The toll of rising disputes and workplace conflict - and how to address it

Keywords: conflict, disputes, tension, mentalhealth, leadership, transformation

Date: 24 April 2025, WorkLife Digital

It increasingly feels like we live in a polarised world - where starkly opposing viewpoints dominate politics, social media, and even our workplaces. Societal polarisation is seeping into workplaces, with employees increasingly inhabiting information bubbles and echo chambers that reinforce their views, leading to in-group/out-group biases, mistrust and even hostility.

Navigating conflict in a polarised world: A workplace imperative

Polarisation at work isn’t just about politics - it shows up in team disagreements, culture clashes, and resistance to change. Clashing opinions on hot-button issues like return-to-office mandates, decision-making authority, or project direction can quickly harden into entrenched standoffs. When conflict goes unresolved, it chips away at morale, stokes anxiety, increases stress and depression, and damages productivity.

Conflict is part of working life, but when mishandled or ignored, it becomes one of the biggest threats to mental health and team cohesion. In today’s environment - marked by social unrest, economic strain, and evolving work models - conflict is not only more frequent, it’s more damaging.

The cost of conflict

The numbers speak volumes. According to research:

88% of employees say conflict lowers morale.
53% experience stress, and 45% report sickness or time off due to unresolved issues.
77% feel disengaged.
23% of employees leave jobs because of conflict.
18% have seen projects fail as a result.

In the US alone, destructive conflict costs an estimated $2 billion annually in lost productivity and absenteeism. A 2022 SHRM survey found that 44% of workers had political disagreements at work, and 25% avoided colleagues with opposing views. One can imagine what those statistics must be like in 2025! In the UK, a 2024 CIPD report revealed that one in four workers - about 8 million people - experienced workplace conflict last year, with issues ranging from verbal abuse to discrimination. Many reported burnout or considered quitting entirely.

Why it’s getting worse

Conflict is intensifying - and several key factors are driving the trend:

Resource scarcity: Tighter budgets and leaner teams foster competition instead of collaboration.

Unclear roles and overload: Ambiguity in responsibilities and uneven workloads fuel frustration.

Values and personality clashes: Diverse teams bring differing ideologies, which, without a safe space for discussion, can create friction.

Remote and hybrid work: Miscommunication and lack of face-to-face interaction delay resolution and deepen assumptions.

Cultural and political division: Societal debates increasingly enter the workplace without the tools for respectful dialogue.

Lack of guidance: Many leaders don't role model how to to handle disagreement, allowing destructive conflict to take root. The result? Lower psychological safety and greater emotional strain.

The way forward: Conflict-competent cultures

Avoiding conflict is no longer an option. Leaders must rethink conflict - not as a problem to suppress, but as a skill to master. The path forward involves creating a culture where healthy disagreement fuels growth instead of dysfunction.

1. Prioritise psychological health

Understanding emotional wellbeing is step one. Tools like psychological safety surveys or psychological health assessments (such as the WorkLife Quotient) help identify friction points early.

Teams need to know they can speak up without fear. Foster psychological safety not just during crises, but consistently. Regular check-ins, resilience-building activities, and mental health support go a long way in reducing emotional strain.

2. Teach constructive conflict skills

People aren’t born knowing how to navigate conflict - these are learned skills.

Train teams in active listening and empathy to prevent misunderstandings.
Introduce nonviolent communication techniques and role-playing exercises to build emotional regulation and communication confidence.
Offer ongoing development in interpersonal skills, especially for those in leadership.

3. Set clear expectations and model respect

Culture starts at the top. Leaders must embody the values they promote.

Include respectful behaviour and collaboration in performance reviews and team agreements.
Ensure your conflict resolution process is clear, accessible, and supported.
Lead by example: acknowledge your own mistakes, invite feedback, and handle disagreements openly and respectfully.

4. Provide mediation and coaching

When tensions rise, structured support is vital.

Bring in trained internal or external mediators to manage high-stakes or long-standing issues.
Offer conflict coaching - particularly for managers - —so they can de-escalate issues before they explode.
In cases of deep division, consider restorative practices to rebuild trust and shared understanding.

From tension to transformation

Conflict, when embraced skillfully, can be a force for innovation, learning, and strengthened relationships. It pushes teams to articulate values, clarify communication, and develop mutual respect. But this only happens when the environment supports it.

Leaders who see conflict not as a threat but as a growth opportunity are better equipped to create high-performing, resilient cultures. In today’s emotionally charged, fast-changing world, bravery isn’t avoiding conflict - it’s leaning into it with empathy, tools, and intention.

Conflict is no longer a side issue—it’s central to both mental health and business performance. Organisations that invest in emotionally intelligent leadership, structured support systems, and a culture of constructive dialogue won’t just survive—they’ll thrive.

Free WorkLife Digital mental health assessment

If you’re ready to take action on your mental health journey, we invite you to take the WorkLife Quotient (WL-Q) survey for free. This confidential tool helps you identify your own mental health risk areas and provides tailored recommendations for personal initiatives you can implement to support and improve your mental health at work and beyond.

WorkLife Digital is a global mental-wellbeing consultancy driven by the mission to improve the sustainability of businesses. Our psychological wellbeing tool, Worklife Quotient (WL-Q), is modelled on cutting-edge scientific research and provides organisation-wide measurement and intelligence on the mental wellbeing levels and psychological resilience of staff. WL-Q also assesses the impact of organisational practices (i.e. people and culture, leadership styles, organisational purpose and values, social impact) that have a direct influence on staff wellbeing and provides strategic recommendations on addressing risks and promoting strengths.

For more information, get in touch at lisa@worklife.digital

REFERENCES

CIPD (2024). Managing Conflict in the Modern Workplace.
https://www.cipd.org/uk/knowledge/reports/goodwork/

SHRM (2022). Politics and the Workplace Study.
https://www.shrm.org/about/press-room/shrm-study-reveals-20-workers-mistreated-due-to-political-views

Gallup (2024). State of the Global Workplace
https://www.gallup.com/workplace/349484/state-of-the-global-workplace.aspx