<span>Currently, three-fourths of human resource managers report that skilled laborers in their industries are "in short supply." The expense of hiring and training a replacement employee generally amounts to 30% of their yearly salary, which is even steeper in essential roles [Ackerman 2000]. One major factor contributing to turnover is workplace stress. Moreover, nothing exacerbates stress more than internal conflicts within an organization. </span>
Feuds harm organizations in three fundamental ways: they squandering resources, they consume time, and they drive up turnover rates. Consequently, organizations bogged down by feuds may find themselves incapable of seizing opportunities or tackling critical challenges. While resolving a feud can be a challenging endeavor, neglecting to settle a damaging dispute could lead to the downfall of that organization.
If you oversee an organization where departments or teams are at odds, making peace among them should be your top priority. If you allow conflicts to persist while dealing with "more urgent" issues, you might discover that your attempts to address those pressing matters are undermined—both subtly and otherwise—by the ongoing strife between the conflicting parties. The urge to address immediate issues first may arise from viewing the feud as a complex problem, whereas the immediate issue—like relocating offices—appears more manageable, mechanical, and less emotionally charged.
<span>Resist that urge. When a feud has taken root, it resembles the Blob from the 1958 science fiction movie of the same name [Yeaworth 1958]. In a thriving feud, any effort the organization tries to undertake becomes fodder for conflict. Feuds feed on everything, making even a simple office rearrangement a possible source of controversy that halts all work—if you're fortunate. If you're not, work may continue, but the results might suffer from unnoticed flaws. In a workplace overshadowed by feuds, individuals lose the pride in their work, their health declines, and the most capable employees—those with alternatives—tend to leave.</span>