Imagine a corporate scenario where employees are disengaged, indulge in frequent conflicts, and cannot contribute optimally toward teamwork and collaboration. Is not this a scary picture that can undoubtedly jeopardize the interests of a company? Also, internal conflicts and crises among employees can cause significant harm to organizational growth and performance. Further, it leads to low employee engagement, reduced team collaboration, and lower company results.

Based on a Society for Human Resource Management study, Conflicts among employees cost organizations an average of 2.8 hours per week per employee, resulting in approximately $359 billion in lost productivity annually.

Therefore, organizations must focus on conflict resolution among employees to enhance their productivity and performance.

5 Tips to Establish Employee Harmony for Better Team Development

Although employee conflicts and arguments are hard to avoid, they can be reduced significantly. Employers can take the help of team development efforts, innovative experiential learning programs, and suitable approaches to build harmony, engagement, and collaboration among their employees. Below are the various tips to build a cohesive team for your organization by reducing unnecessary conflicts.

1. Establish Clear Communication - Clear communication is critical in resolving internal chaos and employee conflicts. Open and transparent communication can help understand each other's perspectives and boost employee engagement, enhancing mutual respect and understanding.
   
   

   According to a study by Towers Watson, Organizations with effective communication practices reported 47% better total return to shareholders compared to companies with poor communication practices.

   You must establish clear communication channels, such as regular team meetings, one-on-one conversations, and feedback sessions, to ensure that employees have a platform to voice their concerns.
   
   
2. Focus on Improving Collaboration - Encouraging employee collaboration can also help improve team harmony and resolve internal issues. By working together on projects and tasks, participating in various experiential learning team building activities, employees can develop a sense of camaraderie and build stronger relationships.
   
   
3. Offer Opportunities for Growth and Development - Employees feel more connected to an organization when they think they are being groomed, encouraged, and supported in their professional journey. Training programs, mentorship opportunities, and career development plans can help employees feel supported and motivated. Further, nurturing your employees’ growth can help optimize employee engagement, mutual trust, teamwork, collaboration, and retention.
   
   
4. Promote Effective Work-Life Balance - Employees who are overworked and stressed are more likely to experience conflicts and disengagement. Providing flexible work arrangements, hybrid work modes, rewards, and other benefits to your employees can help them maintain a healthy work-life balance.
   
   
5. Work toward Resolving Conflicts - Conflicts are sometimes good for an organization. Engage in productive conflicts with your employees and seek their honest opinions on crucial decisions. However, it is vital to promptly address conflicts and internal issues in your organization to avoid team conflicts, arguments, and chaos. Delaying conflict resolution can lead to the escalation of disputes and damage employee morale and productivity. Further, employers can also take the help of various experiential learning programs to help employees reduce arguments and build effective relationships with their colleagues for effective teamwork and collaboration.

Impact of Disengaged Employees on an Organization

Employees are the intrinsic part of an organization, and you must unlock their full potential to achieve optimum results. However, there are times when employees cannot utilize their efforts and resources for a shared goal and knowingly or unknowingly become part of unnecessary team conflicts. Employee disengagement and conflicts can significantly impact the growth and performance of a company.

As per a study by Gallup, Disengaged employees have cost the US economy up to $605 billion annually in terms of lost productivity.

Similarly, employee conflicts can lead to decreased team morale, increased turnover, and decreased productivity.

Thus, employers must prioritize employee engagement and harmony to ensure the long-term growth and success of an organization.

Conclusion

There is no denying that engaged employees are more likely to contribute effectively toward the growth, productivity, and performance of a business entity. Further, businesses should invest their time, money, and energy to build a culture of teamwork where employees can talk, discuss, and resolve their internal issues to boost their overall company growth and development.