Don't let workplace conflict destroy the employee experience

Most employees want to show up at work, do their best and then head home at the end of the day. When conflict and stress threaten that balance, employers have problems on their hands. 

According to data insights platform Gitnux, 85% of employees have experienced conflict at work, and spend nearly three hours per week resolving disagreements. Employees aren't seeing eye-to-eye when it comes to political issues like their stances on DEI, while increasingly serious mental health issues can be a challenge if not properly addressed. It's important employers acknowledge these issues with the right benefits so the workplace is a place of support — not stress. 

Read more: 2024 Excellence in Benefits Awards nominations are now open

One way to do this is to establish healthy communication in the workplace so employees are interacting with each other from a place of respect. This makes conflicts easier to resolve, and less likely to spiral out of control, says Justin Jones-Fosu, speaker and founder of Work Meaningful, a business consultation service.

"Conflict helps us make better decisions. It drives innovation and creativity," he says. "What we really need to focus on is respectful disagreement, which is the ability to disagree in a professional setting without hurting the person you're disagreeing with." 

Read more for practical tips on navigating conflict the right way: Agree to disagree? How to learn from conflicts in the workplace

The multigenerational workforce can also be a hindrance to healthy workplace connection. In fact, in organizations where there is more than a 12-year age gap between employees and their managers, employees were 1.5 times more likely to report low productivity, and three times more likely to be unsatisfied with their jobs, according to recent research published by the London School of Economics and Protiviti. Employees should focus on coming together, rather than forcing each other to fit an outdated mold. 

"It's not that older managers are bad to their mentees or direct reports — they just don't understand them," says Jordan Zaslav, chief operating officer at Axios HQ. "The world has left a fingerprint on each generation in a different way and we have to embrace that."

Here's how break down generational divides in the workplace: Employee age gaps threaten teamwork and productivity

While communication is important, accessible benefits are a crucial part of making sure employees feel supported, no matter their level of need. For those with serious mental health conditions, finding the right care is a huge source of stress, and gets in the way of their ability to be their best self at work and at home. To support this demographic, Lyra Health created a new benefit network of 250 providers focused on complex mental health care needs. It's a good step in acknowledging the chronic nature of mental health conditions, and gives employees vital support. 

"The mental health care system can be very broken, especially for those who have really high-acuity needs," says Dr. Smita Das, VP of psychiatry and Complex Care at Lyra Health. "At the end of the day, we want our members and their families to be able to lead as functional and full lives as possible. These diagnoses can be treated and treated well, especially when this type of coordination is part of the picture." 

Read more about Lyra Health's newest offering: Lyra Health addresses serious mental health needs with expanded benefit network 

Giving employees the tools and support they need can help mitigate any regrets they may have about their work experience down the line. Sixty-six percent of workers experience career regrets, according to Resume Now's International Career Regrets survey, and while it's not realistic to expect a perfect career experience, employees can practice "regret reduction," says Heather O'Neill, career expert at Resume Now. 

"Small actions, like asking for a raise or speaking up in meetings, can lead to positive outcomes which can boost your confidence to take bigger leaps," O'Neill says. "Even if it doesn't pan out, you know that you tried. That in and of itself seems to reduce professional regrets." 

Read more about the most common career regrets, and how to avoid them: Ask for that promotion: 11 of employees biggest career regrets