When Conflict Silences Ideas: How Peer Bonds Keep Employees Championing Change

What is it about?

This study explores how interpersonal conflict in the workplace can undermine employees’ idea championing—their efforts to promote and gather support for innovative ideas—and how social relationships among coworkers can buffer these effects. Grounded in Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, the study proposes that interpersonal conflict depletes employees’ emotional and cognitive resources, leading to greater turnover intentions, which in turn reduce their willingness to advocate for new ideas. Using survey data from 632 employees in a large Mexican pharmacy chain, the study finds that conflict-related emotional strain leads some employees to mentally withdraw and consider quitting. These thoughts drain the energy and motivation needed for creativity and improvement. However, strong peer-oriented social interaction—informal relationships and personal bonds—weakens this effect. When coworkers connect personally, communication and support improve, reducing conflict escalation and sustaining enthusiasm for innovation. These findings suggest that social connectedness at work acts as a critical emotional resource, helping employees transform frustration into perseverance. Organizations can therefore sustain idea advocacy and innovation not only by reducing conflict, but by fostering informal peer relationships that protect employees from resource loss and help them stay engaged in advancing change.

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Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash

Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This novel study shows that turnover intentions act as a psychological bridge between relationship conflict and reduced idea championing, while peer-oriented social interaction serves as a protective resource. Integrating COR theory with relational dynamics, it demonstrates that informal peer networks can offset the emotional depletion caused by conflict, enabling employees to keep advocating for new ideas. The research reframes conflict as a test of the organization’s social fabric, where informal ties determine whether it hinders or fuels innovation. This study is timely, as organizations increasingly depend on employees to drive innovation amid social tension and uncertainty. Conducted in Mexico—a context of collectivist values and relational closeness—it shows that fostering personal connections is not just cultural courtesy but a strategic tool for sustaining creative advocacy under pressure. The findings highlight the need for managers to build strong peer networks that protect emotional resources, reduce turnover, and keep valuable voices for change active.