Application of Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy in Managing Workplace Conflict Among Employees of Zenith Bank Plc in Lagos

Workplace conflict in the Nigerian banking sector is a growing operational and human resources concern, with significant implications for employee productivity, morale, and organisational climate. This study examined the application of Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT) principles in managing interpersonal workplace conflict among employees of Zenith Bank Plc in Lagos, South West Nigeria. A quasi-experimental design was used, with 60 employees identified as involved in active interpersonal workplace disputes randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group participated in eight structured REBT-based workplace counselling sessions facilitated by an organisational counsellor, while the control group received standard human resources mediation. The Workplace Conflict Management Inventory was administered pre-intervention and post-intervention. Data were analysed using analysis of covariance. Results indicated a statistically significant reduction in conflict escalation scores and improved collaborative problem-solving among the REBT group. Irrational belief challenge and reframing were identified as the most impactful therapeutic components. The study concluded that REBT offers a viable structured framework for organisational counsellors operating in high-pressure financial sector environments. Recommendations included the development of REBT-based employee assistance programmes within Zenith Bank and the training of HR practitioners in basic counselling competencies applicable to conflict de-escalation. Keywords: REBT, workplace conflict, employee counselling, banking sector, Lagos.