Workplace Bullying and Conflict Management

Conflicts arise from a variety of sources - some are avoidable, while others are not. One of the more insidious causes of conflict in the workplace is the subtle, but devastating, situation known as workplace bullying.

Workplace bullying includes all types of interpersonal harassment and discrimination. Some are blatantly illegal, as when there are sexual or racial overtones, but most are not.

It crosses all levels of organizations, from the top down as well as from the bottom up. Unchallenged, bullying poisons the workplace, undermining productivity and contributing to absenteeism, high turnover, litigation, and major expense.

Lack of respect at work hurts a company's bottom line. Employers and insurers pay an estimated $250 billion yearly for direct employee health care costs, turnover, and re-training, accidents related to stress-induced fatigue, litigation, settlements, and resistance to top-down change initiatives.

When conflict is ignored or mismanaged, devastating effects can occur: negative impacts to productivity, morale, teamwork and the bottom line.

When handled in a more constructive manner, however, conflict can lead to desirable results:

1. Conflict can produce positive change

2. Conflict can unify people

3. Conflict can promote collaboration

Most conflicts can be resolved relatively easily, thus freeing participants to focus their energies on their work. Relationships improve accordingly.

As Maureen O'Brien states, in Who's Got the Ball, "Conflict is disconcerting; it makes us uncomfortable. Yet if we look at conflict with a clinical eye, we will see it as one of life's natural and neutral experiences. It's only when we attach our view to the experience that it becomes positive or negative. If we view conflict as something that shouldn't be happening on our team, something that will cause our relationships to deteriorate, then it becomes negative. And if we see it as negative, we tend to avoid it, smooth it over, sweep it under the rug, and hope it will be away. Conversely, if we view conflict as something that's bound to happen on any team and see it as an opportunity to strengthen our relationships, then it becomes positive. Seeing it in this light, we surface it, confront it, and take the steps necessary to resolve it. We get what we expect in each case. When we ignore conflict, the net effect is negative. When we resolve conflict, we become stronger as a team."

Let us all learn how to manage conflict well so that it can become a positive influence in our teams and at our workplaces - even the world!