Motivated Conflict Avoidance in the Workplace

Abstract: Conflict avoidance has long been conceptualized as a passive, disengaged strategy, stemming from low concern for both oneself and others. This research expands that view by introducing the concept of motivated conflict avoidance, where individuals avoid conflict due to motivations centered on one’s self, the other party, relationships, or work productivity. Through a retrospective recall study with 91 participants who described workplace conflicts they chose to avoid, we identified 16 first-order codes for conflict avoidance and grouped them into nine second-order themes, revealing a spectrum of motivations. By distinguishing between apathetic conflict avoidance—characterized by indifference—and motivated conflict avoidance—driven by high concerns for oneself, others, or work—this research challenges the conventional view that conflict avoidance is inherently apathetic. Our findings provide a framework for understanding the strategic and active nature of conflict avoidance, creating opportunities for future research to explore its antecedents, behavioral patterns, and organizational consequences.

Keywords: conflict management, conflict avoidance