Conflict and Poor Workplace Relationships
Ongoing conflict and poor conduct harm safety. Manage workplace relationship risks today with Foremind.
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Poor workplace relationships can be defined as any situation in which employees feel unsupported, unappreciated, or bullied by their colleagues or managers.
Interpersonal conflict at work is normal in the context of differing opinions. However, a workplace that allows ongoing conflict, poor behaviour from leaders, has a culture of ignoring poor workplace conduct can create lead to poor psychological safety.
In particular workers who feel they are unable to report risks, provide feedback or suggestions, or are witness to harassment with no consequences are at risk.
In isolation this may not be a risk, however combined with multiple other factors such as job control and organisational justice for extended periods could create a psychological risk.
Let’s Look at an Example
Shane works in a hospital as a nurse. Recently there has been many near misses and the hospital management has been increasing the reporting requirements and putting staff under investigation if mistakes are made.
This has lead to lots of internal conflict where staff are blaming each other, managers are micro-managing staff and staff are feeling harassed as they can’t get everything done in time with the additional reporting requirements.
As staff become more stressed they take more sick leave putting pressure on the remaining staff. Shane begins to feel overwhelmed and exhausted and wonders if he is experiencing burnout.
Risk Factors For Poor Workplace Relations
There are a number of factors that can contribute to poor workplace relationships, including:
- Lack of communication
- Lack of trust
- Lack of respect
- High workloads
- Unclear expectations
- Unfair treatment
- Bullying
Impact
Poor workplace relationships can have a significant impact on the health and well-being of employees, as well as the productivity and profitability of the organization.
Control measures
There are a number of control measures that can be implemented to reduce the risk of poor workplace relationships, including:
- Promoting open and honest communication
- Building trust and respect
- Setting clear expectations
- Providing fair treatment
- Addressing bullying and harassment
- Providing support for employees who are struggling
Poor workplace relationships are a serious issue that can have a significant impact on the health and well-being of employees, as well as the product
Answers to the frequently asked questions.
Our last EAP was barely touched. Why would this be different?+
Most EAPs go unused because of how they're accessed, not because staff don't need them. Phoning a stranger, explaining yourself, then waiting weeks is enough to stop most people before they start. Foremind removes all three steps: staff see real counsellor profiles, pick someone themselves, and book the same day.
If you already have a provider, the question worth asking is what your current utilisation is. Most traditional EAPs sit in low single digits, which means you're paying for cover your people aren't reaching. If yours is being used, staff can get seen quickly, and it covers your psychosocial obligations, there's no reason to move. If not, it's worth knowing what you're getting for the spend.
Do you offer 24/7 support?+
Yes. A 24/7 after-hours crisis line means staff can reach someone immediately at any hour, including nights and weekends.
Counselling appointments are also available outside standard business hours, so shift-based and on-call teams aren't limited to a nine-to-five window. Those are two different things, and it's worth checking any provider offers both rather than just the crisis line.
Are your EAP counsellors based in Australia?+
Yes. Every practitioner on the platform holds current membership with an Australian professional body and practises under Australian standards, codes of ethics and disciplinary frameworks. There are no offshore call centres.
Practitioners hold membership with the Australian Counselling Association, the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia, or the Australian Association of Social Workers, along with a current Working with Children or Vulnerable People Check.
How much does an EAP cost?+
Pricing is usually per employee per month, based on total headcount rather than how many people use the service. Costs vary widely depending on whether sessions are bundled in and whether compliance tooling is included.
A more useful comparison is cost per employee who actually uses it. An EAP with 2% utilisation can work out several times more expensive per person helped than one that gets used. Foremind offers pay-as-you-go, inclusive session plans and compliance-inclusive plans, with discounted pricing for not-for-profits and charities.
For full breakdown of our plans, see our EAP pricing page or request a quote for a tailored proposal.
What information does an employer receive about EAP usage?+
Nothing that could identify anyone. All counselling is completely confidential and all reporting is anonymous - you'll never see who booked, when, or what was discussed.
What you do see is the aggregated picture: how many people are using it, what psychosocial risks are prevalent in the business, and which teams are under pressure. Enough to know the investment is working and where to act, never enough to identify a person. Reporting thresholds mean small teams can't be reverse-engineered from the data.
Does having an EAP meet an employer's psychosocial duty of care?+
No. An EAP is a control measure, and a valuable one, but it only addresses harm after it has occurred. It doesn't identify hazards, assess risk, or evidence that controls are working.
Australian WHS law requires you to identify psychosocial hazards, assess the risk, control it so far as is reasonably practicable, and review whether those controls are working — with documented evidence at each step. Offering counselling on its own leaves three of those four steps undocumented.
Foremind covers both in one platform. See how the compliance side works in our product tour.