Conflict Resolution in the Workplace: Six Steps That Work

What Are the Steps to Conflict Resolution in the Workplace?

Conflict resolution in the workplace follows six steps: address the issue early, talk in private, listen to understand, name the problem instead of the person, build options together, then agree on next steps and follow up. The same steps work for disagreements between peers, between a manager and an employee or between teams. Most people will need them at some point. In a November 2025 Acas survey, 44% of working adults in Great Britain said they had experienced conflict at work in the past year, the highest level Acas has recorded.

What Is Conflict Resolution?

Conflict resolution is the process of settling a disagreement so people can keep working together. It doesn't require everyone to end up happy or agree on everything. It means the problem gets named, a decision gets made and people know what happens next.

Not all conflict is harmful. Task conflict, such as a debate over which vendor to choose, can lead to better decisions. Relationship conflict, such as resentment or personal friction, rarely helps and tends to spread. Good conflict resolution keeps disagreements focused on the work.

What Causes Conflict in the Workplace?

Most workplace conflict starts with a handful of causes. Spotting the cause first points you to the right fix.

• Unclear roles: Two people think they own the same task, or no one does.
• Competing priorities: Each team's deadline makes sense on its own, but the deadlines collide.
• Communication breakdowns: A short chat message or a reply-all email gets read the wrong way.
• Workload imbalance: One person feels they carry more than their share.
• Different working styles: A planner and a last-minute finisher clash over how to reach the same goal.

Conflict Resolution Steps for the Workplace

These six conflict resolution steps work whether you're one of the people in the disagreement or the manager helping two others work it out.

Address It Early

Small issues grow when they go unspoken. Raise a concern within a day or two, while it's still about one event instead of a pattern.

Try saying: "Do you have 15 minutes today? I want to talk about how the handoff went on the client report."

Choose a Private Setting and the Right Channel

Hard conversations belong in a private meeting or a call, not a group chat or an email thread. Text strips out tone, which makes tension worse. Save writing for the follow-up, not the argument.

Try saying: "This is easier to sort out live. Can we jump on a quick call?"

Listen to Understand

Let the other person explain their view without interrupting. Then summarize what you heard before you share your side. People calm down once they feel heard.

Try saying: "So from your side, the deadline changed and no one told you. Is that right?"

Name the Problem, Not the Person

Describe the specific behavior and its effect. Avoid labels like "careless" or "difficult," which put people on the defensive.

Try saying: "When the report came in Friday afternoon, I didn't have time to check the numbers before Monday's meeting."

Build Options Together

Ask for ideas before you offer your own. People are more likely to follow a solution they helped create.

Try saying: "What would make this work better for both of us next time?"

Agree, Document and Follow Up

Close with a specific agreement: who does what, by when. Send a short recap, then check in a week or two later.

Try saying: "So you'll send drafts by Wednesday and I'll return comments by Thursday. Let's check in next Friday to see how it's going."

How to Handle Conflict at Work in Common Scenarios

How to handle conflict at work depends partly on who's involved. Here is how the steps apply in three common situations.

Peer to Peer

Two coworkers disagree about who should present the team's results. Neither has authority over the other, so the goal is a fair agreement both can accept.

Opening line: "I think we both want to present, and that's fine. Can we figure out a split that works for the team?"

Manager to Employee

A manager notices an employee pushing back in meetings and missing deadlines. The power gap makes listening even more important, so the manager starts with questions.

Opening line: "I've noticed some tension in our last few meetings. I'd like to understand what's going on from your side."

Cross-Team

Marketing and operations clash over launch dates. Each team has valid constraints, so the fix usually involves a shared decision-maker or a clear rule for setting priorities.

Opening line: "Our deadlines are colliding. Can we lay out both timelines and decide together what moves?"

What Skills Does Conflict Resolution Take?

The steps above only work if you can carry them out under pressure. Five conflict resolution skills do most of the work:

• Staying calm: Lower your voice and slow your pace. Calm is contagious, and so is tension.
• Active listening: Summarize the other person's point before you respond, so they know you heard it.
• Assertive communication: State facts and clear requests without blame or apology.
• Empathy: Understand why the issue matters to the other person, even if you still disagree.
• Problem-solving: Look past the incident to the root cause, such as unclear roles or competing deadlines.

Like any skill, conflict resolution improves with practice. Each conversation you handle well makes the next one easier.

Five Conflict Management Styles

The Thomas-Kilmann model describes five ways people respond to conflict. Each style fits some situations better than others.

Most people lean toward one or two styles out of habit. Pryor Learning's guide to personality and conflict managing style explains how personality shapes those habits.

When Conflict Resolution Isn't the Right Tool

Some situations go beyond a disagreement. Bullying, harassment, discrimination and threats aren't conflicts to talk through. They call for escalation.

If you see warning signs:

• Write down what happened, when and who was involved, using neutral, factual language.
• Report it to HR or leadership, following your organization's policy.
• Don't try to mediate it yourself.

Conflict Resolution Training for Your Team

Pryor's Confronting Workplace Conflict is a one-hour webinar that teaches you how to spot conflict triggers early, choose the right channel for hard conversations, set boundaries when coworkers turn sarcastic or passive-aggressive and repair trust with clear agreements. To strengthen the listening and communication skills behind conflict resolution, try Interpersonal Communication Skills. Browse all communication training courses, or take unlimited in-person and virtual seminars with PryorPlus.