Occasional conflicts and disputes are a fact of life in all workplaces. One of the best ways to defuse difficult situations, resolve office concerns and keep your staff happy is mediation. But even though this is a potentially very effective device in the employer’s toolkit, workplace mediations can go wrong. Let’s take a look […]
Getting the mix of personalities in the workplace right can be extremely challenging. Creating a harmonious workplace is difficult at the best of times, and if a toxic personality is thrown into the equation, it can disturb the equilibrium of the workplace. Let’s take a look at how you can identify and deal with […]
A suite of robust policies and procedures is an essential element of good governance in any organisation. Often employers discover that their policies and procedures are inadequate, only once their actions are reviewed by a tribunal or court. Adequate workplace policies are key mechanisms for outlining exactly what the standards of conduct are in […]
Maintaining workplace harmony should be a key focus of every organisation. Conflict in the workplace can lead to behaviours such as bullying, harassment and discrimination. Staff can lack motivation, fail to work as a team and be generally unhappy. So how can employers and staff deal with conflict, and encourage staff to work together […]
Most employers are aware of the importance of conducting workplace investigations to deal with complaints or allegations. But what happens after the investigation is over? There may be a sense of disconnectedness, embarrassment, awkwardness or even anger amongst staff, particularly if disciplinary action has been taken or an employee has left the organisation. Although […]
Many people start off each year with a bundle of resolutions – to eat better, to exercise more, to spend more time with the kids… the list goes on. The start of a new calendar year is also a fantastic time for businesses to take stock and reassess. If your workplace culture is getting […]
Maintaining professional distance in the workplace can be challenging at the best of times. There is a very fine line between managing interpersonal relationships, ensuring that colleagues and co-workers get along with each other, and developing such close relationships that potential conflicts of interest or social problems arise. This juggle has become even more […]
Where a complaint has been made by one staff member against another, and a workplace investigation takes place, all kinds of emotions can be running high. People participating in a workplace investigation, whether as complainants, respondents or even witnesses, can suffer symptoms of mental health issues such as depression and anxiety, as well as emotional […]
A wrap-up of the Children, Justice and Communication Conference at Portsmouth University, May 2017. Last week, I had the privilege of attending the Children, Justice and Communication Conference at Portsmouth in the UK. The conference is hosted by some of the world’s leading academics and practitioners working in the areas of child sexual exploitation, […]
All workplaces are at risk of allegations of bullying, harassment, discrimination or other claims of misconduct or inappropriate dealings. As such, all employers must be prepared to conduct investigative interviews to determine the veracity and accuracy of any allegations made against or by one or more of their employees. Apart from properly eliciting the facts, […]