CIPD Good Work Index 2024 shows that workplace conflict puts strain on job quality for estimated eight million UK workers

13 Jun 2024 12:33 PM

The CIPD is calling for employers to focus on line management training and address the underlying causes of conflict.

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Every year we survey thousands of workers to find out what it’s really like to work in the UK, to provide employers with a benchmark of job quality. This year’s survey has revealed that a quarter of UK employees, an estimated 8 million people, have experienced workplace conflict in the past year.   

The most common forms of conflicted reported were:  

• being undermined or humiliated at work (48%)   
• being shouted at or having a heated argument (35%)   
• receiving verbal abuse or insult (34%)   
• experiencing discriminatory behaviour (20%). 

The impact of this conflict should be of major concern for employers: 

• 42% said they felt exhausted all or most of the time, compared with 18% of those who reported no conflict. 
• 37% said they felt under pressure all or most of the time, compared with 15% of those who didn't experience any conflict.  
• Only 28% said their work had positively impacted their mental health, compared with 43% per cent of those who didn’t experience conflict.  
• A quarter (25%) said their work had a positive impact on their physical health, compared with 32% of those who didn’t experience any conflict.  

Those who experienced conflict also had less confidence in senior leaders’ ability, less trust in them to act with integrity, and lower perceptions of managers to enable employee voice, highlighting the crucial importance of early action to address conflict at work.  

“Reducing conflict should be part of an employer’s overall strategy to improve work quality. Training can help line managers foster more positive relationships and reduce the likelihood of conflict occurring”. 

Jake Young, Senior Policy and Practice Adviser, CIPD 

In response to these findings, the CIPD is calling on employers to: 

• focus on line management training to enable managers to build more positive relationships in their teams and address areas of conflict early on, 
• pinpoint and address the underlying causes of conflict, including excessive workloads, exhaustion and pressure  
• encourage open and supportive work environments, where employees can feel they have a voice.

Now in its seventh year, the CIPD Good Work Index provides employers and people professionals with evidence-based insights to drive improvements to working lives. 

The report also gives practical guidance to help people professionals, employers and policy-makers understand the issues and take action to improve outcomes for individuals, organisations and the economy. 

This year, we surveyed 5,496 workers across different sectors and occupations, about key aspects of their work and employment. Throughout June we’ll also publish four local reports:  

• 18 June - North of England   
• 25 June – Wales  
• 27 June – Northern Ireland   

On 20 June, we will also publish the fifth Working Lives Scotland report which focuses on job quality in Scotland, adapting the CIPD Good Work Index to the Scottish Fair Work Framework.