Business

How To Manage Conflicts in IT Teams

Exadel Agile Team

May 15, 2023

#Agile Approach

Conflicts can arise in any workplace, and the fast-paced and high-pressure environment of IT companies is no exception.

Introduction

When conflicts occur between team members or between developers and managers, they can have a negative impact on productivity, morale, and ultimately, the success of a project.

In this article, we’ll explore some typical situations in IT companies that can lead to conflicts, as well as techniques on how to manage conflicts in an IT team.

Conflicts in IT teams: The Cost of Losing an Employee

As a matter of fact, the majority of work-placed conflicts can end up with someone resigning. Losing an employee can be costly for an organization. The cost includes recruitment, onboarding, the cost of training, lost productivity and lost institutional knowledge, among others.

The average cost of losing an employee is thousands of dollars and varies by wage and role of the employee. Some studies predict that it costs 6 to 9 months’ salary on average to replace a salaried employee.

The cost of losing an employee can be substantial and can have a major impact on a company’s bottom line. The 1.8 trillion U.S. dollar figure mentioned in the HubSpot report for 2020 underscores just how high the cost of lost productivity can be.

According to Statista, the global IT industry had a GDP of approximately 5 trillion U.S. dollars in 2020. That leads us to conclude that this cost can have a significant impact on a company’s financial health as it amounted to approximately one third of the industry’s total GDP for 2020.

Common Conflicts in IT Teams: Main Reasons

Two of the main reasons for interpersonal conflicts in IT are a lack of communication and the manner in which conflicts are dealt with. Conflicts occur when team members do not understand each other’s roles and responsibilities, or when project goals and timelines are unclear.

Members of IT teams are often under a lot of pressure to deliver projects on time and within budget. This pressure can lead to conflicts as team members may be competing for resources and trying to meet tight deadlines in addition to the previously mentioned causes.

To prevent conflicts in IT, it is important to establish clear communication and trust among team members. Managers should also constantly work on improving their conflict management skills.

The team conflict resolution approach contains:

  • regular team meetings
  • clearly defined roles and responsibilities
  • encouraging teamwork and collaboration
  • recognizing and rewarding good performance
  • honest communication

While conflicts among team members in IT can be costly and disruptive, there are strategies to handle conflict between team members. Having a clear process for resolving conflicts and designating a team member as a mediator can prevent minor issues from escalating into major problems.

Additionally, fostering clear communication, trust, and a culture of respect can help teams work together more effectively and deliver better results.

Here are a few specific situations where conflicts can arise in IT organizations, and team conflict resolution strategies.

Conflicts Between Developers

Conflicts between developers in IT companies can occur due to a variety of reasons. We provide some common examples below:

  • Differences in coding styles

    Developers often have their own coding styles, which may lead to disagreements while they are working on the same project. For example, one developer may prefer to use tabs for indentation, while another may prefer spaces.

  • Disagreements about design decisions

    Developers may have different opinions about the design decisions, which can lead to conflicts about which approach to take. This can include disagreements about which programming language, framework or technology to use for a project.

  • Time and resource constraints

    Tight deadlines and limited resources lead to conflicts about how to prioritize work and allocate resources. One developer may prioritize a certain feature over another, while another may want to focus on fixing bugs first.

  • Communication breakdowns

    Poor communication also can be a reason for misunderstandings and disagreements. For example, one developer may not fully understand the requirements of a project and may not communicate that to the other developers.

  • Personal conflicts

    Personal conflicts can negatively impact the team’s productivity and morale. It can be expressed as conflicts related to personalities, work habits, or differences in work styles.

To manage conflicts between developers, it’s important to identify the root cause of the conflict and take steps to address it. This can include promoting clear communication, defining coding and design standards, and establishing a process for resolving conflicts. It’s also important to encourage collaboration and teamwork, and to recognize and reward good performance to create a positive and productive work environment.

Don’t let ineffective communication slow down your team’s progress.

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Conflicts Between Developers and Managers

Typically a manager is responsible for managing conflict in IT teams. Here are some instances which can lead to conflict between developers and their managers:

  1. Differences in expectations

    Managers may have different expectations for a project than what the developers do. This can include differing opinions about timelines, quality standards, or project goals.

  2. Lack of clarity in requirements

    Developers may lack a clear understanding of the requirements for a project. Miscommunications and misunderstandings may negatively impact the project.

  3. Conflicting priorities

    Developers and managers may have different priorities when it comes to a project. For example, a developer may want to focus on the technical details of a project, while a manager may be more focused on meeting project deadlines and budgets.

  4. Lack of feedback and recognition

    Developers may feel that their contributions are undervalued or even go unrecognized. If managers don’t provide regular feedback or recognition for the work that developers are doing, it can cause resentment and conflict.

  5. Micromanagement

    Managers who micromanage their developers can cause conflicts by making developers feel like they are not trusted to do their jobs. Instead of micromanagement, managers should provide the necessary support and resources.

Conflicts Between Managers

Conflicts in the team arise between managers as well. Here are some typical conflicts and potential solutions:

  • Differences in opinions

    Problem: Managers have different opinions on how to approach a particular project or issue.

    Solution: Open communication and collaboration for common results.

  • Resource allocation

    Problem: Managers compete for resources such as budget, personnel, or time.

    Solution: Managers can establish a clear process for resource allocation, set priorities, and ensure that resources are distributed fairly and effectively.

  • Communication issues

    Problem: Managers misinterpret or fail to share important information with each other.

    Solution: Managers should establish clear lines of communication, use project management software to share information, and ensure that everyone is on the same page.

  • Work style differences

    Problem: Managers have different approaches to work, such as one being more detail-oriented and the other more focused on the bigger picture.

    Solution: Managers should understand and respect each other’s work styles, focus on their strengths, and collaborate to achieve a common goal.

  • Goal Misalignment

    Problem: Managers have different goals or priorities.

    Solution: Managers should work together to establish shared goals and align their efforts towards achieving those goals.

Identifying Conflicts In an IT Team At n Early Stage

In our opinion, the best approach to managing conflict in the IT team is to prevent it from escalating. To identify conflicts early on, you can:

  1. Observe team dynamics

    Watch how team members interact with each other and look out for any signs of tension or hostility (frequent arguments, lack of collaboration, or an overall negative attitude towards work).

  2. Pay attention to communication

    Look for any breakdowns in communication, e.g. team members not responding to emails, avoiding in-person conversations or not sharing important information. It indicates that team members are not on the same page.

  3. Track productivity

    Monitor team productivity to identify any changes or declines in output. This can be a sign that team members are not working together effectively or are not aligned in their goals, which can lead to conflicts.

  4. Conduct regular check-ins

    Schedule regular check-ins with team members to understand their workloads, stress levels, and any concerns they may have. It works to identify potential conflicts early on and allow you to take steps to resolve them.

  5. Encourage feedback

    Create an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and concerns in order to prevent major conflicts.

How to Manage Conflict in a Team Using Retro Meeting and 5 Whys

Retro meetings and the Five Whys technique are effective tools for resolving conflicts in IT.

Retro meetings are meetings where a team reflects on their work and identifies opportunities for improvement.

How can a team resolve conflicts between developers with Retro?

  1. Schedule a retro meeting to discuss the conflict.
  2. Encourage open and honest communication, allowing each developer to share their perspective on the issue.
  3. Identify the root cause of the conflict and develop a plan to address it.
  4. Create an action plan with specific steps to prevent similar conflicts from arising in the future.
  5. Follow up with the team to ensure that the action plan is being implemented effectively.

The Five Whys technique is a problem-solving tool that involves asking “why” five times to identify the root cause of a problem.

How to manage conflict in a team with 5 Why technique?

  1. Ask the developers to describe the conflict and its impact on the project and team.
  2. Ask “why” the conflict occurred.
  3. Based on the answer, ask “why” again to get to the root cause of the issue.
  4. Repeat this process five times, each time asking “why” to drill down to the underlying problem.
  5. Once the root cause has been identified, work with the team to develop a plan to address the issue and prevent similar conflicts in the future.

With these techniques, teams can identify the underlying issues that are causing conflicts between developers and work together to find effective solutions.

Conclusion

A key factor to managing conflicts in IT teams is identifying the root cause of the issue and working collaboratively to find a solution. Retro meetings and the Five Whys technique can be useful tools for this purpose.

Exadel’s Agile Delivery practice also emphasizes effective communication and conflict resolution, with an emphasis on facilitating productive discussions and finding solutions that benefit all parties involved.

Author: Dzmitry Navumenka