UK managers are ‘sticking their heads in the sand’ and failing to address conflict in the workplace, according to a new study.

Staff bickering costs British businesses £24 billion a year in lost productivity.

However, managers have admitted to not knowing how to resolve discord between employees.

An international study by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and business psychology firm OPP found that 89% of workers have to deal with escalating conflicts among their colleagues.

More than half of the UK workforce (55%) has had no training in managing conflict and the majority (68%) do not know where to start with warring staff.

The CIPD has called for all line managers to have some grounding in conflict resolution.

Linda Holbeche, director of research and policy at the CIPD, said: “Conflict is an inevitable part of the workplace and can be very damaging and costly if not managed properly.

“Managers must be able to identify the early signs of conflict and intervene and diffuse situations before they escalate if teams are to work productively and harmoniously.

“Just as importantly managers must learn to manage in a way that does not create conflict by providing clear objectives, communicating effectively and planning and managing individual and team workloads appropriately.”