Conflict or poor workplace relationships or interactions

About conflict or poor workplace relationships and interactions

Workplace relationships and interactions can be an important source of support, but they can also be sources of stress. Relationships with supervisors, managers, peers and subordinates can positively or negatively affects how a worker feels. Wherever groups of people work together, it is likely that from time to time, conflict will arise.

Conflict only becomes a stressor if it remains unresolved, if it becomes particularly intense or if it becomes workplace bullying or harassment. It’s important that PCBUs take proactive steps toward preventing or minimising conflict as early as possible.

Things that increase the likelihood of conflict or poor workplace relationships include:

• a culture of tolerating swearing, name calling, spreading rumours or rudeness within the workplace
• a lack of policies or processes to handle reports of unacceptable behaviour
• the presence of other psychosocial hazards.

Harmful behaviours can come from a range of sources:

• external behaviours from customers, clients, patients, members of the public or from other businesses
• internal behaviours from other workers, supervisors or managers.

Managing relationship interactions and conflict

Relationship conflict among workers can be harmful to both individuals and the organisation. This conflict should be minimised or prevented as early as possible.

Workplace relationship conflict can present itself in a variety of ways including animosity, social conflict or abusive and/or aggressive supervisory styles.

There are ways to manage poor workplace relationship interactions and conflict at the organisational level including:

• ensure workers know that that are subject to a code of conduct and know where to access the Code so that they are aware of appropriate work behaviours. Ensure these standards are implemented to demonstrate that there are consequences for poor behaviour
• provide conflict management training to all workers to teach them how to diffuse difficult or confronting situations
• provide training to managers that shows them how to identify a conflict situation and resolve it early.
• show commitment to workers by being willing to confront people issues and manage their resolution
• encourage workers to share their concerns about work-related conflict at an early stage by supporting open communication. This will enable workers to feel comfortable when discussing interpersonal conflict
• develop formal and informal confidential complaint handling processes to enable the reporting of inappropriate behaviour.

There are also ways to manage poor workplace relationship interactions and conflict at the team level including:

• Promote a team culture in which workers assist each other and provide support when required
• Promote the idea that differences in workers' ideas and opinions are a positive
• Create a culture where colleagues trust and encourage each other to perform at their best
• Encourage good, honest, open communication at all levels in work teams
• Look for design issues that may negatively affect team communication. For example, minimise isolated work groups and if this is unavoidable, provide additional support to these groups
• Give group rewards based on the performance of a team or unit rather than any one individual. This can be achieved by linking rewards to the performance of a group as a whole and will both enhance teamwork and avoid potential conflict between workers.

Prolonged and unresolved poor relationship interactions and conflict may result in more extreme forms of conflict known as workplace bullying. As workplace bullying may harm the health and safety of workers, PCBUs have an obligation to manage exposure to risks of workplace bullying under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011.

Resources on conflict or poor workplace relationships and interactions

• Harmful behaviours - Safe Work Australia
• Managing relationships and work-related stress - SafeWork NSW
• Effective communication and Building trust in your team - Comcare Good Work Design