Navigating the Complexities of Workplace Conflict: Post-Covid19 Lessons

In today’s rapidly evolving post-pandemic workplaces, the rise of complexity has ushered in new conflict challenges. With more widely distributed teams, varied remote work arrangements, and shifting organizational cultures to accommodate what we learned during the pandemic, workplace conflict is on the rise. Conflicts happen when needs clash, posing significant performance hurdles for employees and leaders alike.??

An early example of this was—and, surprisingly, continues to be—return-to-office mandates that began two years ago. Many companies implementing those mandates saw significant backlash over their RTO policies, even when offering hybrid schedules. As a result of the backlash, we are now in a knowledge-worker ?war for talent? unlike any we’ve seen before. Rather than implementing innovative policies that reflect today’s realities, approaches that demonstrate wise learning from that backlash, worker conflicts with modified RTO policies are accompanied by organizational financial?strains due to market collapses and slow growth forecasts.???

According to 2023 ?statistics, employee conflict in the U.S. is alarmingly prevalent, costing billions of dollars in lost productivity each year. A staggering 85% of employees report experiencing unproductive conflict, with nearly a third saying they face conflict on a constant basis. From frontline workers to senior leadership, no level of the organization is immune to the impacts of conflict.?

So, what fuels this conflict??Research indicates that some primary drivers are personality clashes, workplace stress, and heavy workloads. Our published research shows that ubiquitous virtual meetings have significantly contributed to creating heavier-than-before workloads, significantly contributing to emotional exhaustion and burnout. Tired, burned-out employees are more likely to create or contribute to conflict.?

Moreover, the insidious nature of ?myside ?bias—where individuals prioritize their own beliefs over others—exacerbates tensions and hampers resolution efforts. This bias perpetuates conflict and impedes collaboration in our increasingly complex world.?

The hidden costs of unresolved conflict are substantial, ranging from increased absenteeism and sickness to project failures and diminished morale. As organizations grapple with these challenges, they must adopt proactive measures to address and mitigate conflict effectively; otherwise, performance will plummet.?

Your strategies for navigating the complexities of conflict today:?

1. Lead by example. Create open communication channels to facilitate authentic, open dialogue between yourself and your team members.??

2. Implement relationship-building and communications skills workshops to equip yourself and your people with the skills to resolve disagreements constructively.?

3. Encourage other-perspective-taking to foster a culture of mutual respect and understanding.?

4. Leverage advanced remote work technologies and honor needs for flexible work arrangements to accommodate diverse needs and performance styles.?

5. Talk to us if you want to develop breakthrough abilities so you can do these things well.?

Conflicts in the workplace are inevitable and can be performance barriers, but with breakthrough leadership they can be a catalyst for positive forward momentum. Leaders foster a culture of collaboration and innovation by understanding the root causes of conflict, affirming the realities as others see them, and taking action to address their needs and the greater good. That’s how your organizations can better navigate the complexities of the modern workplace and how you can do so with grace and resilience while cultivating long-lasting followership.?

Give Your Leaders the Tools They Need to Navigate the Complexities of Leadership Today?

Betty Johnson’s speaker presentations weave research findings with practical leadership tips to improve performance. Using gentle humor and her wealth of experience, her talks empower leaders to take positive action the same day. Book?here.?

Research Featured in The Wall Street Journal

I am so pleased that the Wall Street Journal article described my published research findings. It's also gratifying to see the advice from my book: "Making Virtual Work" reflected in the article. I'm always grateful for opportunities to contribute to the conversation on virtual work and well-being.