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Managing people

There's tension in my team but nothing formal. What should I do?

Answered by Samantha Newton FCIPD, Chartered Fellow CIPD · Last reviewed June 2026

Deal with it early, while it's still just atmosphere. Most workplace conflict doesn't start with an incident. It starts with people going quiet, cliques forming, someone withdrawing, or work quietly getting harder. Left alone, that mood tends to harden into grievances, sickness absence, or good people leaving, and that's when it gets expensive.

You don't need a formal process yet. Usually a calm, private conversation with the people involved, focused on behaviour and impact rather than blame, is enough to clear the air. The skill is handling it in a way that doesn't make things worse or leave you exposed if it does escalate later. If it's already affecting performance or someone's wellbeing, get advice before you step in.

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Every situation has its own details, and those details change the right answer. For a read on yours, take the free Employee Situation Check or book a call.

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General guidance to help you decide your next step, not legal advice. Employment law changes, so always check the current position for your own situation.

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