How to Approach Conflicts at Work Without Making Your Life Difficult

A conflict at work can give you headaches even after it is extinguished because resentments always remain.

To prevent long-term unpleasant situations, you need to know how to deal with conflicts at work to calm the spirits and not build a permanent tension between you and colleagues or superiors.

Factors that trigger conflicts at work

Several factors trigger conflicts in the workplace and we could say that they are a problem in many organizations.

Conflicts at work can lead to several negative influences not only on employees but also on the business itself.

Conflicts at work can lead to negative behaviors, such as physical or verbal aggression, and this will lead to decreased productivity due to stress and accumulated dissatisfaction.

Conflicts at work can be caused by several different factors. These factors can be minor, such as an employee who has a constantly messy office, or major, such as an employee who undermines the skills of colleagues.

We will list some of the most common causes encountered, which identified in advance, will allow employers and employees to better understand and resolve conflicts successfully.

Different people, different personalities

People work according to their personalities and needs. Some people, for example, may set their strict deadlines to reach their target, while others may constantly avoid the fixed schedule and get to work at the last minute.

Some may rejoice that the work schedule is strict and structured, while others are happy when they can work at their own pace.

At work, a conflict like this can occur when several people work together on a project or work in the same department.

For example, if a department is assigned a task that requires two people to work on the same project, one person may choose to organize their time in such a way as to do sustained work to ensure that the project is completed. on time, and the other person relates differently on time and wants to work on the project "when he feels like it".

These situations can only become conflicting because of different work styles, not because there is a right or wrong way.

Regardless of the cause of the conflict, you must understand that the goal is not to prove that you are right, even if you are convinced that you are right, but to reach a common denominator with the person with whom you conflict and to remedy the situation. Otherwise, the consequences of the conflict will be more severe and your performance at work will suffer.

To resolve this issue as quickly as possible, you can do the following:

Accept the situation - if you are in the denial phase and refuse to accept that there is a problem between you and your co-workers, things will not be resolved. Accept the situation and show interest in solving it.

Propose a discussion - suggest to your colleague or superior that you have a problem to discuss and resolve the situation.

He asks the interlocutor to express his opinion - the truth is always in the middle so it wouldn't hurt to see things from another perspective. Thus, you may be able to empathize with the interlocutor and thus reduce the tension between you.

Agree - Before concluding the discussion, you and your interlocutor must establish a few things. Either you agree on the problem and how it arose, or you agree on how to solve the problem, or you agree on how you should act in the future to prevent conflict. Ideally, you should agree on all of this, but it is good to be able to find at least one common denominator.

Call a mediator, if necessary - if you and your colleague cannot agree and cannot resolve the tense situation between you, you may need the help of a mediator. Make the decision together to ask for help from a third person, do not go it alone to ask for help as you will be perceived as a parachutist, and this will do nothing but accentuate the problem between you.