Consequences of Organisational Conflicts

Conflicts can have both positive and negative consequences for an organisation:

Positive Consequences of Conflict:

1. Stimulating Change: Conflict acts as a catalyst for change in organisations. It brings attention to problems and highlights the need for change. Conflict forces individuals and groups to understand the issues better and find solutions.
2. Encouraging Creativity and Innovation: When faced with conflict, group members become creative in finding different ways to address the problem. Conflict stimulates their thinking process and can even lead to innovative ideas for improving policies and procedures.
3. Strengthening Group Cohesion: Inter-group conflict can bring groups closer together. When faced with internal conflicts, groups tend to unite and cooperate more. This solidarity helps them face the challenges posed by conflict.
4. Releasing Tension: Conflict provides a healthy outlet for releasing pent-up tensions and frustrations. It allows individuals to express their feelings and negotiate without harming the organisation’s functioning.
5. Testing Abilities: Conflict serves as a test of individuals’ learning and growth. Successfully managing conflict can boost satisfaction and motivation.

Negative Consequences of Conflict:

1. Upsetting Balance: Conflict disrupts the balance within an organisation. The energy spent on conflict can create imbalances between contributions and rewards. It can also create hostility between groups.
2. Increased Tension and Stress: Conflict generates tension and stress, affecting the well-being of individuals. It leads to feelings of anxiety, guilt, and frustration. Cooperation becomes difficult due to suspicion and lack of trust. Conflict can also leave the losing party dissatisfied.
3. Diversion of Energy: Conflict diverts attention away from organisational goals. Individuals may focus more on personal agendas and tactics to win the conflict rather than working towards common objectives. In extreme cases, conflict can lead to destructive actions.
4. Rigidity: Conflict can result in stricter authority and responsibility relationships, making the organisational structure more inflexible. Groups become more focused on tasks, and leadership becomes more directive.

Conflict is a common occurrence in organisations and can take various forms, such as disagreements, hostility, contradictions, or incompatibilities among individuals or groups. It can arise due to differences in values, goals, policies, or the scarcity of resources. According to Robbins, conflict is a deliberate process where one person or unit purposely obstructs another, resulting in frustration and hindrance to the achievement of their goals or advancement of their interests.