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Individual Case Studies - Contact Officer Training
The University of Northampton
In 1999 a university college working group made up of a range of stakeholders, including management, union, different staffing levels from both academic and other staff, recognised that their current grievance procedure was not doing the trick. It was:
- too adversarial
- had insufficient ways of resolving conflict built in
The benefits of this model
- It builds in a number of early informal support measures to resolve grievances speedily
- It encourages and supports conflict resolution at all stages
- It helps rebuild working relationships
- It skills a range of staff within the organization to manage conflict wherever it arises
- It empowers people to work towards win/win outcomes.
A group of specially recruited volunteers were trained first, to establish a Colleague Support Network to offer early listening support, help people identify the best way forward and help people negotiate and build up coping strategies. Recruitment and awareness-building workshops were followed by three days specialized training. The aim of recruiting a diverse group representing a broad variety of staff was achieved.
Nominated members of the Colleague Support Network then went on to receive full mediator training, and to offer mediation where appropriate.
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