Impact on the Team

Only 22% of the surveyed people declared that conflicts had no impact on them, a relatively low number compared to the ones above. And the toll isn’t limited to individuals; it often spreads to the entire team:

• Stress, anxiety, and resentment can spill over to colleagues, even those not directly involved in the conflict.
• Team divisions may emerge, with individuals choosing sides and forming cliques.
• Isolation becomes common, as others may avoid those in conflict.
• Gossip and misinformation can spread fast. A study in the journal Sustainability found that negative gossip erodes trust and makes teams less willing to share knowledge, which hurts collaboration.
• Collaboration suffers, leading to missed deadlines, poor communication, and even structural changes within the team.

The Manager’s Role in Preventing Future Conflicts

In terms of conflict management, a manager’s job isn’t just to put out fires but also to prevent tensions from starting in the first place. Creating a safe, respectful, and communicative workplace is one of the most effective ways to reduce conflict.

Start with Transparency

Open communication helps uncover issues before they snowball. But the reality is, many employees don’t feel safe speaking up. A report by coaching and training firm Bravely found that 53% of employees deal with “toxic” situations by avoiding them entirely. This avoidance costs a company an average of $7,500 and over seven workdays per avoided conversation.

So how do you create a culture where conflict is addressed, not dodged?

• Hold regular one-on-ones: These check-ins are your chance to catch signs of tension early and build trust with your team.
  
  
• Be crystal clear on expectations: Misunderstandings around roles, responsibilities, and goals are main issues of team conflict. Clarifying these from the start can save you major headaches down the line.
  
  
• Be a good example: A strong, respectful team culture doesn’t happen by accident. Encourage collaboration and ongoing feedback and model the kind of communication you want to see.

Overlooked Solution: Soft Skills Training

When it comes to resolving conflict, most managers think of formal HR processes, disciplinary measures, or mediation sessions. But one of the most effective—and often overlooked—solutions is far simpler: soft skills training.

According to the Justice Institute of British Columbia, soft skills training leads to measurable improvements in:

• Productivity
• Team morale
• Innovation
• Workplace relationships

Why does it work? 

Conflict is rarely about the surface issue. It’s about how people communicate under stress, how they listen (or don’t), and whether they can navigate disagreement without shutting down or lashing out. 

That’s where soft skills training comes in. It can provide both managers and employees with the tools to prevent conflict, or at least de-escalate it before it spreads. Even in high-pressure industries like mining, studies have shown that soft skills training helped workers regain control in stressful situations, improving not just communication but overall workplace harmony.

Key soft skills to train:

• Active listening: Defuses emotionally charged interactions.
• Emotional intelligence: Helps manage interpersonal tension.
• Clear communication: Prevents misunderstandings.
• Empathy: Builds trust and openness.
• Problem-solving: Focuses energy on solutions.
• Negotiation: Encourages balanced outcomes.
• Self-regulation: Reduces reactive behavior.
• Constructive feedback: Promotes continuous improvement.
• Teamwork: Aligns individuals with collective goals.

Step-by-Step Guide on Mitigating Conflict as a Manager

Even with the best prevention strategies, conflict can still arise. Every manager has their own style of handling disputes, shaped by personality, experience, and team culture. But no matter your approach, two things are essential: staying objective and using a structured process.

Focus on four key phases:

• Listen
• Analyze
• Solve
• Follow Up

Below is a practical, step-by-step guide on how to deal with conflict in the workplace using these four pillars.

1. Get the Basic Information

Start by gathering the basic facts to form a general picture of what happened. This isn’t the time to dive deep into emotional details; focus on the objective information:

• When and where it happened
• Who was involved (directly or indirectly)
• Whether others witnessed the incident
• What happened, specifically (e.g., an email exchange, a missed deadline, a policy violation)
• What happened afterward, including impacts on clients, team morale, or workflows
• Any tangible evidence, such as emails, chat logs, or documentation

2. Escalate if Necessary

Some conflicts fall outside a manager’s scope and must be escalated immediately to HR, legal, or—if urgent—to external authorities. These include:

• • Violence (physical or verbal) 
  • Harassment (sexual, racial, psychological, etc.)
  • Property damage
  • Security breaches (physical or digital)
  • Data protection violations