How to handle conflict in the workplace

Let’s face it: Conflict at work is inevitable. When you bring people together with different personalities, experiences, and ideas, disagreements are bound to happen. In fact, about 25% of employees say they deal with conflict at work regularly. 

While workplace conflict can be stressful and disruptive  it’s not all bad news. When managed well, conflict can encourage an open and collaborative workplace. 

So, how do we handle it when things heat up? Here are some tips for turning workplace conflict into an opportunity for growth and teamwork.

Tip 1: Build relationships with your colleagues

It might sound obvious, but don’t underestimate how important it is to build strong, positive relationships with your team. When trust is there, people feel safe to speak up, share ideas, and really collaborate. This makes it easier to turn conflict into a chance to problem-solve or brainstorm creatively—without it dragging down productivity or the overall vibe of the team.

Tip 2: Practise active listening

Really paying attention to others when they speak is one way to build your relationships. Active listening is not only hearing the words but also paying attention to the tone, body language, and what they’re really trying to communicate. 

Show that you’re listening by maintaining eye contact, nodding, and using your facial expressions to respond as they talk. Asking questions or checking back about the important points before you jump in with your thoughts also prevents misunderstandings.

Tip 3: Acknowledge and understand the conflict

When there's a conflict, it’s important to acknowledge the disagreement, rather than brushing it off. 

Without understanding the situation it can be much more difficult to appropriately and permanently resolve a conflict. The underlying cause of the conflict may not be what it appears to be. For example, a manager may request more resources, but if the issue is that an unrealistic deadline has been given, moving the deadline would resolve the conflict without moving resources.

Tip 4: Understand the ways that people respond to conflict

There are a number of different ways that people deal with conflict, and often people use different methods depending on the situation, or a combination of them: 

• Collaborating: All sides are willing to work together to find a mutually beneficial outcome. Sometimes this can take more time and resources than is appropriate for the conflict.
• Compromise: All sides are willing to sacrifice some of what they want to find a middle ground.
• Competing: When one side asserts their own needs to the possible detriment of others. This may be defending a position they believe is right, or simply trying to “win”.
• Accommodating: When one side of the conflict prioritises the needs of others, possibly to their own detriment. This can be a quick solution, but longer term may lead to more conflict.
• Avoiding: Ignoring the conflict in the hope that it will go away, particularly if confronting the conflict seems more difficult than the benefits of resolving the conflict. This may work, but sometimes it means there is a bigger difficulty later.

Tip 5: Be aware of emotions

Conflict can stir up some pretty strong emotions, and that’s totally normal. It’s important to recognise when those feelings are making it harder to deal with the situation productively. Keep in mind, the other person might be feeling the same way. Taking a break and coming back when you’re both a bit calmer can make all the difference in working through the issue. 

Also, if you’re noticing tension building over email or chat, it might be time to switch to a phone call or meeting. Sometimes tone and intent get lost in text, and a quick conversation can clear things up faster. 

Tip 6: Take an open approach

There’s nothing more frustrating than trying to argue with someone who’s completely set in their ways and won’t even consider other perspectives. The good news? We can make sure we’re not that person. It can be tough to stay objective, but if we start by assuming that others have good reasons for their point of view—and that everyone’s ultimately working toward the same goal—it can open up new solutions we might not have thought of.

Tip 7: Create ground rules

Setting clear boundaries for your discussion can keep things on track. Pick a time that works for everyone, set a time limit—say, 30 minutes—and if you don’t reach a conclusion, plan to pick it up later. It’s also key to set expectations up front: make sure everyone knows the goal is to communicate respectfully.

And beyond specific conflicts, having a clear and easy-to-follow process for resolving issues in the workplace can help prevent things from escalating and lead to quicker solutions.

Tip 8: Get outside help if needed

Ideally, conflicts can be resolved quickly by the people directly involved. But sometimes that’s not possible. While a manager with strong emotional intelligence can support open communication and trust, they might not always be the best fit to mediate conflict, especially if there’s a power imbalance. In these cases, bringing in someone outside the team can help create a more open space for conversation.

For more serious conflicts, an external arbitrator might be necessary. The difference? A mediator helps the parties work toward a resolution, while an arbitrator steps in to make the final decision for them.

Tip 9: Conflict management training

Being able to manage conflict can be learnt. Many workplaces have benefited from conflict resolution training both for management and team members. By training to improve trust and foster open and effective communication and cooperative problem solving, a team can often resolve conflict more quickly and avoid some altogether.

The bottom line

Conflict is likely to occur in every workplace occasionally, so you aren’t alone. Encouraging a positive work environment and open communication can help decrease the stress of conflict and may help you harness conflict to improve creative problem solving. Considering the conflict objectively and being aware of your own emotions can help you resolve conflict at work.

Related reads:

• How to communicate effectively at work
• Workplace boundaries: What are they and do we need them?
• Neurodiversity in the workplace

Reviewed by the healthylife Advisory Board March 2025.