HR Document Management

Workplace Resolution

When disputes happen within the workplace, finding a resolution can often be troublesome; therefore, it may be beneficial to find resolutions from an outside source. HRP Group acts as your outside source to assist with all workplace-related conflicts and to help manage better relationships.

Disputes at work and the direct impact on staff morale and business performance

Disputes at work do occur from time to time; oftentimes minor clashes can be resolved straightforwardly but on other occasions it’s extremely disruptive,causing significant impacts to those directly involved as well as surrounding others too. Conflicts happen for all sorts of reasons; it could be personality clashes, performance quality, punctuality, or behavioural issues such as one’s attitude or actions towards another.
The impact of workplace conflict can be consequential to business functionality. Staff morale and wellbeing play a significant role when it comes to running any organisation effectively, and conflict can lead to anxiety, stress, underperforming, targets not being met and negativity affecting employee morale as a whole, and not just those directly involved.
A company must act proficiently and accordingly when dealing with issues. Professionalism and fair treatment encourage the probability of running a successful business with regards to achieving goals, performance quality, effectiveness, and maintaining a good reputation and standards.

Third-party Mediation – HRP Group

HRP Group will act as your third-party mediation. Mediation is often the best approach when it comes to dealing with conflicts at work and with ‘neutral third-party involvement’ it ensures absolute fairness and equality.

Financial gains

 Mediation is a more cost-effective approach to dealing with work-related matters; resolution may be sought straightforwardly rather than the costly alternative of attending tribunals, appeals, and courts. Tribunals and court proceedings are often a lengthy process; it rarely resolves matters to absolute satisfaction; in fact, from our experience, we’ve seen how damaging and draining these processes have on one’s finances and well-being.

Unresolved

 Rarely do we see both parties happy with the outcome of the resolution when attending tribunals, it’s usually one-sided with the one-party left disheartened; thus, we aim to provide a service which deals with matters systematically and methodically with prime focus on finding resolutions for both parties equally.

Mediation

Using Mediation has seen a significant rise in numbers, company leaders and management, as well as human resource personnel, are seeking professional and skilled mediators to act as their intermediaries in solving conflicts and due to its proficiency, it’s vastly becoming the efficient alternative solution.

What services we provide

HRP Group provides many services to help organisations manage better relationships at work and solve disputes. Arbitration and mediation should be competently handled to find fair solutions. We investigate all matters, such as persecution, bullying, sexual harassment, disciplinary, and other complaints. We can act as your third-party advisors or ombudsman for any internal procedures at the investigative stages or appeal stage.

Finding resolutions

 Our aim is to find resolutions which satisfy both parties to resolve matters accordingly, efficiently, and promptly. We service our clients at cost-effective rates, beneficial to businesses because it’s less of a financial burden. Mediation technique is a voluntary non-compulsory procedure, whereas both parties are invited individually and have the total freedom to decide if they want to attend. Generally speaking, this more relaxed approach, rather than formally instructed, is often more effective, and we tend to find both parties are more willing to cooperate. Mediation is a much faster way in finding a resolution (with the alternative being lengthy and costly), but prevention in the first place is the objective.

Prevention

 HR skilled advisories can help with prevention programmes aimed at educating, we have different methods and strategies which could help companies and workplaces to run more efficiently by trying to avoid such scenarios in the first place. If our intervention is at the appeal stage, we may be able to prevent such events and situations from occurring for a second time, we can advise on ways to move forward to strengthen positivity within the workplace. Things do happen at work and often avoidable, but there are many ways to avert or even prevent. Knowing how to deal with things early on can help prevent escalation into chaos.

Privacy and confidentiality

We mediate with both parties privately; all of our skilled/trained professionals offer utmost neutralism to both parties equally and fairly. We work with each party to try and resolve issues by means of negotiated agreements, of course, it may not always be as simple, and it will be determined by the severity of the dispute. Having said that according to research- mediation has been extremely effective at resolving workplace issues, some issues are even solved in just one day, and figures are showing that the overall success rate is around 80% positive. We investigate each complaint extensively and take a structured and professional stance on the matter. We can facilitate meetings if necessary, connect privately and confidentially with each individual party and offer our expertise and advice to resolve matters appropriately.

Tensions and ongoing stress

Tension is often a natural occurrence with any workplace dispute, if not dealt with effectively and accordingly it’s almost certain to escalate far and wide. Progressive tensions could escalate a matter which is something that may have dire consequences on business effectiveness as well as morally on an individual level.

Well-being

It’s not good for anyone to feel, stressed, tense or mistreated or even wrongly accused at work it can take its toll on one’s health, when such situations arise the quicker it’s dealt with sooner rather than later. HRP Group offers a neutral approach with prime focus in dispelling tensions first and foremost before we look at the negotiation and fair agreement stages, we try to maintain a balanced working environment for all other employees as well as the individual parties who may have to continue working together. Overall well-being is up high on the agenda when it comes to the way we operate when addressing workplace conflicts and disputes.

Facilitation is the key to resolve collective disputes.

The importance of Facilitation

Facilitation in the workplace is vital; it’s the procedure in a legislative body or representatives to participate in solving organisation disputes when the company is directly involved in the matter. It’s also used for addressing individual disputes between employees and companies.

General or collective

Whether general or collective, the goal is to proactively work with all parties involved including employers, employees, and any other outside sources or representatives to resolve matters accordingly. The voluntary process is rather informal than legally binding, and the importance of trust-building is of high priority within services we provide. We assist parties in any way shape or form and allow them the freedom to decide which third party involvement they would prefer to use.

Long or short-term engagement

Oftentimes we are sought to deal with urgent matters and to provide dedicated, prompt resources but assisting with a long-term approach to deal with matters is another of the beneficial services we provide, especially if the workplace has an ongoing history of continual disputes. “Joint working parties” or “joint problem solving” are the mechanisms we often use when long-term engagement is sought.

Workplace investigations during conflicts

When any conflict, dispute, or ongoing tensions are happening at work at thorough, unbiased investigation offers the best outcome. Independent and impartial advice is the fair solution to problem-solving with neither party having any kind of advantage over the next. We offer Integrity and respect to all parties involved, on a personal level, and as part of any arranged meetings, we professionally maintain our impartialness throughout.

Merit of the complaint

Many situations arise at work; some frequent and others are rare. The severity of conflict is often trivial and dealt with promptly, but sometimes things are a bit more complicated such as a more serious scenario or an ongoing long-term dispute which is yet to be resolved. We manage all situations appropriately and accordingly to the severity of the dispute; our involvement could be prompt or long-lasting. Depending on the conflict concerns and our systematic aftercare approach will determine the length of any intervention from third-party solutions.

Here are some examples of the sorts of situations we manage when it comes to workplace disputes:

  • A complaint made against an employer regarding an employee.
  • Complaints made by staff against the organisation.
  • Bullying, harassment, prejudice, racial discrimination, age discrimination, sexual harassment.
  • Punctuality concerns, warnings-formal, and written.
  • Unfair dismissal
  • Conflicts of concern/interest

Here are some of the key services we provide once our involvement is sought:

  • Facts are gathered accordingly and presented to us by the investigator.
  • The complaint is studied by means of severity, and a merit will be determined.
  • Confidentiality agreements are put in place and are maintained throughout.
  • Impartial assistance seeks to maintain the reputation of the individual/company.
  • Legal obligations are complied throughout.
  • Prevention programmes, prompt actions moving forward, and liability risk is addressed accordingly.

The importance of Arbitration

Arbitration is essentially the decision-making process of the dispute, it may not always be necessary to use Arbitration, but if it is required, it will follow workplace Facilitation.

Binding Decision

Arbitration is important because the decision is binding; first the resolution process takes place with the involvement of third-party assistance, and generally, a decision or suitable resolution is made at the agreement of the respective parties involved. If things were to progress unresolved, it would meet the Arbitration stages, and the decision thereon is formal and final.

Examples of Arbitration level of involvement includes things such as:

  • Executive-level disputes.
  • Work dismissals either before or afterwards.
  • Employment Claims against the workplace.

Although we strive to provide the correct and appropriate assistance for alternative dispute claims we do so out of respect for the expectations of all those involved and that could include the culture of the organisation too. We usually work traditionally, and this is often the most effective method, traditionally Arbitration resolution is set in place, and both parties accept the outcome in advance, and the issue is dealt with and done with no further assistance required.