Conflict in the Workplace

How HR can help

Human Resource Management, Spring 2014

between people, groups, etc., that result in often angry argument. 1 Conflict is everywhere. We see it

every day on the news. When opinions and interests collide the results can be dangerous and tragic.

Sometimes nations fight for resources or arguments explode into violence, but conflict can be

devastating in business as well. It can reduce engagement by destroying morale, alienating co-workers

and diverting energy from meeting business goals. A University of North Carolina survey of 1,400

workers found that more than half had lost time at work due to conflicts with colleagues. Lisa Cullen,

writer at Time magazine has coined another term for these peers calling them “collenemy,” or colleague

enemy, and says these people are becoming more and more prevalent. More than a third of

respondents in the above mentioned study said that their commitment to their employer had decreased

due to these conflicts and 22 percent said conflict had reduced their productivity. 2 In fact, one study

estimated that managers waste at least 25 percent of their time resolving workplace conflicts which

obviously lowers office performance.3 Another study was even worse, finding that 42% of a manager’s

time goes to mediating conflicts. The same report cites 50% of all workplace departures to be caused by

chronic unresolved conflict.4 As a result, the human resources department frequently acts as a mediator

between employees and managers, quickly responding to conflict and ensuring employers do not violate

the rights of employees.

Human resources personnel settle workplace disputes through interpreting company policies and

employment and labor laws while following procedures to ideally reach an acceptable outcome for all

parties. When individuals work together, they may have different goals and work styles. Because of this,

conflict can result. Typically there are two responses to conflict: run away (avoidance) or ‘battle it out’.

In either case, we often feel uncomfortable or dissatisfied with the results because no resolution has

been achieved. If however the conflict is handled effectively and in a constructive manner, a potential

destructive force can be turned into an opportunity for creativity and greater productivity. While it is
recognized that a degree of conflict is necessary for organizations to undergo successful transformation

and “managed conflict” can even be good under some circumstances, HR professionals are acutely

aware of the significant costs incurred when conflict is not managed effectively. Effective conflict

management is regarded as a core capability for both HR professionals and managers in general. HR

typically promotes a positive approach to resolving problems in the workplace through both informal

and formal conflict management. Informal conflict management can be initiated at an early stage, in an

open manner, by the supervisor or employee or can be facilitated by HR. If a conflict cannot be resolved

informally, or if an employee chooses not to resolve it informally, the employee can initiate a formal

conflict management process by filing a complaint or grievance. Steps in formal conflict management

may include a fact-finding investigation and a hearing or arbitration. This can often also be facilitated by

HR.

There are many different causes of conflict in organizations. There are obvious age old culprits like

employee complaints and allegations, labor relations and workplace injury and newer trends related to

our aging and more diverse workforce. In responding to employee complaints, human resources deal

with discrimination, allegations of unfair treatment, unfavorable working conditions and disputes

between coworkers and managers. HR clearly explains workplace codes of conduct and offers solutions

and compromises. The department determines the appropriate disciplinary action, if necessary, and files

details of the events. Allegations of discrimination, harassment and unfair treatment also fall within the

purview of human resources. If an employee feels he has been discriminated against or is the victim of

harassment, human resources should be the first step in resolving the matter. The department

investigates the claim, establishes its validity and also interprets equal opportunity and anti-

discrimination laws to see if the employer is in compliance. Then HR offers a remedy to the situation or

assists employees with filing formal charges.

programs, settles labor disputes that could possibly lead to strikes or litigation, deals with bargaining

agreements and employee relations matters like contracts, wage/salaries, benefits and pensions. When

disputes arise or union representatives and employers cannot agree, HR negotiates terms and helps the

parties reach a decision.

Human resources also try to prevent potential conflict if an employee sustains an on-the-job injury.

Employees must first notify human resources of the incident so HR can promptly open a worker's

compensation claim. If the injury is the result of the employer's negligence, HR can counteract potential

lawsuits by ensuring the worker receives medical attention and compensation for his injuries and lost

wages.

An emerging trend with workplace conflict is something our professor refers to as brown and grey. As

we shift to a global economy we see a workforce that is more and more diverse – the brown. Cultural

diversity is a common denominator with conflict. In addition, this is the first time in history that we have

so many generations working together – the grey.

Sybil Evans, author of Resolving Conflict in a Diverse Workplace and conflict management expert, says

there are three areas of miscommunication likely to lead to this cultural conflict: values, perceptions,

and assumptions. She explains, "Managing conflict constructively requires checking assumptions,

finding common ground, and generating solutions." 5 Her recommendation is to add cross-cultural

leadership increasing cultural competencies of the workforce. The goal is to minimize

misunderstandings of etiquette, values, and behaviors and avoid communication breakdowns.

Participants are not the only people affected by the conflict. Anyone could be affected by the stress.

Many people feel as if they are walking on egg shells creating a hostile work environment for the entire

office. There is an interesting aside to this issue of cultural conflict and it involves the second-hand
effect on those not directly involved. For instance, Roy Chua, an Assistant Professor at Harvard Business

School, began to ponder years ago whether or not people exposed to intercultural conflicts and tensions

impacts the observers. He coined a term for the phenomenon, “ambient cultural disharmony,” which

he discusses in depth in The Costs of Ambient Cultural Disharmony: Indirect Intercultural Conflicts in

Social Environment Undermine Creativity 6. He illustrates that indirect conflict happens all the time. For

instance, children who witness conflict between parents may develop negative ideas about marriage,

just as those of racist parents may develop prejudices of their own simply from exposure in their

environment. Evidently, the same thing happens in the workplace and it impacts something that on the

surface may seem unrelated. Chua found that participants who experienced cultural disharmony

received creativity scores about 23-24 percent lower than those viewing the harmonious or neutral

interactions. This same pattern was apparent in three different studies he performed. Why the link

between cultural conflict and creativity? The best example of this reasoning probably comes from the

first study where one test had the participants looking for a connection or parallel between words. For

example, when given the words “Great,” “Street,” and “Berlin,” they should correctly answer “Wall,”

connecting the Chinese “Great Wall,” American “Wall Street,” and German “Berlin Wall.” However,

after analyzing the length of time it took for participants to come up with the right answers, he found

those who had more people in their social network from different cultures who disliked each other did

significantly worse on the test. Presumably because “those seeing conflict around them involving

people of different cultures may develop the idea that ideas from those cultures are incompatible and

cannot be easily combined.”7

Prejudice, cultural gaps, language barriers, religious preferences, and gender biases all make it

challenging to work together. Unfortunately, due to ignorance and upbringing, many people have a bias

for or against certain races and ethnic groups. Often they keep their views to themselves, but

sometimes they let them slip through their words or conduct. In some cases, even jokes can come
across wrong and create offense. Many companies have diversity training to address such situations and

behaviors. Additionally, it's important to realize that prejudices run in all directions. Many times,

minority groups have biases and stereotypes of their own--including some about other minorities.

America is full of both U.S. born and immigrant workers with many different ethnic backgrounds. These

people come with different perspectives, social norms and communication styles. As the global

economy has grown, so has this diversity as many companies expand around the world or leverage

human competency in “high value centers,” places like India and South America. When these cultures

mix in the workplace, employees and managers can get frustrated when communication becomes

difficult or when social styles don't mix easily. For instance, I was at a corporate sponsored team-

building event one time and the gentleman next to me, who happened to be from Mumbai, India, put

his hand on my leg three times over the course of the meal. Being world traveled and knowing this

gentleman extremely well and I recognized this as his demonstration of “hetero friendship,” but I’m

guessing many “good ‘ole boys” from East Tennessee would not be so enlightened and controlled in

similar circumstances. It’s amazing, but true that often times in cultures where the female gender is so

oppressed and touching of the opposite sex is forbidden, like in India and the Middle East for example, it

is completely normal for the same sex to walk down the street together holding hands. 89

I once had the opportunity to attend a meeting of EU regional managers in the UK and of the 27

attendees, 23 different countries were represented and we talked at length about cultural diversity. A

parallel was drawn between culture and an iceberg. With icebergs, only one third of the ice is visible

above the surface of the water. Likewise, you can judge a book by its cover culturally by simply basing

opinions off of how they dress or what they eat and biases from past comments people have made to

you. Or, you can truly educate yourself to that culture and understand their customs, language, history,

values and beliefs before rushing to judgment. That’s where HR can come in and help make a
difference. A video was shown during that discussion of hand gestures and how they are interpreted

around the world and it was certainly eye-opening for many of the American’s in the room who might

give a “thumbs up” with harmless intent to congratulate a foreign colleague on a job well-done. 10

Different cultures can be deferential to authority or have higher or lesser degrees of autonomy in the

workplace too, which can differ from a company's needs. Asian and India are more formal when it

comes to addressing people in general, but especially with supervisors. However, although the caste

system in India has no legality and discrimination has been illegal since 1950 11, the reality is that it is still

alive and well. If someone is promoted to authority over those of higher social stratification often

conflict develops. One common method often implemented at our company to avoid this is to still make

the direct report a “manager”, even if in title only, because titles alone have huge significance in that

society. Resolution often requires open exchanges and a process of learning on the part of employee,

co-workers and managers. Everyone needs to understand and respect the perspectives of others in

order to find a workable common ground.

Communication in general is a common cause of conflict. However, diversity often brings people whose

first language isn't English. In some cases, language can be a genuine impediment to doing a job and an

employee must be assisted to improve his or her language skills. From a different angle, when someone

speaks English well, it can be easy to forget it's not native for them. Teams have to be careful with slang

and colloquialisms that non-native speakers might not understand. Likewise, in bilingual workplaces,

employees must be careful not to say anything in one language that they wouldn't say in another. A

funny movie called “Outsourced” (there is also a TV series based on the plot) illustrates some of this

with hilarious clarity as people from India are renamed with western identities and schooled to talk like

Texans and New Yorkers. The employees work in a call center for a company that sells sexual novelties
though so laughs abound as dialogue is frequently misinterpreted. The entire movie is out there on

YouTube if you want to check it out. 12

The world is filled with all kinds of religions and denominations. People don't always understand each

other’s belief systems, which can cause stereotypes and biases that create hurt and even legal liability if

they leak out in the workplace. Federal law prohibits hiring and workplace discrimination, including

harassment and unequal treatment and employers can face serious penalties from the Equal

Employment Opportunity Commission when conflict based on religion arises. The company I work for is

diversified in many business sectors, including “big oil,” and we do considerable work in places like

Morocco and Saudi Arabia. As a result, we are very conscious and considerate of others religious beliefs,

even going so far as to set aside a bathroom, in one of our offices in London, as a prayer room for

Muslim clients exclusively so they can ritually cleanse their hands and face before frequent daily prayers

to Allah. Without actions like these, we probably would not be as successful as we are.

While the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Pay Act of 1963 13 legally forbid discrimination against

women in the workplace, social attitudes have taken longer to change. It’s no surprise really when you

look at the history of gender inequality. For instance, many people fail to realize that black men could

vote following ratification of the 15th amendment in 187014, but women were not permitted until the

19th amendment in 1920. Someone's sexist attitude can cost a company a lot of money and agony if the

EEOC gets involved. Companies can also face civil suits for discrimination and sexual harassment. Smart

employers not only have policies on sexual harassment and gender discrimination, but also provide

training on these issues to ensure a respectful, comfortable workplace in which everyone feels valued

and has equal opportunity.

Obama even brought up this topic in his 2014 State of the Union address were he commented that,

“Today, women make up about half our workforce. But they still make 77 cents for every dollar a man
earns. That is wrong, and in 2014, it's an embarrassment. A woman deserves equal pay for equal

work.”15 Obviously this is a serious problem because women hold less than a quarter of all “STEM” jobs,

those in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. In fact, there has been a drop of around 30% in

Computer Science jobs held by women over a decade ago. 16 However, it is important to point out that

some of these statistics are a bit biased themselves. For instance, the 23-cent gender pay gap he

mentioned in the State of the Union is simply the difference between the average earnings of all men

and women and does not account for differences in occupations, positions, education, job tenure, or

hours worked per week. When all these relevant factors are taken into consideration, the wage gap

narrows to somewhere between five and nine cents. Granted that gap still exists and perhaps much of it

cannot simply be explained away, but consider, for example, how men and women differ in their college

majors. Of the top 10 highest paid degrees, men overwhelmingly outnumber women almost 4 to 1. 17

Humans now live an average of 67.2 years globally and in the US that rises to 77 to 80 years depending

on gender.18 Because of this increased vitality, and also due to economic pressures and trends that have

reduced pensions and other retirement benefits, some older workers are now staying on the job longer.

As a result, for the first time in our society there are often four different generations working together in

the workplace. Each generation experiences things that form their perceptions that they bring into the

workplace. This unfortunately, can sometimes result in conflict and struggle between the groups,

because perceptions translate into values and attitudes towards work; ways of getting things done, and

ways to best communicate. For instance, traditionalists, those born before 1945, are often seen as more

engaged, dedicated, cost-effective and hardworking, while generation x or y is more technology minded,

social, entrepreneurial and collaborative.19 In order to understand this diverse environment, it is

necessary to understand what these generations have been through that have caused this behavior and

perception, so that we can empathize and adjust accordingly.

of the cause or whether it is addressed formally, informally or proactively through training and

awareness programs, human resources has the answers to manage this and avoid detrimental impact.
1
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conflict
2
http://business.time.com/2008/02/08/never_mind_office_romance_fear/
3
https://hr.colorado.edu/fsap/healthtips/Pages/Resolving-Workplace-Conflict.aspx
4
http://www.hrcsuite.com/career-management/conflictresolution
5
http://www.businessweek.com/adsections/diversity/diversecompet.htm
6
http://amj.aom.org/content/early/2012/11/12/amj.2011.0971.abstract
7
http://www.forbes.com/sites/hbsworkingknowledge/2013/12/09/how-cultural-conflict-undermines-workplace-
creativity/
8
http://www.stuffindianslike.com/2008/04/170-holding-hands.html
9
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/01/weekinreview/01basics.html?_r=0
10
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWFPHW7BCCI
11
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caste_system_in_India
12
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0425326/ and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mua2Kfd3bnI
13
http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/epa.cfm
14
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voting_rights_in_the_United_States
15
http://www.nationaljournal.com/state-of-the-union-2014/full-text-president-obama-s-2014-state-of-the-union-address-
20140128
16
http://www.bustle.com/articles/14024-was-obamas-state-of-the-union-right-do-women-earn-77-cents-on-a-mans-
dollar
17
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/02/01/no-women-don-t-make-less-money-than-men.html
18
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_expectancy
19
http://www.economist.com/news/business/21586831-businesses-are-worrying-about-how-manage-different-age-
groups-widely-different