Use our expert strategies to overcome common workplace problems!

The average professional will spend around 3,515 days at work during their lifetime. That's a huge amount of time you'd rather spend being productive than unhappy and stressed out, right? Still, workplace conflict can be tricky to address, let alone avoid. So how do you face them professionally? Luckily, you've come to the right place. Let's take a look at some real-life examples of conflict in the workplace and how you can overcome them.

What causes conflict at work?

While the cause of workplace conflict varies, we can pinpoint some major sources of workplace drama. For example, a lack of clear communication, poor interpersonal relationships, and low-level leadership can all play a role in causing these conflicts to arise. 

But whatever the cause is, it's important to take action when conflict rears its ugly head. The sooner you take steps to nip it in the bud, the sooner you can return to a harmonious workplace. Letting things fester and get worse is never a clever move. In the rest of this guide, we'll look at some of the most common examples of conflict and how to deal with them. 

Types of conflict in the workplace, explained

Before we take a look at some specific examples of conflict at work, let's talk about the overarching types that exist. Generally speaking, these workplace conflict examples can fit into one of five distinct categories. 

Understanding these will help you identify which type of problem you're dealing with and, as a direct result of that, come up with a solution. Here are the main conflict situations to consider: 

Interpersonal conflicts

First up, let's talk about perhaps the most common type of conflict at work: interpersonal conflicts. These problems arise when two people clash on a personal level or have avoidable misunderstandings. If you've ever worked with a person you struggle to see eye-to-eye with, you'll know what this example of conflict is all about.

Task-based conflicts 

When professionals have different approaches to work, it can often lead to disagreements about each person's role, responsibilities, or project directions. Task-based conflicts often centre on a core obstacle. However, since everyone has a unique way of working, this can lead to disagreements within the workforce, especially if the team has a flat structure. Learning to work towards a common goal and focus on the outcome is the smartest way to overcome this issue.

Leadership conflicts 

Spoiler: people have different managerial styles. So, when two leaders come head-to-head, it can often lead to problems and disagreements. As the name suggests, leadership conflicts arise when two (or more) professionals want to take a team in different directions. This can happen when there's an unclear hierarchical system in a workplace. 

Creative conflicts 

Should you work in a creative field, much of the output is subjective. That's perfectly okay and to be expected, except when two people disagree on the end result. When you have professionals pulling in different directions, it can be a result of creative conflicts. Often enough, each person has their own “vision” of what should happen but is unwilling to see anything beyond that.

Communication conflicts

Poor communication is one of the biggest problems in any workplace. When professionals are unclear with one another, it can lead to a plethora of issues and mishaps. For example, the core duties of a role may be ambiguous. When you don't have a clear job outline, you'll find it tricky to meet your goals and excel. Equally, when a manager doesn't give clear feedback, a staff member is obviously unable to learn and improve within their work. 

7 examples of workplace conflict – with suggested solutions 

Overcoming conflict can be tough. However, there are some safe-bet strategies you can use to help you along the way. With that in mind, let's take a look at seven examples of conflict at work and the ways that you can handle each of them. While there's rarely a quick and easy answer to these issues, there are plenty of ways for you to begin managing the problem. 

1. Your manager is micromanaging you 

Let's say that a new manager joins the company and implements their unique leadership style. They believe that they need to keep a close eye on every aspect of the team projects from the planning and ideation phase right through to completion. To do this, they ask for updates on each person's tasks, deadlines, and progress. However, there's a small problem. 

Before the manager was employed, the team in question – your team – worked somewhat autonomously. Needless to say, the new management style leaves you and the rest of the team feeling demotivated and feeling that you're no longer trusted to do the job. 

Solution:

Start by speaking directly with the manager and providing honest feedback about the problem. It's worth detailing how the team worked before they joined the company and explaining that this was preferable. Be respectful and make it clear that you understand they're simply trying to get the best results. Work together to come up with a compromise that suits everyone. This could include regular one-on-ones where team members offer progress reports, for instance. 

2. A colleague thinks you're overstepping

You've recently started a new job and you're excited to get moving. However, your manager has yet to make it clear what your exact duties are. You've tried to take on some of the tasks that you think fall into your remit but this has only led to further problems. 

Another member of the team now thinks that you're stepping on their toes and has voiced their grievances. When you tried to explain yourself to this colleague, they became dismissive, stating how you're taking over their workload. 

Solution:

Let your manager know that the job scope is unclear. You don't have to phrase this as a criticism. Instead, you can explain that you want to live up to their expectations and, to do that, you need more guidance. Show that you're open to learning more about your duties and that you want to clearly understand what tasks you should be completing on a daily basis. 

Additionally, share that a colleague is not pleased with the work you've been doing. Your manager can mediate this situation, assuring them that there's a distinction between your role and theirs. Use an open communication style to avoid any further problems arising. 

3. You don't get along with a coworker 

You work directly with a team member on your level and struggle to communicate well with them. Minor issues, such as task allocations and scheduling, often lead to arguments. No matter how hard you try, you find that your personality clashes with your coworker's. The two of you have entirely different approaches to work, leading to an increasingly tense work environment.

Solution: 

If you've already tried to resolve this problem with your coworker with no success, it's time to speak to your manager about the issue. This is one of those examples of conflict that isn't often solved without external intervention. Be clear about the problems you've had and the situations in which these conflicts come up. It's smart to have some solid examples to share at this point. 

Chances are, your manager will suggest mediation to help you overcome your differences. This involves working with a third-party to improve your teamwork skills and gain a sense of mutual respect. While you don't always have to like the people you work with, you do have to respect them.

4. You're feuding with another department 

You work in sales in a large-scale company. However, lately the sales and marketing teams have been feuding over budgets. Your team wants to focus all funds on creating quick sales conversions and hitting short-term goals. However, the marketing team wants to cultivate long-term brand awareness and improve customer engagement. You've been arguing with a lead member of the marketing team about how the budget should be divided fairly. 

Solution: 

The crux of this example of conflict is the misalignment of two teams. So, to overcome the problem, you should suggest an inter-departmental meeting to talk about the budget. Make sure that the decision makers are present for this. Since both teams want to meet their goals and the resources are limited, it's worth reconsidering which should be prioritised. 

Speak with the leadership team about the most important overarching goals. Once you and the marketing team understand that, you can move forward with a shared plan of action. By creating a joint plan that works for both parties, you can make sure that both teams are working together. 

5. You're working in a gossip mill 

Gossip can be extremely dangerous in the workplace. You've been working at the same place for five years. However, an untrue rumour that you're getting special treatment from the boss is going around. While you do have a friendship with your manager outside of work, neither of you let that affect you during work time. Coworkers have started to treat you differently because they incorrectly believe that you're favoured over them when it comes to professional feats.

Solution: 

First things first, you should set up a private meeting with your manager to talk about the problem. Explain how the rumour about favouritism is affecting your work and relationships with your coworkers. Consider if there's anything you can do to reaffirm your boundaries at work. 

Next, take the time to address the rumour with your coworkers. Without becoming defensive, explain that you have a friendship with your manager, but that it doesn't affect professional decisions or the way you're treated at work. Show that you can understand why they might be under that impression and then explain the boundaries you have in place to prevent it. 

6. You can't arrange meetings with a coworker

You work for an international company on a remote basis. You and another coworker live in different time zones but need to communicate regularly, since you work directly together. You often suggest meetings early in the day – when you're the most productive – but this is too early for your coworker as it's before 9 AM their local time. You think that they should be more flexible and accommodate you. When they suggest later times, you're often unable to agree with them as you tend to block out periods for project work and don't like to be disturbed. 

Solution: 

This is one of the examples of conflict that requires compromise. Chances are, you won't find a time to speak that suits both you and your coworker perfectly. For that reason, you should both be more flexible and adapt your work day to ensure that you can have regular meetings. 

Rather than wasting time and energy sending emails back and forth, use tech to your advantage. It's worth using a scheduling tool, such as Doodle or Calendly, to find a time that works for both of you. You can highlight periods of the day when you have space for meetings. That way, you don't have to have lengthy or exhausting conversations about the matter. 

7. Your manager is not recognising your work 

You are a hard and prolific worker. However, no matter what results you gain, your manager seems indifferent to your work. As this isn't the type of management you're used to, you then fin yourself struggling to maintain your productivity. Since you're getting the same feedback whether you excel or underperform, you've lost all motivation to keep moving forward. 

Solution: 

Arrange a meeting with your manager to discuss this issue. Explain that you require continuous feedback – both positive and negative – to fulfil the duties of your job. Suggest a regular review meeting in which your manager can share this with you. Let them know that you're motivated by positive feedback and are willing to take on any constructive criticism they may have, too. 

General tips for avoiding conflict at work 

Work on your communication style. Since many of these examples of conflict come from poor communication, this is a good place to start. Consider looking for ways to improve your communication and learn the art of reflective listening as well.

Act sooner, not later! When workplace conflict arises, you need to take action as soon as possible. Often enough, this approach allows you to avoid issues from escalating. 

Ask for feedback and share yours. To keep things moving forward, it's a good move to regularly ask for feedback from those around you. That way, you can easily determine what your weaknesses are and work on improving them in the future.

Manage workplace conflicts professionally

Dealing with any of these examples of conflict in the workplace can be difficult, especially when you don't know where to turn. But whatever the problem is, you can be sure that there's a way to overcome it. Make sure you handle yourself professionally at all times so that you don't exacerbate the problem, and use the resolution guidelines we've served up here to help you address the issue. 

Want to showcase your conflict resolution skills on your CV? Let TopCV's experts review it for free, and gain actionable insights for quickly boosting your job-search success. 

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