

She says that by sticking to the facts and separating personal feelings from work responsibilities, you can keep your judgement clear and avoid being swayed by emotions.

“Resolving conflict is not about making every party happy. It’s about creating the environment where everyone feels safe and able to do their jobs to the best of their ability,” says McDonald.

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What is workplace conflict?

Put simply, workplace conflict occurs when a disagreement arises between coworkers or an employee and manager. It’s a natural by-product of human interaction—differences in opinions, priorities, and working styles.

Is conflict in the workplace common?

Short answer: yes. According to Conflict at Work, a 2022 report by The Myers-Briggs Company, managers spend an average of four hours per week dealing with conflicts.

Examples of conflict in the workplace

Workplace conflict examples include disagreements over a task, an employee not meeting expectations, creative differences, misunderstandings, poor communication issues, and power struggles, to name a few. These conflicts can range from minor disagreements to dramatic blow-ups or outright hostility that can threaten company culture and productivity.

Strategies to manage conflict in the workplace

While clear policies, procedures, and reporting mechanisms should be available for anyone wishing to report a conflict, there are ways to manage conflict once it occurs. From taking the time to understand different personalities, to understanding the why behind the conflict, you can find ways to manage conflict in the workplace.