What are remote workplace conflicts? Why virtual fisticuffs? What are the main causes of remote workplace conflicts? What are the major negative effects of remote work conflicts?
As most of the US workforce was embracing agile working, workers were forced to transition from office to home which brought remote conflict into sharper focus. Each industry has faced its unique challenges along the way.
After all, remote employees can’t just swing by each other’s desks and exchange a conciliating pat on the back. To help you navigate the rough areas, we dig into questions like:
WHAT IS REMOTE WORKPLACE CONFLICT?
WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF CONFLICT IN A REMOTE TEAM?
- DETERIORATED PRODUCTIVITY
- INCREASED ABSENTEEISM
- LEADERSHIP ISSUES
- DISCRIMINATION CONFLICT
- WEAK TEAM CULTURE
SUCCESSFULLY MANAGING CONFLICT WHEN YOU WORK REMOTELY
WHAT IS REMOTE WORKPLACE CONFLICT?
Managing remote teams is becoming more of a rule than an exception during a pandemic. Most of everyone was working remotely, what does remote workplace conflict look like?
80% of remote professionals have experienced work style conflict. Communication is at the heart of successful relationships in the remote workplace. The absence of body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice are taken for granted in the workplace which can easily lead to communication breakdowns.
As remote workers are not face-to-face with their colleagues, it is not easy and workers face a unique set of challenges. There are no casual convos around the cafeteria, everyday banter as you bump into colleagues in the elevator. Disconnection is becoming more of an issue.
Virtual teams have more conflict from a set of disagreements to come to a conclusion, misunderstood intentions, communication issues, lack of physical presence, intense & complex behaviors & many more.
WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF CONFLICT IN A REMOTE TEAM?
The cause of conflict is the same for all companies, no matter where the team is located.
Identifying the effects of conflict in virtual teams, its avenues, and how it slips through the cracks is half the battle. At the end of the day when workers won’t have the same personal rapport as in-office teams, it comes down to the root cause which is to disrupt workflow, performance, morale, transparency, and employee engagement.
Effects of conflict in a remote workplace can have a wide range of negative impacts. Some of the effects of remote work can fester and affect job performance which will reduce motivation and productivity.
39% of employees say that conflict at work caused them to leave their jobs. So, how does conflict arise in remote teams? We have discussed the major negative impacts due to remote workplace conflicts:
DETERIORATED PRODUCTIVITY
The stress that is accumulated due to the negative atmosphere significantly hinders the productivity of the workforce. When the atmosphere itself is toxic, workers become less enthusiastic toward work, employees lose focus, and that’s where employee morale takes a hit.
Rytfit.ai develops, employs, and offers the best engagement platform that will communicate effectively with your workers to plan systematic tasks and resolve workplace conflicts arising due to telecommuting.
INCREASED ABSENTEEISM
A toxic workplace with unresolved concerns and complaints may prompt your employees to jump ship as soon as possible. They avoid conflict and the workplace with minimal interest in a peaceful resolution.
Rytfit.ai will help you to identify such dissatisfactions among employees through an AI-driven Organization Intelligence Platform and take necessary actions accordingly.
LEADERSHIP ISSUES
Just as employees aren’t the same, neither are the leaders. Some leaders have a hands-on approach and some like to hang back. There is nothing wrong with either approach, direct reports react differently to different management styles which could lead to conflict. Leading a remote team necessitates proactive communication with team members.
Rytfit.ai necessitates an effective robust Human Capital Management solution that effectively defines and monitors your employees even in remote work environments.
DISCRIMINATION CONFLICT
Discrimination based on age, gender, color, and background among other factors remains a major barrier to diversity. Over the years, no matter how diverse the world is, embracing an inclusive and diverse work team, bias does creep into workforce interactions.
Rytfit.ai will help your organizations mitigate bias in recruitment which will help in reaching a diverse set of talents.
WEAK TEAM CULTURE
Many remote employees don’t feel like an integral part of companies. When they have little to no face-to-face interactions with their colleagues, opportunities for building rapport are scarce.
With the Rytfit.ai platform, you can track employee goals, and help struggling employees by aligning them with focused goals and missions.
SUCCESSFULLY MANAGING CONFLICT WHEN YOU WORK REMOTELY
For your remote team to perform at its highest level, you must ensure everyone is on the same page and following the same processes.
To reassure your employees go a long way and to find out hidden obstacles & remote workplace conflicts that serve as barriers & impede remote work try Rytfit.ai as it helps you to discover a better way to recruit remote talent and provide engagement and measurement to track objectives and achieve key results with focused goals.
Explore the possibilities today by scheduling a demo or 14-day free trial.