Professionals may spend upwards of 40 hours a week interacting with their coworkers. It’s inevitable that colleagues will not see eye-to-eye every day. Personalities may clash and operational styles could differ from person to person. Conflicts arise that are not resolved could affect the functionality of the business.

A CPP Global Human Capital Report found workplace conflict can be costly, contributing to $359 billion in lost revenue if left unaddressed. Disputes among employees can decrease productivity and may even interrupt business. Conflicts among workers also can zap morale.

It is in employers’ best interest to nip conflicts in the bud as effectively as possible. Here are some ways to prevent and resolve employee disputes.

Establish clear roles and expectations

Employees who do not know their place in an organization may step on the toes of others. It’s important for employers to clearly spell out which tasks are expected of each person and how he or she should contribute to the team. Those who know their role can do their job more efficiently.

Encourage assertive communication

According to Positive Psychology, assertive communication involves the speaker maintaining self-respect while expressing personal needs and defending his or her own rights without abusing or dominating others. Assertiveness encourages conversation, while aggressive communication can quickly staunch it.

Build trust and relationships

Employees who don’t know each other well may not trust one another. Employers should dedicate time to fostering team-building exercises that enable them to learn more about what makes employees tick. This may help promote trust and even workplace friendships.

Create an open-door policy

Conflicts can fester if employees do not feel comfortable going to leadership with their issues – and especially so if managers take sides in any disagreements. Employees should feel comfortable going to their supervisors without being afraid of repercussions. Employees should be encouraged to work out conflicts on their own before managers need to intervene.

Find areas of agreement

Try to get employees to find areas where they agree instead of pointing out conflicts. If they can find common ground, they may be able to work together on problems that cause conflict. Brainstorm ways they can get over a problem.

Seek other help

If conflicts cannot be resolved through the methods discussed, then it may be time to involve human resources or consult the employee handbook. Resolving conflicts is essential to keeping employees happy, saving money and ensuring a business functions at peak capacity.