By Lorna Riley, CSP
People can’t live without each other, and yet they can’t seem to live with each other without occasional conflict. Human relationships can range anywhere from nurturing and worthwhile, to heartache and war. Given a choice, most people would prefer to have positive, rewarding relationships with others. The tendency then is to think of interpersonal conflict as potentially full of land mines that should be avoided. Given that conflict is a condition of being human though, ironically there are several benefits to occasional conflict, especially in the workplace.
Five Benefits of Workplace Conflict
1. Continuous Improvement
Can present opportunities for improvement in processes, people, product, or services
2. Understanding
Increase understanding between people and enriched relationships
3. Synergy
All parties involved may achieve more desirable outcomes or results than they could on their own
4. Learning
People can learn more about each other and the world around them
5. Increased Honesty
Relationships based on open, honest communication are more healthy and effective than those based on deceit or suppressed needs
If everyone agreed with each other all of the time, conflict would cease to exist. But the fact is that people have differing needs or individual preferences that create the potential for conflict to erupt at any time.
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