2.2 Explain factors that can cause friction and conflict within the workplace

This guide will help you answer 2.2 Explain factors that can cause friction and conflict within the workplace.

Working in adult social care brings together people from diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and experiences. Friction and conflict will happen. Conflict does not always mean open arguments; it can include tension, struggle, or silent disagreements between individuals or groups.

Some conflict can help people express their ideas, challenge poor practice, and bring about positive change. But unmanaged conflict makes for an unhappy, less effective workplace. It can damage morale, increase staff turnover, and impact the quality of care.

This guide covers what causes workplace friction and conflict in adult care.

Differences in Personality

No two people are the same. Everyone brings their own values, communication styles, attitudes, and coping methods.

Common causes of conflict from personality differences include:

• Different approaches to work: Some staff work fast, others more carefully. Mismatched speeds can cause frustration.
• Communication style: Direct speakers may clash with those who prefer gentler words.
• Values: Staff who value strict rules may criticise those who take a relaxed approach.

Example:
A support worker who likes to double-check everything may annoy a colleague who wants to finish quickly. Comments such as “You’re too slow” or “You’re always making mistakes” can fuel resentment.

Emotional Triggers

Some people find it difficult to manage their emotions under pressure. For example, anger, stress, or feeling undervalued can cause arguments or sulking. Short tempers or poor emotional control can spark disputes over minor issues.

Emotional triggers include:

• Stress at home or work
• Feeling excluded from decision-making
• A sense of unfairness or lack of appreciation

Poor Communication

Misunderstandings often start with poor communication. This can happen if instructions are not clear, messages are rushed, or staff rely too much on emails or written notes.

Problems linked to poor communication:

• Staff miss important updates about service users
• Instructions are misunderstood or overlooked
• Tasks get duplicated, or worse, ignored

Example:
A manager sends care plan updates by email without checking if all staff have access. One worker misses a medication change and is later blamed. Friction starts between the worker and the manager.

Competing Priorities and Role Confusion

Workloads are heavy in adult care. People often have to juggle several jobs at once. If priorities are not set, staff may disagree about what is most urgent. Job descriptions are not always clear, and new tasks get passed around without guidance.

Common problems:

• Arguments about who should do routine, unpopular, or “extra” tasks
• Resentment if someone feels overloaded while colleagues have less to do
• Confusion about responsibilities for specific care tasks

Example:
Two senior carers debate who should check a service user’s wounds. The job is not listed in any description, so neither wants to take responsibility. This can escalate into full-blown arguments.

Lack of Resources

Adult care often runs with tight budgets. Shortages of staff, time, and equipment put everyone under strain.

Resource issues that can lead to friction:

• Not enough staff, leading to cover being repeatedly requested from the same people
• Battles for use of limited equipment (e.g., hoists, vehicles)
• Staff not having time for breaks, causing irritability and mistakes

Example:
A care home with one hoist for ten residents. Workers argue about whose residents get priority, leading to open conflict on the floor.

Change and Uncertainty

Care settings face many changes: new regulations, shifts, and ways of working. People respond to change in different ways. Uncertainty can make people defensive and anxious. Some like a fresh challenge. Others feel threatened.

Typical causes of conflict during change:

• Lack of information or warning about new routines
• Feeling left out of decisions
• Disagreement about how changes should be made

Example:
Management announces new shift patterns without consultation. Staff feel their personal time has not been respected. Some threaten to resign.

Leadership and Management Style

Managers set the tone. Poor leadership can be a major source of conflict.

Problems include:

• Favouritism: Some staff always get preferred shifts or rewards
• Lack of support: Staff feel exposed when something goes wrong
• Micromanagement: Staff feel watched, criticised, and unable to use their initiative
• Inconsistent discipline: Rules applied to some but not all staff

Example:
If two workers break the same rule, but only one is disciplined, others see this as unfair, leading to resentment and disputes.

Unclear Policies and Procedures

Every adult care provider should have clear policies, including those for absence, safeguarding, and performance. If rules are unclear, open to interpretation, or ignore cultural or religious needs, friction follows.

Common policy-related causes of conflict:

• Staff unaware of the correct procedures for complaints or whistleblowing
• Ambiguity about what acceptable behaviour looks like
• Tension if rules are replaced or updated without staff involvement

Example:
Dress code: If policy changes from uniform to “smart casual” without clear guidance, some may feel exposed or embarrassed by the choices of others. Comments or gossip can spiral into conflict.

Discrimination, Prejudice and Bullying

Diversity is positive but may create tension. Sometimes staff discriminate, either openly or by accident, against others based on:

• Race
• Religion
• Sexual orientation
• Age
• Gender
• Disability

Direct discrimination means treating someone badly because of a protected characteristic. Indirect discrimination may involve a policy or way of working that favours some over others.

Bullying is repeated, unwanted behaviour aimed at hurting someone physically or emotionally. It can include:

• Name-calling
• Excluding a colleague from team activities
• Spreading rumours
• Undermining competence

These behaviours cause mistrust, poor morale, and high staff turnover.

Stress and Pressure

Work in care brings a lot of pressure. Physical and emotional demands can lead to burnout. When staff are tired, stretched, or feeling unsupported, patience runs low.

Common stress-related triggers for conflict:

• Arguments about rotas
• Complaints over missed breaks
• Blaming others for mistakes

Example:
A worker who feels unsupported during a busy shift snaps at a colleague for being “lazy” or “not pulling their weight.” Tensions build up and can spill over in handover meetings.

Service User and Family Expectations

Pressure does not only come from colleagues. Service users and their families can place high and conflicting demands on workers. Staff can be blamed for things outside their control, generating anxiety and tension within the team.

Examples of friction from expectations:

• A relative wants one-to-one support that is not part of the care plan
• Service users complain about delays caused by staff shortages
• Families criticise workers unfairly, leading to defensive behaviour

Staff may argue over who should speak to families, or how to respond to criticism in care reviews.

Organisational Change and Restructuring

Business takeovers, new managers, or changing registration requirements can make staff feel insecure.

Common sources of conflict:

• Competition for new roles or responsibilities
• Fears about losing jobs or pay
• Uncertainty about where authority lies

Staff may form “sides” or cliques for self-protection, leaving others feeling isolated.

Cultural Differences

Different cultures bring varied ways of speaking, relating, and solving problems. Without understanding and respect, miscommunication flourishes.

Examples of cultural triggers:

• Directness: Some cultures value plain speaking; others value politeness
• Authority: In some cultures, questioning a manager is seen as offensive
• Attitudes to time: Some workers see punctuality as essential, others more relaxed

Example:
A manager expects honest feedback in team meetings. One worker, from a culture where criticism is avoided in public, remains silent. The manager sees this as dishonesty, not understanding the cultural context.

Power Struggles

Conflict often arises over who has authority or the “final say.” This may relate to promotions, shift leadership, or disagreements between professional roles.

Common situations:

• Rivalry between senior carers, nurses, or team leaders
• Struggles to influence management decisions
• Attempting to undermine colleagues to get ahead

Example:
During a meeting about holiday requests, two supervisors push strongly for their shift’s needs over the other, creating bad feeling and splits among team members.

Poor Performance and Accountability

Ignoring poor practice creates conflict. Staff may feel others are “getting away with it.” If managers avoid dealing with problems, resentment builds.

Conflicts stem from:

• Perceived unfairness in workload or expectations
• A sense that some staff “carry” others
• Guilt or shame if mistakes are hidden or blamed on the wrong person

Clear, direct feedback and support help ease such tensions.

Team Dynamics and Group Behaviour

Some conflict stems from wider team issues, not personal faults.

• Groups form cliques and exclude others
• Gossip and rumour fuel mistrust
• Long-serving staff resist new team members

Example:
A new worker is consistently left out of lunch breaks. Over time, this isolation leads to bitterness, affecting team performance.

Final Thoughts

Friction and conflict in adult care arise from a long list of potential causes. Personality clashes, unclear roles, poor communication, resource shortages, leadership issues, policies, discrimination, stress, conflicting service user demands, cultural differences, and organisational change can all cause problems.

Recognising the causes helps managers spot problems early and take steps to prevent them. Open communication, clear policies, fair leadership, and respect for differences form the foundation for a healthier, productive workplace.

Understanding these factors is important for anyone in a leadership or management role. Building a positive culture takes effort, but it pays off in staff wellbeing and better quality of care for service users.