Resolving conflict at work

The consequences of handling a workplace dispute or grievance poorly can be costly – not only from a financial perspective, but also in terms of its impact on performance. A one-day CIPD conference on conflict management, taking place in London on 9 March, will explore how to tackle workplace tensions in a constructive way. Speakers will looks at the psychology of conflict as well as sharing their own organisational experiences of dealing with the issue.There is also practical guidance on the use of internal mediation, with David Liddle, director of the TCM Group and Carole Russell, head of employee relations at BT Retail, illustrating its potential effectiveness. The importance of early intervention will be highlighted by Jackie Keddy and Clive Johnson of the Janus Partnership, who will demonstrate techniques that can help line managers and HR practitioners to contain conflict.