Mediation and Strategic Conflict Resolution

09:30 - Welcome, introduction and objectives for the day
09:45 - What is mediation and why is it so important?
· Understanding the history behind mediation
· Addressing the key principles and aims of mediation
· Why is mediation needed: the business case for mediation and advantages over litigation

10:15 - Understanding the law behind mediation and legal implications for the future
· The Gibbons Report, Civil Procedure Rules and the Employment Act
· Court support for mediation
· Understanding mediation in relation to disciplinary and grievance procedures
· Mediation clauses and the contract of employment

11:15 - Coffee
11:30 - Understanding conflict: Evaluating the behavioural reasons behind conflict at work. Identifying conflict hotspots in your organisation
· Why does conflict exist in the workplace?
· Conflict mindsets
· How to identify the root causes of conflict in the workplace and recognise the early stages of disruption
· The "conflict triangle"
· Dealing with conflict

12:30 - Lunch
13:30 - Gearing up for mediation and creating a workplace structure that works in your organisation
· Identifying where your organisation wants to be in relation to mediation
· Deciding where the mediation function should sit within the workplace
· Implementing a workplace structure: choosing between internal or external mediators and deciding upon the best course of action to take

14:45 - Coffee
15:00 - The process in practice. Evaluating different mediation styles
· Understanding facilitative, transformative and evaluative mediation and deciding which style best suits your organisation
· The phases of mediation and evaluating the role of the mediator
· Effectively managing the mediation process: record keeping and time management

16:00 - Interactive session: Where to go from here?
· Where will mediation fit within your organisation and in what shape and form?

16:30 - Close of seminar