Managing Conflict in Interpersonal Relationship at Workplace

When two individuals have different opinions and neither of the two is willing to compromise, conflict arises. A state of disagreement among individuals is called as conflict.

Conflict arises at workplace when employees find it difficult to reach to mutually acceptable solutions and fight over petty issues. Differences in attitude, mindsets and perceptions give rise to conflicts at the workplace.

No one ever has gained anything out of conflicts. Conflict must be avoided as it leads to negativity and spoils the ambience of the workplace.

How to manage conflicts in interpersonal relationship at workplace ?

Conflicts play an important role in spoiling relationship among employees at the workplace and must be controlled at the initial stages to expect the best out of individuals.

• For individuals, organization should always come first and all other personal interests must take a backseat. Fighting with fellow workers on petty issues is childish. Be professional. Do not take things to heart at the workplace as no one is working for himself or herself. You might not like someone else’s style of working but remember ultimately the organization must benefit out of it.

• An individual ought to respect his colleagues. Treat your fellow workers as members of your extended family. Ignoring minor issues helps in avoiding conflicts in interpersonal relationship. Try to understand your colleague’s point of view as well.

• Avoid lobbying at the workplace. An individual should keep his personal and professional life separate. Do not favour anyone just because you like the individual concerned or you know him personally.

  At work, every employee irrespective of his family background and relation with the management needs to be treated as one. Ignoring or bad mouthing someone just because you do not like him is simply not acceptable. Such things give rise to unnecessary stress and eventually employees fight and spoil relationships amongst themselves. You need people around who can give you suggestions and help you when required. You can’t work alone.

• Remember there is a difference between being aggressive and rude. A sense of competition is essential among employees but make sure you adopt healthy means to prove yourself. Jealousy, backbiting, criticism, leg pulling give rise to disagreements among individuals and spoil their relationships.

• Think before you speak. Do not hurt anyone. There are several other ways to express your displeasure at work. Do not overreact at workplace. Stay calm and composed.

• Avoid being arrogant. Be polite to everyone. Greet people and do enquire about their well being. A simple smile goes a long way in managing conflicts and strengthening interpersonal relationships at workplace.

• Evaluate issues carefully. Do not jump to conclusions. It is always better to sort out differences amicably rather than fighting and spoiling relationships. Voice your concerns in an open platform and try to reach to a conclusion mutually acceptable to all. Do not always see your own personal interests

• Learn to control your emotions.

• Communicating effectively reduces the chances of errors and eventually manages conflicts amongst employees at the workplace.