Whenever several people work together there’s always a potential for conflict. Conflict can be healthy: disagreements may promote sharing and discussion of ideas, leading to better decisions. But sometimes these disagreements escalate to bullying, harassment, and violence.
What should you do if you find yourself in the midst of a workplace discord?
As an employee…
Talk to your manager. It is the manager’s job to know what’s going on and mediate the disagreements. Let your manager know of the situation before it affects your productivity and well-being.
As the manager…
Talk to those involved in the conflict, and remind them of the common goal. In some cases, there’s simply no common goal and the parties’ personal interests are at stake (perhaps you’ve heard of the parking space wars). While it may be more difficult to find a compromise in this situation, it is still possible. Keep the “win-win” outcome in mind and a positive mindset.
For tactics on dealing with workplace conflict, see this excellent article:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/mikemyatt/2012/02/22/5-keys-to-dealing-with-workplace-conflict/
