Conflict, according to Robbin and Judge (2022), is defined as a process that begins when one party perceives another has negatively impacted something they care about. Conflict can have a functional consequence (improving group performance) or dysfunctional (hindering performance).
Also, according to Robbins and Judge (2022), conflict can be due to the task, relationship or process. Conflict has 5 stages: potential opposition, cognition and personality, intentions, behavior and outcomes. There are some techniques for managing conflict such as problem-solving, superordinate goals, smoothing, compromise and avoidance.
Choi et al. (2024) discuss the impact of relationship conflict within the workplace. This is linked to counterproductive work behavior (CWB). Relationship conflict is defined as interpersonal incompatibility that generates tension between team members. This affects employee well-being and can lead to negative emotional experiences.
The study by Choi et al. (2024) also showed that employees with high emotional intelligence are more affected by relationship conflicts in terms of reducing well-being, leading to an increase in counterproductive work behavior directed toward the organization (CWBO) that can lead to slower, inefficient work, breaking rules, sabotage, among other negative behaviors. To reduce conflicts, managers must act proactively and mitigate relationship conflicts. The company can encourage transformational leadership that provides individualized attention and is more open to dialogue that can manage team conflicts. Positive reinforcement is also interesting, offering verbal support, rewards and incentives to employees in order to generate positive emotional resources.
References
Choi, Y., Yoon, D. J., Lee, J. D., & Lee, J. Y. E. (2024). Relationship conflict and counterproductive work behavior: the roles of affective well-being and emotional intelligence. Review of Managerial Science, 18(4), 1129-1148. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11846-023-00642-zLinks to an external site.
Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2022). Essentials of Organizational Behavior (15th ed.). Pearson.
