As work speeds accelerate, profiles diversify within organizations, and intergenerational expectations grow increasingly distinct, tensions within teams have become nearly unavoidable.

In Switzerland and beyond, HR teams report a growing wave of interpersonal conflict in organizations, clearly impacting morale, engagement, and productivity.

According to CPP Global (2008), 85% of employees have already experienced conflict at work; one in three faces it regularly. Still, few employees are truly equipped to recognize, understand, and defuse these complex situations.

Why is this a critical issue?

Because unmanaged conflicts lead to concrete consequences: demotivation, stress, withdrawal, high turnover, and operational inefficiency.

Often, these tensions are handled informally—or not at all—until they escalate. Yet conflict is not always destructive: when properly addressed, it can become a source of transformation, clarification, or innovation.

As highlighted by De Dreu & Gelfand (2008), conflicts might destabilize short-term team dynamics but also offer a valuable opportunity to redefine roles, reopen communication, or reevaluate practices.

Establishing a culture of active regulation

Companies looking to professionalize internal conflict management can activate several levers:

• Define a clear framework for team dialogue

• Rely on internal or external mediators

• Implement transparent feedback rituals

• Experiment with tools such as the Thomas-Kilmann model, Nonviolent Communication (NVC), or dialogue circles

The goal is not to eliminate disagreement—which would be unrealistic—but to develop a collective capacity to navigate it and emerge stronger.

Training as a foundation, not a magic fix

Skill-building in relational dynamics is essential. But training doesn’t mean resolving everything. It should instead:

• Provide keys to understanding value, method, or role-based conflicts

• Introduce emotional regulation and cooperative behaviors

• Build a shared language to support daily mediation

These trainings address both managers and teams, and can be part of a broader HR-led vision of workplace climate regulation.

So…what role will each person play in tension prevention?

As work environments become more hybrid, multicultural, and uncertain, conflict management can no longer be a niche topic for a select few.

But then, who should remain alert? Who takes initiative? How far can a team self-regulate?

These questions encourage organizations to redefine shared responsibilities—among HR, managers, employees, and internal mediation bodies.

Maybe it’s time to collectively rethink the space of disagreement within workplace culture?

References:

De Dreu, C. K. W. & Gelfand, M. J. (2008). Conflict in the Workplace: Sources, Functions, and Dynamics across Multiple Levels of Analysis. Annual Review of Psychology

CPP Global (2008). Workplace Conflict and How Businesses Can Harness It to Thrive

Rosenberg, M. (1999). Nonviolent Communication, PuddleDancer Press