Articles

Workplace conflict in on the rise – but are HR policies responsible for causing it, and are HR professionals not equipped to deal with it?

Artificial intelligence is increasingly a part of everyday working life. A UK government survey found that 36 per cent of the public have used AI in their workplace in the past month and 21 per cent said it had increased their productivity.

Anger in the workplace makes people feel uncomfortable. It can manifest as raised voices, tense body language, or passive-aggressive behavior. While our instinct may be to react defensively, avoid the person, or vent to co-workers, this rarely leads to a positive outcome. In workplace mediation, anger is almost always in the room. Sometimes, individuals feel anger themselves or worry that others are angry with them. Part of a mediator’s role is to help people understand this emotion and, where appropriate, communicate it in a way the other person can hear. Here are three steps to decode what’s behind an angry colleague’s behavior, and manage it without escalating the situation.

Conflict is often perceived as something to fear, an uncomfortable disruption which is best side-stepped to preserve harmony. Yet when we avoid conflict, this is far more damaging than when we take the proactive step to informally address it. When managed thoughtfully and collaboratively, conflict can be a powerful force for clarity, creativity and strengthened relationships.

As 2026 begins, geopolitical uncertainty is causing a sense of unease about the months ahead. It’s no wonder that an increasing number of people are avoiding the news. The Ipsos Happiness Index 2025 reports that people are less happy now than they were when the survey began 14 years ago. And in the workplace, a recent study found that 25% of British workers say their job makes them unhappy.

The world feels increasingly complex, and the corporate boardroom is no exception to this. For business leaders, this translates into navigating competing priorities and opposing viewpoints with fellow executives, including the CEO. People seem less able to listen to perspectives different to their own and more attached to their ways of perceiving the world. It is in these conditions that the ability of leaders to act as role models for respectful disagreement in the boardroom is essential.

Conflict is everywhere you look. Disputes between heads of state and sparring between political leaders on a domestic level are a daily occurrence. Whilst workplace conflict rarely makes front-page news, the impact on the individuals involved and their employers can be significant. As businesses navigate another year of change, there are three workplace conflict trends leaders can expect to see in 2026.

With the end of the year drawing closer, we asked 11 L&D experts to look back at their 2025 forecasting. Did they get it right? Were they woefully wrong? Find out here.

One of the recommendations in the Keep Britain Working review is the use of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) as a way to mitigate difficult issues when an employee returns to work. How will this work in practice and could it deliver on this promise? Jo Faragher reports