About Workplace Conflict
The Cost of Conflict
Conflict is defined as a difference of wants, needs, or expectations. The workplace is filled with people who have differences of wants, needs, and expectations. So, of course, conflicts will occur. These conflicts can be an asset to the organization. They may be opportunities for creativity, collaboration, and improvement.
But conflict can also be costly to an organization. The trouble isn't necessarily the fact that conflict exists. It's how we deal with those conflicts or what happens when they aren't resolved. The impact of conflict in the workplace can be devastating - to the parties involved, to colleagues and teams, to clients, and to ...view middle of the document...
" (WarrenShepel, Workplace Trends Linked to Mental Health Crisis in Canada, 2002)
A 2005 UK survey by Roffey Park found that "78% of managers are suffering from work-related stress, 52% have experienced harassment, 46% have seen an increase in conflict at work." (Roffey Park [online], Failure to manage change heightens stress, harassment and conflict at work, survey reveals, Jan. 05)
"The total value of lost work time due to stress is estimated to be $1.7 billion. (WarrenShepel [online], Health & Wellness Research Database, 2005)
"Employees who rate their managers as "sensitive" miss an estimated 3.7 days of work, wheras employees whose managers are rates as "non-sensitive" miss approximately 6.2 days of work. (MacBriade-King, J.L., and Bachmann, K. Solutions for the stressed-out worker. The Conference Board of Canada,1999)
An estimated 16% of employees feel that poor interpersonal relations are a source of stress at work. (WarrenShepel [online],Health & Wellness Research Database, 2005)
Grievances/Litigation
"The number of employees seeking help for harassment has almost tripled from 1999 to 2001." (WarrenShepel [online], Health & Wellness Research Database, 2005)
"The math isn't complicated. A complaint that escalates to a lawsuit can easily cost $50 000 to $100 000 and take three to five years to settle. It doesn't stop there. (Taylor, Robin,Workplace tiffs boosting demand for mediators. National Post Mar. 17/03)
"In the case of harassment, the number of employees seeking help almost tripled between 1999 and 2001. Add absenteeism, employee theft, sabotage, not to mention the cost of employee turnover (estimated to be as much as 75% to 150% of base salary) and it is understandable why companies are paying attention."(Taylor, Robin,Workplace tiffs boosting demand for mediators. National Post Mar. 17/03)
A 2005 UK survey of managers by Roffey Park found that "52% have experienced harassment." (Roffey Park [online], Failure to manage change heightens stress, harassment and conflict at work, survey reveals, Jan. 05)
"Sexual harassment is associated with more conflict in work teams, less cohesion and less success in meeting financial goals, " (Kleiman, Carol, Harrassment bad for bottom line, study finds. The Ottawa Citizen: Wednesday Sept. 7/05)
"According to a nationwide study, the average jury verdict in wrongful termination cases is over $600 00 and companies lose 64% of the cases." (Bureau of National Affairs, Without Just Cause: An Employer's Practical Guide on Wrongful Discharge, 1998)
In the United States an average of 2 years are required for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to investigate most claims. (Busch, R II, The Conundrum: Conflict - The Solution: Designing Effective Conflict Management Systems, 16 Preventative L. Rep. 1997)
"Corporations that have developed collaborative conflict management systems report significant litigation cost savings: Brown and Root reported and 80% reduction in outside...
