Conflict Stress and Reduced Wellbeing at Work: The Buffering Effect of Third-Party Help

33 Pages Posted: 10 Oct 2004

See all articles by Ellen Giebels

Ellen Giebels

University of Twente - Faculty of Behavioural Sciences

Onne Janssen

Rijksuniversiteit Groningen

Abstract

This study among 108 Dutch social services workers examined whether particularly the intra-psychic tension directly associated with interpersonal conflict at work, i.e. conflict stress, is responsible for reduced wellbeing in terms of emotional exhaustion, absenteeism and turnover intentions. Furthermore, we explored whether these detrimental effects were buffered by third-party help. Factor analyses showed that third-party help can be considered an additional conflict management style, next to more traditional behavioral styles such as problem solving and forcing. As expected, conflict stress was positively related to emotional exhaustion, absenteeism, and turnover intentions even when controlled for task and relationship conflict. Furthermore, this relationship was strong for respondents who report low third-party help and non existent for respondents who report high third-party help. These findings suggest that third-party help is a successful conflict management strategy to prevent negative outcomes of interpersonal conflict in organizations.

Keywords: Conflict, Stress, Third-Party Help

JEL Classification: D74

Suggested Citation

Giebels, Ellen and Janssen, Onne, Conflict Stress and Reduced Wellbeing at Work: The Buffering Effect of Third-Party Help. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=602063 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.602063

Ellen Giebels (Contact Author)

University of Twente - Faculty of Behavioural Sciences ( email )

Netherlands

Onne Janssen

Rijksuniversiteit Groningen

P.O. Box 800
9700 AV Groningen, Groningen 9700 AV
Netherlands