A recent report from the CIPD reveals that only around a third of employees feel workplace conflict they experienced has been fully resolved, highlighting a gap between employer confidence in conflict management and employee experiences.
Despite 81% of employers believing they are doing enough to prevent and manage bullying and harassment, just 36% of employees who encountered conflict in the past year felt it was completely resolved.
The CIPD, the professional body for HR and people development, is urging organisations to adopt robust procedures for preventing and addressing workplace conflict. The report, which surveyed more than 2,000 employers and 5,000 employees, suggests that early action and comprehensive frameworks for conflict resolution are essential for ensuring positive outcomes.
Employers Confident, Employees Unsatisfied
According to the findings, 70% of employers believe their organisation has effective procedures in place for resolving interpersonal conflict. However, employee feedback paints a different picture, with only 36% of those who faced conflict in the last 12 months feeling that the issues were fully resolved.
The report suggests that many organisations may need to reassess their conflict management strategies. While formal disciplinary and grievance procedures are commonly used—reported by 43% and 41% of employers respectively—these methods can be time-consuming and stressful, both for employees and the organisation. The CIPD recommends considering more informal and early intervention approaches, where appropriate, to prevent conflicts from escalating.
Need for Early Action
Rachel Suff, Senior Employee Relations Adviser at the CIPD, stresses the importance of early action in preventing workplace conflict from becoming more serious. She also emphasises the role of a clear anti-bullying and harassment policy:
“Employers must ensure that conflict, including allegations of bullying and harassment, is investigated promptly and fairly. Having an anti-bullying and harassment policy that outlines a robust approach to inappropriate behaviour can help to prevent conflict and enable people to speak up. This will help to create a culture where every individual feels able to challenge unfair treatment.”
While many organisations have policies in place, the findings highlight that the effectiveness of these measures often falls short when viewed through the lens of employee experiences.
Line Managers: Part of the Solution or the Problem?
The report also touches on the critical role of line managers in conflict resolution. Around 75% of employers believe line managers are capable of resolving conflict effectively, and 78% say they address issues at an early stage. Despite this confidence, nearly half (49%) of employers acknowledge that managers can sometimes be the source of conflict, a figure that rises to 61% in the public sector.
Employees generally hold a positive view of their line managers, with 77% agreeing that their manager is supportive when problems arise, 78% saying they are treated fairly, and 79% feeling respected as individuals. However, a lack of confidence among managers in challenging inappropriate behaviour, cited by 38% of employers, and insufficient role modelling from senior leaders, also 38%, suggest that more investment in people management skills is needed.
Building Skills to Manage Conflict
With three in 10 organisations (30%) currently not offering people management training, the CIPD underscores the need for organisations to invest in these skills to improve workplace culture and conflict resolution. As Suff notes:
“Managers at all levels should be trained to manage people effectively and role model the right behaviours. People managers, senior leaders and HR professionals must work together to drive cultural change.”
Investing in the development of managers and leaders is crucial to creating an inclusive and supportive environment where workplace conflicts can be managed more effectively. For organisations aiming to build a positive workplace culture, addressing these gaps will be critical as they navigate the complexities of modern work environments.
