Can Conflict Improve the Work Environment?

Managers Encouraging Employees to Disagree? Say it's not so!

Aug 22, 2009

When properly managed, conflict in the workplace is not always negative. In fact, employees who are allowed to disagree can provide a huge benefit to the organization.

When supervisors hear employees arguing or disagreeing, they often think the discussion must be stopped immediately before it creates problems for the organization. Surprisingly, however, when conflict is properly managed it can actually improve productivity and creativity among employees.

What is Conflict?

Dictionary.com defines conflict as, “To come into collision or disagreement; be contradictory, at variance, or in opposition; clash.” Many managers assume this definition means any time there is a difference of opinion it must be stopped. However, employers and supervisors need to realize that disagreement by itself is not inherently bad. When directed and controlled, employee disputes can be beneficial to the creative process and may help with creating solutions to existing problems.

There are times when a supervisor or manager may want to intentionally create discussion and argument between employees. While this sounds intimidating, in reality it is something used on a regular basis. This kind of conflict is more often known as brainstorming and can be extremely beneficial.

How Does a Manager Create Successful Conflict?

The trick to creating successful conflict is the same as solving any other issue between employees - by using conflict management skills. For a brainstorming session to be effective, managers must first determine what the desired outcome is, carefully arrange the venue, then monitor the participants.

Take for example, a manager who needs input from a variety of staff members to find a new way to market a product. This manager will need to carefully create the environment to allow for positive disagreement, beginning with determining:

In this type of beneficial conflict scenario, employees have the opportunity to provide their own take on the question at hand, listen to others as they discuss their version of the question, and then discuss as a group to find an answer that satisfies the desired outcome. Throughout the process, conflict management skills are used to ensure the discussion remains amicable and the manager provides mediation if necessary.

While it may seem counter-productive to have a manager intentionally create discord in the workplace, if property managed controversy can provide team building, brainstorming and knowledge transfer. This, in turn, can create a workplace where a variety of ideas can be successfully shared and debated, employees argue effectively, and everyone feels free to contribute.

The copyright of the article Can Conflict Improve the Work Environment? in Employee/Management Relations is owned by Kelly Sharp. Permission to republish Can Conflict Improve the Work Environment? in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.