Here are six common sources within an organization that may lead to interpersonal conflict: 1. Like an optical illusion, what seems like interpersonal conflict at first glance may be caused or exacerbated by issues with the organizational structure. Interpersonal conflict is heavily influenced by the larger structure of an organization.Īlthough these workplace conflicts are often presented to us as interpersonal issues, we have found that larger systemic issues are often at the root of the problem. Typically, our support is requested when a conflict is impairing the organization’s ability to meet operational goals or when their public image is in jeopardy. In ACHIEVE’s consulting work, we are often asked to help resolve conflict between individuals. This is why leaders and conflict resolution practitioners should treat interpersonal workplace conflict as a means to understand the deeper conflict themes that may be present within the larger organization. Sometimes individuals in conflict become a lightning rod for larger issues in the workplace. Recently it struck me that interpersonal conflict is heavily influenced by the larger structure of an organization.

Workplace conflict can sometimes be like an optical illusion, where what we see is not a full representation of the reality. Optical illusions use colour, light, and patterns to mislead our brains into creating an image that does not match the image in front of us. It’s fascinating to watch an image shift from one thing to another, depending on your perspective. That’s to say nothing of the hundreds and thousands of people who work under intolerable conditions and yet can’t afford to walk out or stand up in protest and risk losing their primary source of income.I love optical illusions. The same year, hundreds of workers from McDonald’s, Burger King, Taco Bell, and Domino’s walked off the job to demand coronavirus protections, $3-an-hour hazard pay, and two weeks of paid sick leave to workers exposed to COVID-19. In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, essential workers from companies including Amazon, Instacart, Whole Foods, Target, and Walmart went on strike to demand safer working conditions, better treatment, and better pay. The United Auto Workers labor union for General Motors went on strike for 40 days for higher wages and better healthcare in 2019. There have been hundreds of other strikes, movements, and protests in the name of making capitalism more tolerable, but workers are still striking and pushing for more humane working conditions.

The fight to whittle down the standard workday from 12-plus hours to eight took a century-long battle of American workers fighting, protesting, and campaigning it wasn’t until 1938 that The Fair Labor Standards Act was introduced, which guaranteed a forty-hour work week for all laborers.

Personality conflict at work