A recent report from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) on Managing Conflict at Work, shows that work place conflict costs the average employer around 350 days of management time every year. In addition employment tribunal claims cost the average employer about 20,000 a year, rising to over 210,000 for those employing 10,000 or more people. The CIPDís Annual Law Employment conference will explore the legislation that governs the management of workplace disputes and the options available to employers who need to tackle conflict at work.
The conference takes place on 3-4 July, at the Queen Elizabeth II conference centre. It will include a review from Ron Woods, Assistant Director of Individual Conciliation Policy, ACAS, of the statutory dispute resolution procedures and the ACAS code of practice. In CIPDís recent response to the Governmentís consultation on resolving disputes in the workplace, the CIPD says that ACAS should be adequately resourced to provide alternative dispute resolution processes.
Mike Emmott, CIPD Employee Relations Adviser said: ìThe statutory dispute resolution procedures have clearly not worked and should be repealed. In their place CIPD believes that ACAS should be invited to produce high level guidelines to reflect the principles of fairness and natural justice. These guidelines should be taken into account by employment tribunals in considering cases before them.î
The CIPD is also keen to emphasise its support for mediation as the key to resolving workplace disputes before relationships have irretrievably broken down. Emmott adds: ìThere is a clear business case for mediation which is more cost-effective than tribunals as a means of resolving workplace issues, and can produce better outcomes for both employers and employees.î
Gill Trevelyan, Senior Business Manager of Mediation Service at ACAS will discuss the role of mediation in more detail at the conference.
Other highlights at the conference include:
Jim Fitzpatrick MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Employment Relations and Postal Services, Minister for London, on the impact of employment law simplification and the implications for employers
Rachel Dineley, Head of the Discrimination Unit, and David Farmer Head of Pensions Beachcroft LLP on age discrimination
Richard Miskella, Lewis Silin on maternity, paternity and adoption leave
Matthew Davies Senior Associate Fox Williams LLP on employing overseas workers
A practical case study from BT on tackling bullying and harassment
CIPD conference to provide legal update on managing conflict at work
A recent report from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) on Managing Conflict at Work, shows that work place conflict costs the average employer around 350 days of management time every year
