Poor conflict management skills cost UK plc billions

UK business is losing billions of pounds in lost working days every year because workers aren’t trained in conflict management, a CIPD report has revealed.

More than half (55 per cent) of the workforce has had no training in managing conflict, despite the fact that last year the average worker spent at least two hours a week dealing with it, costing employers more than £24 billion in lost working days.

Personality clashes and “warring egos” were found to be the primary cause of conflicts, with stress and heavy workloads also contributing, according to the research, conducted with business psychology firm OPP.

Despite shouldering most of the responsibility for conflict management, more than two-thirds of managers (68 per cent) have had no formal training, leaving them “hopelessly underskilled” at addressing the issue, said the report.

By contrast, more than half (58 per cent) of employees who have been trained now look for “win-win” outcomes from a workplace conflict.

Linda Holbeche, the CIPD’s director of research and policy, said: “Conflict is an inevitable part of the workplace and can be damaging and costly if not managed properly. Managers must be able to identify the early signs and defuse situations before they escalate if teams are to work productively and harmoniously.”

Robert McHenry, chief executive of OPP, added: “When dealt with in the right way, conflict can actually lead to more effective teamwork and greater innovation. Training is vital because it allows managers to understand and deal with the underlying causes.”

The report, Fight, Flight or Face It? was based on responses from 5,000 workers in nine European countries and 660 UK HR professionals