Many workers witness conflicts at work: Survey

But most managers inclined to resolve issues

Most (79 per cent of) workers in Quebec often or occasionally witnessed a conflict in their workplace in the last year, according to a survey released by the Ordre des conseillers en ressources humaines agréés.

However, 62 per cent of employees believe their managers are inclined to resolve conflicts, compared to 38 per cent who feel they tend to ignore them, found the survey of 540 salaried workers.

"It's disturbing to note the increase of conflicts in the workplace and realize that so many managers still remain indifferent to them, especially since the situation has a direct impact on employee motivation. Executives would be well-advised to demonstrate leadership and create a positive work environment for their employees if they want their organizations to perform well," said Florent Francoeur, president and CEO of the Ordre des conseillers en ressources humaines agrees.

Whether or not management takes steps to manage conflicts has an impact on their incidents. Only 32 per cent of respondents reported they had often witnessed conflicts when management took action to resolve them, versus 68 per cent in cases where it took no action whatsoever.

Some 49 per cent of workers indicated certain conflicts had adversely affected their performance, compared to 70 per cent at organizations where managers tend to do nothing.

"Conflicts are always a source of stress for employees. Whether they're due to work conditions, poor resource planning or changes within the organization, the high incidence of conflict in our companies is unacceptable," said Francoeur.

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