Internal Conflict in Workplace: Causes & How to Resolve Them

While it’s unrealistic to expect a small business manager to eliminate all workplace conflict, they may and should attempt to keep things as calm as possible. Conflict management takes focus away from more productive enterprise activities. If the issue is serious enough, it might cause missed time and productivity, which would eat into profits. As soon as managers are made aware of internal conflict in the workplace, they should make an effort to resolve it. Trying to ignore the problem in the hopes that it would go away on its own could be disastrous for the company. In this article, we will discuss how to resolve internal conflict in the workplace, external sources of conflict and the difference between internal and external conflict.

What is Conflict in the Workplace?

Conflict in the workplace happens when there are disagreements between colleagues. These occur because the individuals have opposing ideas, interests, or beliefs.

It’s inevitable in business for people to have divergent viewpoints. However, disagreements don’t always end well and may even get out of hand. Then, disagreements between workers become illegal and unprofessional.

What Are the Types of Conflict

Internal and external conflict are the two most common forms of conflict in the workplace. 

#1. Internal Conflict

An employee’s internal conflict has a direct impact on their life. Employees may experience this form of conflict as a result of a number of factors, including but not limited to strained relationships, personality clashes, and/or divergent points of view, goals, interests, and perceptions. When workers have internal strife, they may feel unsafe. An employee may fear termination, for instance, if the disagreement is with a boss. This causes the worker to become defensive and stressed out. Because of this, it may have a significant effect on his or her output.

#2. External Conflict

The opposite of internal conflict is external conflict, which arises from factors beyond the control of an individual or group, such as job demands, rivalry for scarce resources, and management missteps. However, the company’s management style is a prime example of an external dispute that has the potential to disrupt the workplace. The vast majority of workers feel comfortable carrying out their assigned tasks. When employees feel their independence is being threatened by management, it can lead to tension both inside and beyond the office.

What Are the Examples of Situations That May Cause a Workplace Conflict?

Here are some examples of common causes of conflict in the workplace:

#1. Lack of Communication

Disruptions in the flow of communication at work sometimes lead to conflicts. If a worker is missing key details about an ongoing project, they are more likely to make guesses. The same is true if an employee misinterprets the intentions of a manager or coworker, which can also lead to strife in the office. Because of this, you should think about how your words and actions might be interpreted by others in the workplace.

#2. Varieties of Personality

Personality differences are just one potential source of conflict in any given situation. People with contrasting personalities often have trouble cooperating with one another, which can lead to tension in the job. This is because team members might easily become frustrated with one another if they don’t understand one another’s communication methods, values, work patterns, etc. Conflicts of this nature can lead to heated debates and even hatred amongst team members.

Furthermore, avoiding disagreements with coworkers due to differences in personality type requires open and honest communication. This involves things like really hearing what other people have to say, articulating your own thoughts clearly, and being receptive to criticism. Conflicts can be reduced and team cohesion enhanced by making an effort to recognize and value individual differences in personality and approach to work.

#3. Lackluster Work Habits

Disruptive workplace conflicts can arise from employees’ poor work habits. Common examples of bad behavior at work include being late, breaking promises, and a lack of organization. When team members aren’t held accountable for their actions, it can develop to an atmosphere of mistrust and conflict. The failure to meet deadlines, the accumulation of dissatisfaction and animosity among team members, and the ensuing disputes are all consequences of disorganization and procrastination.

However, it’s important to be aware of and work on your negative tendencies before they cause problems for you at work. Workplace conflicts can be avoided and the quality of your work can be enhanced by simply becoming aware of and adjusting your own personal work habits. It’s a win for both parties involved.

#4. Intolerance to Change

When employees see a negative impact on their jobs from a proposed or executed change, they are likely to push back. There may be a rise in workplace conflicts as factions within an organization strive to maintain their own ways of doing things.

To avoid this conflict, it is best to learn the reasons why employees are resistant to change and then work together to find a solution. Conflict in the workplace can be minimized and productivity maximized by working together to find a solution that satisfies everyone. 

#5. Inadequate Advancement Opportunities

When employees aren’t happy in their jobs, it might lead to conflicts inside the firm. Conflict in the workplace can arise when workers believe their efforts are being undervalued. When employees believe their superiors are unfair, they become more resentful of them. Therefore, all employees should be treated fairly under the company’s evaluation or compensation processes.

#6. Unclear Goals in the Workplace

With any new position comes a job description outlining the general duties that will be expected of you. Team members can struggle to perform at a high level without proper training and guidance. There is a significant learning curve associated with every job that ultimately determines how successful the worker will be.

Some employees spend years at a company before they figure out their manager’s expectations. And yet others give up and go on. When people lack clarity regarding their performance expectations, they are more likely to get defensive. Rather than letting dissatisfaction build up and eventually erupting into a fight, wouldn’t it be simpler to lay out your expectations for the team member right from the start.

In addition, conflicts can be avoided and performance improved by clearly communicating expectations to all members of the team.

What Is Considered an Internal Conflict at Workplace?

An internal conflict in the workplace arises when an employee has a disagreement with themselves, rather than with other employees or with the team as a whole. It’s defined by internal tension or stress brought on by the presence of competing ideas or values that the worker holds about themselves and their place of employment.

However, workplace conflicts can have many root causes, including but not limited to clashing goals, erroneous expectations, unresolved emotions, and rival priorities. When employees feel pulled between two equally important activities and can’t decide which one to focus on first, for instance, they may be experiencing internal conflict. Another cause of emotional upheaval could be a moral problem that poses a threat to their core beliefs. Productivity, decision-making, and morale can all take a hit when an employee is dealing with internal strife. They can worsen stress levels, sap motivation, and hamper productivity if not addressed. 

What Are the 5 Types of Internal Conflict in the Workplace?

Workplace conflicts are disruptive, upsetting, and difficult to resolve. Conflicts can occur from a number of sources, including personality confrontations, team dynamics, and divergent project objectives. Also, conflicts of all kinds always have unique outcomes. Understanding the dynamics of conflict and developing strategies for dealing with it can have a significant impact on your professional life and career. Here are the types of internal conflict in the workplace.

#1. Leadership Conflicts

When team members have different ideas on how to steer the ship, it’s called a leadership dispute. The leader’s authority, the ability to make decisions, or the direction the group should take could all be at issue. Managers can negotiate a solution to a leadership dispute. When there is tension between team leaders, it can have a chilling effect on morale, output, and the team’s chances of winning.

Here are some examples of the various leadership disputes that can arise.

• Competing aims. One source of internal conflict in the workplace is when management disagree over the best way to move the company forward.
• Problems with roles. When there is ambiguity and overlap between managers’ tasks, tensions arise.
• Disagreements over making decisions. When the heads of various departments have differing opinions on crucial matters like strategy or budget, tensions arise.

While it may be difficult to talk your way out of a leadership dispute, it is possible to find common ground and go forward as a group. To be successful, teams and their managers need the full attention and effort of everyone involved.

#2. Work-Life Conflicts

When coworkers have divergent views on what constitutes an appropriate work style, it can lead to a variety of disagreements. Cultural differences, personality confrontations, and differing perspectives on the task are all potential sources of tension in the workplace. Tension in the workplace, including issues like harassment and exhaustion, can result from these disagreements.

Conflicts can be broken down into three broad categories: those involving the way people approach their work (task-style conflicts), their interpersonal relationships, and their supervisory roles.

• When two people have differing expectations for the task at hand, they may find themselves at odds. One person may anticipate that a certain activity will be accomplished in the simplest and quickest way feasible, whereas another may anticipate a less conventional approach.
• When two people have differing views on what constitutes an ideal working partnership, tensions arise.
• Disagreements between managers and employees over the best way to get work done can lead to leadership conflicts in any workplace.

#3. Creative Conflicts

Conflicts arise in the creative process when team members have competing ideas or agendas. Creativity and invention are required to find solutions to these challenges, which can lead to stress and conflict within the team. Conflicts in the creative process can arise on five levels: the philosophical, the technical, the interpersonal, the structural, and the political.

• Philosophical. It happens when people in a team have divergent interpretations of the same problem. Two teammates, for instance, may have divergent opinions on how to approach a situation or which option would be best. Depending on the nature of the issue and the parties involved, resolving such disagreements might be difficult.
•  Technical. Differences in knowledge or experience among team members might lead to technical disagreements. For instance, if two team members are working on the same project but in separate areas of competence, that could cause stress and conflict.
• Structural. When a group wants more control or responsibility, it can lead to structural conflicts. This can raise the likelihood of project failure by leading to ambiguity over who is responsible for what.
• Political. Politics emerge when members of a team have divergent goals, which can cause friction when trying to reach a consensus.

#4. Personality Conflicts

There are numerous potential sources of internal conflict in the workplace. Personality clashes and other forms of interpersonal conflict are extremely widespread. Personality differences can cause tension in the workplace since they lead to different ways of communicating and working. Personalities don’t always mesh, resulting in conflict and conflict in the job.

• When two or more people have different views on how their professional relationships should be, this is called a relationship conflict.
• When one individual at work has significantly more clout than another, tensions might occur.
• Status conflicts can arise between coworkers when they are at various levels of authority.

#5. Conflicts Over Tasks

When two or more groups of employees are given duties that compete with one another, this is an example of task-based conflict. Different expectations or goals, incompatible work schedules, and a lack of communication can all contribute to this form of conflict. Furthermore, the best way to avoid disagreements over job responsibilities is to create detailed job descriptions for every open position. It may be able to reframe the work or find other solutions to the issue without having to allocate whole new responsibilities.

What Is an Example of Internal Conflict in the Workplace?

While not everyone will have to deal with a life-or-death struggle in the upcoming chapters, we all deal with our own personal struggles. From a high level, there are distinct gap patterns that contribute to internal conflict at workplace:

• Discordant values. Employees may suffer internal conflict when they must decide how to deploy their resources effectively among competing duties or obligations. 
• Dissimilar ideals or principles. The values and beliefs of an employee may come into conflict with the principles and policies of the firm or with the values and beliefs of a coworker. 
• Misaligned anticipations. Internal conflict can result from workers’ having different expectations from those of their supervisors and coworkers. 
• Ambiguity in roles. Internal conflict can arise when responsibilities and functions in the workplace aren’t defined clearly. When employees are confused about their responsibilities or when those responsibilities overlap with those of their coworkers, tensions can arise.
• Confusion between opposing thoughts. Refers to the internal conflict that develops when one person has diametrically opposed points of view. When employees’ actions and behaviors are at odds with their beliefs and ideals, they may experience cognitive dissonance in the workplace.

In addition, workplace conflicts are an inevitable byproduct of human contact and can stem from a wide range of causes. Employees may better handle these problems and foster a pleasant work environment if they are made aware of them and dealt with in a proactive and constructive manner.

How Do Employees React to Internal Conflict at Workplace?

Internal conflicts can have a variety of repercussions on its employees, including the following:

#1. Broken Trust and Communication Within the Team

Relationships within a team can be affected and the team’s dynamic might be harmed by internal conflicts. Conflicts can damage relationships and decrease productivity by sowing seeds of distrust, resentment, and communication breakdowns. Long-term, this could weaken the ability of the team to work together effectively.

#2. Poor Productivity

Team members’ attention and effort are diverted by internal conflicts, which can severely slow down the team’s progress. Conflicts within a team can cause its members to lose concentration on their work, which can have a negative impact on productivity.

#3. A Rise in Employee Turnover and Absences

Staff turnover and absenteeism may be increased by internal workplace conflict. Team members may get disengaged or look elsewhere for employment if issues are not resolved in a productive manner. Also, team members may be less present due to conflict aversion or stress caused thus.

#4. Reduced Confidence and Dissatisfaction on the Job

Internal conflicts can lead to a bad work environment, which in turn can have an effect on the morale of team members and the level of job satisfaction they experience. When members of a team have disagreements with other members of the team or with themselves, it can lead to stress, tension, and unhappiness, which in turn can have an impact on the overall job satisfaction and enthusiasm of the team members.

How To Resolve Conflict in the Workplace

How therefore do the most compelling characters in fiction come to terms with their own inner turmoil? Heroes often find a way to balance their own desires with those of the greater good for their community. Connecting what we want with the external struggle or vs  internal conflict is an important part of developing our characters and ourselves.

If you want your team to get along and resolve workplace conflict, try these strategies.

#1. Tolerate Variety

When employees from different backgrounds can work along, everyone wins. If you disagree with a coworker, it’s important to at least listen to them and try to understand where they’re coming from. When people are given a chance to elaborate on their views, you can discover that you share many of the same values. As long as they can put aside their differences and treat one another with dignity, people from all walks of life have a lot to teach one another.

#2. Encourage Open Communication

Create a space where everyone is comfortable sharing their ideas and opinions openly and receiving constructive criticism. This entails not just listening attentively, but also providing outlets for team members to voice their opinions, and encouraging open and honest lines of communication. Also, read CONFLICT MANAGEMENT: Best Strategies to Handling Conflict in the Workplace.

#3. Document Your Expectations

Create job descriptions that spell out exactly what is expected of each team member. The office runs more smoothly when everyone knows their place and what they’re responsible for. Managers can hold one-on-one sessions with employees to discuss the team’s goals and the manager’s expectations for the future. Also, take notes during this meeting to ensure each employee leaves with a clear understanding of their responsibilities.

#4. Make an Effort to Comprehend What Drives Other People

If we can’t be patient and kind to ourselves, it’s hard to extend the same qualities to other people. Most of us were taught early on that there are appropriate and inappropriate ways to act. As adults, this can cause us a great deal of anxiety and insecurity whenever we feel like we’ve done anything wrong. To “feel better” about ourselves, we may strike out at others, finding fault with their actions while finding justification for our own. 

However, the maturing process begins with introspection and ends with a focus on others. We become more effective leaders when we can examine our assumptions, broaden our view, and put ourselves in the shoes of those around us. One way to feel less defensive is to realize that we don’t have to oppose the “character goals” of other people. Our morals are rarely in jeopardy. Conflict is merely a warning sign that something is out of place.

#5. Be Conscientious About Your Activities

Think about how your actions and words might be received by your team members. The humor that one person finds hilarious may be deeply upsetting to another. Having a firm grasp on what constitutes acceptable conduct on the job is crucial. Take the time to go over the company’s policies and procedures with your staff to ensure everyone knows what is expected of them at work.

External Conflict

When discussing literary conflicts, “external” refers to those that arise from sources other than the protagonist. What this means is that the antagonist creates a problem for the protagonist to solve, which in turn raises the stakes and gives the protagonist a reason to act. When characters experience internal conflict, it’s because of things going on in their heads.

Many literary styles rely on external conflicts, and authors often employ a combination of internal and vs external conflict to deepen their stories and keep readers engaged.

Types of External Conflict

There are a few conventional types of external conflict that authors frequently employ. Despite the fact that there is a wide variety of conflict situations in fantasy, authors and academics generally classify them into one of these three categories. A breakdown of these categories is as follows:

#1. Character vs. Nature

In some cases, the antagonist is something from the natural world, such as an animal, a disease, or a natural disaster. Since many character versus nature conflicts involve an inanimate force, such as a fatal storm, authors often use these types of external conflicts to inspire the character and keep the action of their story exciting while narrating an internal battle the character is having.

#2. Character vs. Society

Conflicts pitting a protagonist or antagonist against their respective societies are a common device used by published authors. Corruption in government or societal standards is a common example. Although not unique to dystopian fiction, this form of external conflict is frequently used by authors. Sometimes, while depicting persons at odds with society, authors will use a character to personify the social structure. In a story depicting a corrupt regime, the protagonist can be motivated to take action against the tyrant or the police.

#3. Character vs. Technology

Last but not least, characters often run into trouble thanks to technological advancements in character versus technology clashes. This external conflict is common in science fiction and typically involves fighting robots or unethical technical advancements. Many stories have more than one exterior conflict. A narrative may, for instance, show a corrupt government that employs new technologies to oppress its people by constantly monitoring their every move.

External Sources of Conflict

Conflicts between an organization and an external party, such as a supplier, creditor, client, or customer is an external source of conflict. People and businesses you interact with in the course of doing business.

When dealing with an external conflict, you can choose from a variety of dispute or conflict resolution techniques. The time and money spent on these methods is far less than that of the litigation/court system. Another concern with External Conflict is that these procedures might help restore and maintain valuable corporate connections. Because of its confrontational nature, litigation can damage relationships and produce undesirable results.

Conclusion

Finally, it is important for managers to be aware of the various forms of conflicts that can emerge in the workplace. Personality clashes, power battles, misunderstandings, and competition for limited resources are only some of the causes and manifestations of workplace conflict.

Managers are better able to handle and resolve internal conflicts if they first pinpoint and understand what led to them. Managers need excellent communication and problem-solving abilities to help them deal with workplace problems and keep things running well for their teams.

Internal Conflict in Workplace FAQs

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Reference

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