Using AI to help resolve workplace conflicts: Opportunities and risks for HR

Written By Sarah Kerr

11th September 2025

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AI is everywhere in the workplace right now, from recruitment tools to chatbots answering employee questions. But can it really help us resolve something as sensitive and complex as workplace conflicts?

We spoke to Sarah Kerr, HR Technical Consultant at AdviserPlus about what role AI can realistically play in managing workplace conflicts and where the human touch is still essential. From her perspective in HR, the answer is a cautious yes. AI use can definitely help in managing workplace conflicts, but there are limits.

Where can AI help in HR?

When we look at how AI help resolve workplace conflicts, one of its biggest benefits is taking away the admin work that eats up HR time. It can:

Analyse document bundles and highlight relevant information
Spot patterns in data that might point to potential disputes
Schedule meetings and coordinate diaries
Generate summaries and meeting notes, freeing HR teams to focus on the people involved

One of the most promising uses of AI is in spotting early warning signs of conflict. By looking at communication patterns or attendance data, it can flag when tensions might be building, so HR can step in early.

That type of insight can be hard to spot manually, especially when you are looking at lots of data across a whole workforce.

The ethical questions about AI use in HR we cannot ignore

For AI to work in the context of HR, it needs access to very personal and often sensitive information, and this is where it gets tricky. Grievances often involve behaviour, emotions and experiences that employees share in confidence. HR has a duty to protect that trust. We need to be very clear about:

Who can access the data
How it is stored and protected
What employees are told about how their information will be used

Without transparency and strong data protection measures, there is a real risk of damaging confidence in the entire process.

Why humans still need to lead AI to help resolve workplace conflicts

AI cannot read tone of voice, pick up body language or understand subtle interpersonal dynamics. Mediation is about feelings and relationships as much as it is about facts, and that is where humans are still essential.

AI can help with the first step by flagging issues, summarising evidence or supporting informal communication, but the actual resolution needs to be handled by people. This ensures fairness, empathy and proper context.

How to get employees to buy-in to AI?

Even if the technology works well, we still need employees to trust it.

Will people be comfortable knowing that AI is being used in their disputes? Will they agree to have their data analysed this way?

We also need to be aware that employees might use their own AI tools to prepare grievances. This can cause problems if they copy legal wording they do not fully understand or even bring in laws from another country. This can slow down resolution and create unnecessary frustration.

Finding the right use-case for AI in HR

AI can be a powerful tool, but it is not a mediator.

The best way to use it is to let AI do what it does best:

Handle data-heavy tasks
Highlight risks and trends
Provide objective insights
Support in the early, informal steps

Then let HR take over for the conversations, mediations and decisions that need human judgement and emotional understanding.

AI’s place in managing workplace conflicts

AI has a real role to play in workplace conflict resolution, but only if it is used carefully and transparently, with people still leading the process.

When it is done well, AI can make dispute resolution faster, more consistent and more insightful. If it is handled badly, it risks damaging trust, which is the foundation of any good HR process.

Technology should support better outcomes, but it can never replace the human connection that ultimately resolves conflict.

Achieve faster, fairer outcomes empower®

That is why solutions like empower® are so valuable. empower® gives HR teams the tools they need to manage cases consistently, track trends, and take proactive action before disputes escalate. By combining smart technology with human expertise, empower® helps organisations achieve faster resolutions, reduce risk, and keep employee trust intact.

If you want to see how empower® can support your employee relations strategy or book a demo with our team.

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