Peace is not absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means - Ronald Reagan
Workplace conflict is inevitable. According to an article from Pollack Peacebuilding Systems, it states that 85% of employees experience some kind of conflict, with 29% facing it almost constantly.
According to an article from Forbes, it states that roughly 60% of employees have never received basic conflict resolution training.
Forbes goes on to state that "traditional workplace training ignores the root cause of the issue, how people respond under pressure."
According to an article from Inc.com, it states that "recent research suggests that hundreds of billions of dollars are lost every year in the U.S. due to problems in the workplace that lead to missing productivity, employee absenteeism, staff turnover, and legal costs."
In an article from Newsweek, it states that "Feuding coworkers make up around 50 percent of all grievances raised in the workplace, according to a new study from employment and HR consultancy firm WorkNest."
Newsweek goes on to state that "In the United States, companies spend around 2.8 hours each week involved in conflict, leading to $359 billion in hours paid focused on conflict instead of productivity, according to a 2023 Pollack Workplace Conflict Report."
Now that we see this is an issue, what is the solution?
Dr. Peter T. Coleman, a professor of psychology and education, is a renowned expert on constructive conflict resolution and sustainable peace.
In an article in Medium, Dr. Coleman said "survival as a leader demands more than conventional wisdom; it requires an exceptional capacity to navigate conflict. Leaders must be agile, adaptive, and skilled at engaging with disputes, rather than avoiding them. Building teams that can adeptly manage these tensions and fostering organizational cultures that thrive in conflict-rich environments are no longer optional -- they are essential."
You can read Dr. Coleman's full article by clicking here.
Helen Roush is Executive Vice President of Paperitalo Publications.
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