Just like the diversity of human interactions within organisations, each type of conflict in the workplace can manifest itself in different ways and affect the quality of life in the workplace.
Whether it ‘s disagreements over objectives , power struggles or interpersonal friction, these tensions have a negative impact on the well-being and productivity of employees and, by extension, on the company’ s results.
For this reason, it’s important to know how to recognise these conflicts so that you can take the necessary steps to resolve them quickly. Find out here what the signs are for each type of conflict.
Identity conflict
Identity conflict arises when members of a team disagree about their own identity or that of others, or about their place in the company or their professional role.
This type of conflict is often linked to how employees perceive themselves and how they think their colleagues perceive them in return.
This conflict can be traced back to a number of different causes:
- Role in the company: The identity conflict stems from the way in which the employee perceives his or her role in the company in relation to the responsibilities assigned to him or her;
- Recognition: This conflict may arise from the way in which the employee is valued or recognised within the organisation. A loss of self-esteem and a feeling of belonging to the company can lead to this type of conflict;
- Culture and personal context: A discrepancy between an employee ‘s professional and personal identity can also be at the root of an identity conflict, particularly when their personal expectations are not in line with those of the company.
Identity conflict is one of the most sensitive conflicts, as it directly affects the employee ‘s well-being.
For this reason, companies are encouraged to initiate dialogue, offer support, and promote inclusion and diversity if they are to retain employees affected by this type of conflict.
The power struggle
In business, conflicts of power are a recurrent feature, pitting individuals or groups against each other as they vie for authority, control or resources.
This type of conflict often gives rise to rivalries, tensions and disagreements over strategic decisions or the direction of the company’ s activities. There are two main types ofconflict.
Structuralaspect
Team members may behave competitively or antagonistically in public, particularly with regard to organisational structure and decision-making mechanisms.
Here, the conflict of power can manifest itself, for example, in attempts to sabotage the work of others, heated debates at meetings, or constant questioning of the authority in place.
Psychologicalaspects
As far as the psychological aspect is concerned, the manager may suspect a power struggle by observing the attitude of the people concerned.
In general, they are subject to increased anxiety and stress, as well as a loss of confidence in their colleagues and management.
In addition, employees involved in this type of conflict tend to be aggressive and defensive, which greatly undermines efforts to develop team spirit.
They can also be very manipulative, destructive and malicious in order to reinforce their own position of power.
Hierarchical conflict
This type of conflict involves disagreements between superiors and subordinates, or between different hierarchical levels in the organisation. It is often caused by problems in the transmission of information and therefore in communication between the manager and his team.
Hierarchical conflict can also arise from differences between the expectations of managers and the priorities of employees. In some cases, it is simply the logical consequence of conflicts of interest and power. In companies, this conflict generally manifests itself as :
- Communication problems between the different levels of the hierarchy;
- An increase in employee frustration and stress;
- Reduced productivity and quality of work;
- Constant formal complaints or complaints to human resources.
All these events usually lead to public outbursts that damage the company’s image and performance.
Process conflict
This type of conflict arises from disagreements over the methods or procedures used by the company to achieve its objectives. Its manifestations can be observed at both operational and relational levels.
Operational aspects
In operational terms , process conflict focuses on the technical and practical aspects of carrying out operations. Team members may have differences of opinion as to the most appropriate method of accomplishing a given task.
This situation often leads to errors in the execution of tasks, inefficiencies, duplication, etc., which affect the quality of the service.
Relationships
The relational aspect of this type of conflict concerns the social and behavioural aspects of work processes. It can manifest itself in frustration and resentment due to the exclusion of certain employees from the decision-making process, for example.
These relational tensions can jeopardise collaboration and communication within teams, making it difficult for them to work effectively. Resolving them therefore requires a management approach that improves team dynamics.
In this context, the aptitude test for building effective teams is a good way of assessing employees’ abilities and skills, in order to create groups that are less inclined to clash over work process issues.
Conflict of values
Conflict over values is a type of conflict that is often confused with conflict over identity. However, when it comes to conflict management, these differences require a more nuanced approach.
While conflicts of identity affect the very identity of the employee, conflicts of values concern the employee’s fundamental principles and beliefs. The latter therefore involve questions of ethics and corporate culture.
Value conflicts arise from fundamental differences in the ethical or moral perceptions that employees have of the company’ s political and professional practices.
They are therefore at the root of the questioning, not of the person themselves, but of their deepest convictions about what is moral or ethical.
It is for all these reasons that the use of theEnneagram is recommended for resolving value conflicts. This personal development method helps managers to understand how different personalities perceive the company’ s values and objectives.
As a result, it becomes easier to find compromises and align the visions of the organisation and those of the employees more closely in order to avoid this type of conflict.
Intercultural conflict
Intercultural conflict arises when people from different cultures find it difficult to interact because of their cultural differences.
These differences often lead to misunderstandings that hinder communication, collaboration and mutual understanding.
Cultures perceive and interpret gestures, body language, facial expressions, modes of communication, the function of authority and hierarchy, and expectations of interpersonal interaction differently.
This type of conflict manifests itself in constant misunderstandings, friction and tension, resistance to change, inappropriate language and public outbursts.
The company then finds itself in a hostile climate that undermines team cohesion and the smooth running of the organisation.
In such situations, it is essential to find strategies to increase everyone‘s sensitivity to cultural differences, in order to bind teamstogether, encourage harmonious collaboration and promote effective communication.
Emotional conflict
This type of conflict arises when team members are primarily motivated and driven by their feelings and emotions rather than by work-related considerations. Affective conflicts manifest themselves in different ways:
- Avoidance: Team members may avoid interaction and discussion to avoid confronting their negative feelings, which can lead to progressive isolation and deterioration in relationships ;
- Palpable tension between colleagues: A tense atmosphere develops when the negative emotions of team members manifest themselves in non-verbal behaviour or confrontational exchanges, making for an unpleasant working environment;
- Reluctance to participate in team meetings and activities: Participation in team meetings and activities decreases when emotional conflicts create discomfort, leading to reduced commitment and collaboration;
- Repeated complaints: Emotional conflicts often lead to repeated complaints to management or human resources.
The manager must therefore be attentive to these signs in order to detect the emergence of emotional conflicts and take the necessary measures as quickly as possible.
Types of conflict in the workplace: What to remember?
In short, there are several types of conflict that can arise within a company, such as identity conflicts, power conflicts, hierarchical conflicts, process conflicts, value conflicts, intercultural conflicts and emotional conflicts.
Depending on their origins and manifestations, each of these types of conflict can have varying repercussions on team effectiveness, the quality of interpersonal relations and the overall dynamics of the company.
It is therefore essential to detect each type of conflict as soon as it arises so that the right solutions can be found to resolve it and create an optimal environment for employees.
