Walking the tightrope -
conflict and the personnel role

Personnel and Human Resource departments often find themselves walking a tightrope, balancing the needs of the individual and good people management practice with the demands of the business and organisational pressures. At these times, working relationships come under pressure and can be strained beyond their tolerances. This informal workshop explores how personnel and HR staff can bring conflict resolution skills and processes to bear on difficult situations.

Specific outcomes

By the end of the workshop, participants will be better able to:

	Assess how their organisation currently responds to and manages conflict
	Understand the scope and limits of their own role as in-house 'independents'
	Use a model for identifying the needs, interests and fears of those in dispute
	Coach line-managers in the use of this model to manage their own conflicts
	Promote mediation as part of an informal in-house dispute resolution system
	Use independent third parties appropriately in workplace conflict
	Support and encourage colleagues in working constructively with conflict.