Can a conflict at work also have good sides?

Collaboration between people in order to achieve specific effects, e.g. at work, often contributes to their integration. However, it can also cause conflicts that are usually only associated negatively. They are seen as something dangerous and harmful to the enterprise. Nevertheless, can a conflict at work have any beneficial effects?

Conflict at work - causes

In the most general terms: conflicts arise when different interests, attitudes or values ​​of individual employees or entire teams clash. Their development is influenced by various reasons, which can be divided into:

• rational - resulting from real motives,

• irrational - resulting from behavior that is difficult to explain (e.g. unexplainable aversion to a person),

• resulting from the characteristics of the organization (e.g. wages),

• having their sources in the characteristics of individual people (e.g. a different worldview or attitudes).

• It may also happen that a conflict at work will arise when employees try to hide or falsify the real reasons for their behavior.

Conflict at work - types

Conflicts in a company can have many sources, but also different characteristics, depending on whether they occur between individuals or groups or between individuals and groups.

• Interpersonal conflict - it occurs between independent units, e.g. employees; in this case, they may be divided by different attitudes and interests.

• Intergroup conflict - it occurs between groups operating in the company; an example may be conflicts between subordinates and management.

• Conflict between an individual and a group - it occurs between a specific employee and a team; an example of this type of conflict is the employee-manager dispute.

Conflict at work - methods of proceeding

If you can sense that there is a conflict at work, do not try to avoid it at all costs. In such a situation, it is better to express different views, bearing in mind at the same time that the other party to the dispute has the same right to do so. Therefore, one should not immediately oppose her beliefs or make unpleasant comments or remarks about her.

In the event of a misunderstanding, one should also stick to the root cause of the conflict, and not add new issues, not necessarily related to the topic, or extract old mistakes. It is not worth dwelling on past events, because they will not change anything in the present fate of the company.

In order to resolve a conflict, it is worth thinking about teamwork. Then both sides of the dispute should change their attitudes to positive and try to find a solution that satisfies them equally.

Another solution is to compromise. The parties in conflict will then have to try to maintain harmony between their goals and those of the other party. To achieve this, you have to make concessions alternately.

Conflict at work - good points

As mentioned above, it is not worth running away from conflicts. Such action may contribute to their build-up, as well as increasing frustration among employees. Conversely, dealing with disputes can not only resolve them, but also have a number of other benefits. First of all, it can contribute to presenting different points of view, which then have a chance to produce many interesting ideas.

In addition, disputes, revealing the weaknesses of the enterprise, may result in the development of its organization and mobilization of the management staff to take corrective actions. A conflict at work can also contribute to broadening horizons thanks to the active exchange of arguments. If the misunderstanding is successfully resolved, it will mean that each party had to approve its provisions and thus accept each other's arguments. The latter action will contribute to broadening the horizons of thought, e.g. in the field of tolerance.

Another advantage of conflicts is that trust can be built up. Working out a solution to a conflict together may make the previously conflicted parties begin to trust each other more. This is possible because people who go through one conflict together will not be afraid of another conflict, knowing that a solution can always be found.

Moreover, a conflict at work may have a stimulating effect on some employees. Although it may be hard to believe, disputes contribute to job satisfaction among such people.

In addition to the benefits outlined above that relate primarily to the individual, disputes can also have positive effects on the team. Disagreements enliven the group spirit, thus providing it with new energy to act. They also contribute to the development of creativity of team members, as they stimulate active discussion in search of a dispute resolution. The last positive effect may even be an improvement in work performance, when the conflict introduced the desired changes that mobilize employees to action.

In conclusion, conflicts within the company should not be avoided. The emotions that build up for months can have more destructive effects than ad hoc disputes. The latter may even bring about positive changes - increase the efficiency of the team's work or contribute to the overall development of the company.