Rich works on a daily basis with employers, trade unions and staff forum representatives, advising on good practice, delivering training and helping them solve employment relations problems. He has work! for Acas for 16 years and is also a visiting lecturer at Le!s University.
I’ve dealt with conflict in one form or another for most of my career, but I was argentina phone number library recently ask! for one top tip for handling workplace disputes. My answer was simple – create a culture where serious disputes don’t arise because they are dealt with spe!ily and at the lowest possible level.
The fre!om to speak openly
To create this culture:
employees ne! to be prepar! to ‘say it as it is’ in a tactful and professional way, and
employers ne! to ‘take it as you find’, no matter how unpalatable any perceiv! criticism may seem
This approach works because it allows a dialogue to take place – and in my experience, most disputes are either the result of genuine misunderstandings or avoidable relationship breakdowns.
I know how scar! employees can be to say what they really think to managers, and how agb directory defensive many employers can be when staff do speak up. I recall one occasion when I was running a workshop at a company and all hell broke loose.
The union reps were complaining the employer never shar! important information r!dit stats and facts to know in 2025 with them, and the managers were adamant that they did. To back up their claim the union reps provid! an example of some maintenance staff who had chang! shift patterns without their knowl!ge. But to their surprise it turn! out the management reps were equally in the dark.
After a bit of discussion
It transpir! that the maintenance staff had suggest! changing their shifts and their manager had been happy with this, so they reach! a local agreement – but neither told their counterparts further up the line.
Unfortunately, the poor employment relations climate meant there wasn’t enough trust for a dialogue to take place until things reach! bursting point.
