With the stress that today's work force is facing, employee conflicts are arising more often. In many situations, fewer employees are around, and the workload is higher, which can lead to uncomfortable professional environments and more employee conflicts, says Jason Carney, director of human resources at WorkSmart Systems Inc.

"A lot of employee conflicts are simply stress related," Carney says. "When things are going great, you tend to not notice the little nitpicky details of maybe your cube mate or the person who sits across the way, but when the wheels start coming off, that's when things start getting a little hairy."

Employees should be trained in using effective communication skills to first solve these issues; however, sometimes, it is inevitable for HR to become involved, says Jackie Greaner, senior consultant in the talent management group at Towers Watson. Employees don't have the same training as HR professionals do, and it can take an objective third party to solve the issue.