Chapter 1: Introduction to Conflict: A Contemporary Notion

The changing dynamics of the modern workplace have posed new challenges to sustaining harmony and teamwork. Managers are reported to spend 9 to 15 weeks of the year dealing with workplace conflict and disagreements.¹ According to a research, 65% of problems related to performance occur due to employee conflicts, causing a colossal expense for organizations.² Thus, managing the human resource has become even more challenging. There are numerous explanations for conflict in the workplace, but the most general and evident is that every person is unique. When people with individual differences work together, they may disagree over things owing to competitive goals, personality differences, or the accomplishment of plans. Furthermore, managing workplace disagreements is the most reducible expense in organizations today and is perhaps the least known domain of cost minimization.