Conflict stress and reduced well-being at work: The buffering effect of third-party help

Abstract

This study among 108 Dutch social services workers examined whether particularly the intrapsychic tension directly associated with interpersonal conflict at work, i.e., conflict stress, is responsible for reduced well-being in terms of emotional exhaustion, absenteeism, and turnover intentions. Furthermore, we explored whether these detrimental effects were buffered by third-party help. Factor analyses showed that third-party help could be considered an additional conflict management style, next to more traditional behavioural styles such as problem solving and forcing. As expected, conflict stress was positively related to emotional exhaustion, absenteeism, and turnover intentions even when controlled for task and relationship conflict. Furthermore, this relationship was strong for respondents who report low third-party help and nonexistent for respondents who report high third-party help. These findings suggest that third-party help is a successful conflict management strategy to prevent negative outcomes of interpersonal conflict in organizations.

Does conflict shatter trust or does trust obliterate conflict? Revisiting the relationships between team diversity, conflict, and trust.

“…Conflict is an emergent phenomenon in teams, and it influences the dynamics of other emergent states (Curşeu, 2006;Curşeu et al, 2008). Conflict is often associated with negative emotional experiences in teams (Jehn & Benderski, 2003), dissatisfaction (De Dreu & Weingart, 2003) and lack of commitment with teams (Giebels & Janssen, 2005), and low performance (De Dreu & Weingart, 2003). In groups experiencing high levels of relationship conflict, it is very likely that members do not share mutual understanding and acceptance; therefore, the level of trust is expected to be low (Langfred, 2007).…”

Assessing the effectiveness of conflict management training in a health sector organization: evidence from subjective and objective indicators

“…Once equipped with these skills, the trainees should (a) achieve effective conflict resolutions at work, thereby preventing the escalation of conflict to more destructive or intractable levels (Greer et al, 2012;Janss et al, 2012;Saltman et al, 2006); (b) display a reduction in the psychological distress associated with workplace conflict (Dijkstra et al, 2009(Dijkstra et al, , 2011Friedman et al, 2000;Giebels & Janssen, 2005); increase their performance at work (Tekleab et al, 2009;Tjosvold et al, 2014). The study makes several contributions to the conflict literature by translating the dual-concern model principles into practice, thereby linking training in essential conflict management skills to relevant outcomes.…”

“…Furthermore, Giebels and Janssen (2005) report that stress experiences from conflicts at work are associated with employee withdrawal behaviours such as absenteeism and turnover intentions. Indeed, interpersonal conflict, as an acute stressor, is considered a predictor of future absenteeism (Nixon, Mazzola, Bauer, Krueger, & Spector, 2011), because exposure to conflict over long periods can increase the release of cortisol and damage the immune system (cf., de Dreu, 2010).…”

“…Hence, conflict management has become a matter of increasing interest in organizations where workers' well-being and performance depends to a great extent on their social interactions with co-workers and customers (e.g., Behfar, Peterson, Mannix, & Trochim, 2008;Dijkstra, Beersma, & Evers, 2011;Dijkstra, de Dreu, Evers, & van Dierendonck, 2009;Friedman, Tidd, Currall, & Tsai, 2000;Giebels & Janssen, 2005;Greer, Jehn, & Mannix, 2008;Leon-Perez, Medina, Arenas, & Munduate, 2014;Tekleab, Quigley, & Tesluk, 2009). This is the case of healthcare settings, where conflict plays an important role in critical dynamics for organizational functioning, like the episodes of violence in a workplace that must deliver a high-quality service (e.g., Beech & Leather, 2006;Janss, Rispens, Segers, & Jehn, 2012).…”

“…Workplace conflict may be considered a job-related stressor which produces stress symptoms like anxiety, psychosomatic complaints and diminished well-being (Giebels & Janssen, 2005;Spector & Bruk-Lee, 2008). Furthermore, Giebels and Janssen (2005) report that stress experiences from conflicts at work are associated with employee withdrawal behaviours such as absenteeism and turnover intentions.…”