top of page

10 Workplace Conflicts Between Employer and Employee

10 Workplace Conflicts Between Employer and Employee

There is no doubt that workplace conflict is bad for business. It negatively affects workplace productivity and can lead to workers leaving the company. Below are 10 different conflicts that can happen between employer and employee.

1. Conflicting Needs

Issues will arise when the cost of living to cover basic needs exceeds the compensation paid to the workers. For example, an employer going years without giving their workers a raise will not be able to keep up with inflation and the employees may become disgruntled or betrayed.

2. Uncontrolled Expectations

When employers are competing for employees, it is often easier to make the job seem better than it actually is. Once the employee starts working, they quickly figure out that they have not received the correct information. Though the employer may solve their problem in the short term, not controlling new hire expectations often leads to a high turnover rate.

3. Resistance to Change

Habits are hard to change, and it is easy for employees to become attached to them. It is easier for the employees to cling to what they know and avoid the unknown. Often, people will avoid change to avoid the stress that comes with it.

4. Unclear Job Roles

Without proper guidance, teams can often get lost and not understand who is responsible for what. Employees and employers will often clash when these responsibilities are not clear, and this situation can lead to projects failing.

5. Unresolved Workplace Issues

Fixing one issue might just be the tip of the ice burg and not completely solve the problem. Problems can also return in the case of tools and machines breaking.

6. Increase in Workload

Markets change rapidly and often employers will increase the workload to keep up with the demand. Often, employers will fail to hire enough employees to cover the increase. This can lead to burnout and losing employees due to an unmanageable workload.

7. Inadequate Training

Not training an employee properly leads to the employee making mistakes and not being confident with their job. This may cause a disruption in work or personal conflict with other employees if additional work is created to fix the problems.

8. Toxic Work Environment

People want to feel confident and in control when at work. Making the workplace too competitive or allowing a poor culture to thrive is a good way to strike down morale and make employees loathe coming to work.

9. Differences in Personality

Regardless of the position, personality conflicts are common among businesses. Poor communication and a lack of cultural understanding can create misunderstandings that upset different parties. This may impede productivity and lead to employee loss.

10. Lack of Equal Opportunity

Creating a clear structure is crucial to keeping your best employees around. It also helps set expectations and create equal opportunities for all employees. If an employee feels they don’t have the same opportunity for advancement, they may leave the company in search of career advancement.

bottom of page