Building a workplace where issues can be resolved before they get out of hand — for less cost.
When a dispute arises in your workplace, you have to resolve it. Fast. The earlier you get your arms around the issue, the higher the odds that you’ll be able to resolve it with manageable inconvenience and cost.
Resolve it you must. If a dispute gets "out of hand," important workplace relationships will suffer. And that’s only the beginning. Disputes can cost the management team overwhelming time and distraction, and can generate innumerable morale and even publicity issues. When employees turn to the courts, governmental authorities, or the media, the outcomes will probably not be positive for the business, its employees, its management team or its customers. Then there’s the cost. Disputes that reach litigation can generate significant fees, and large awards.
Nearly as bad, not all disputes make it into channels for formal resolution. Employees, suppliers, and even customers can choose to just "steam" about some perceived injustice, and that attitude can translate into erosive relationships and corrosive behaviors.
The key is early warning and resolution.
When disputes occur, some employees would rather "walk away" than confront management — or follow a grievance process they view as cumbersome and stacked against them. Others feel more comfortable immediately bringing in a third party to seek resolution. Before the dispute becomes entrenched, before the real issues are lost in the politics of dealing with the courts, the agencies or the media, you need an effective and efficient alternate dispute resolution ("ADR") mechanism.
The confusing spectrum of ADR options
But the definition of an effective and efficient ADR system is different for every business. The range of options is broad, and somewhat confusing. How many steps should be in the process? Is the ultimate step mediation or arbitration? Are resolutions binding or non-binding? Is the process mandatory or non-mandatory? What are the benchmarks in your industry, your locale? How can you generate employee and management buy-in? In short, how do you sort through all of the various options to craft the most appropriate ADR system for your business?
How Lazorpoint can help
Let us take a look at how disputes are handled in your business. Together, we’ll construct a comprehensive strategy that marries your existing complaint and grievance machinery with a set of employee-friendly processes for resolving disputes. If your machinery is not yet in place, we’ll help you quickly, conveniently, and cost effectively put it in place.
Specifically, we’ll use employee focus groups, interviews with management and analysis of internal corporate records to outline the current process, attitude and experience. We’ll help your team to design an appropriate ADR program, keeping in mind your culture, attitude and experience. We can also help you draft an ADR policy, create a training program, develop a communications roll out plan, and monitor program results.
Our specialty is helping companies untangle thorny workplace issues so that you and your team can return focus to driving the business. Our strength is our team of seasoned and successful executives who’ve walked in your shoes, who understand what it takes to solve the problem for good.
Call us, and let us help you untangle the vulnerability of unresolved disputes in your business for good.
When disputes are affecting your workplace:
- Evaluate the cause and common issues in your workplace disputes.
- Develop an overall structure and process for rapidly identifying and addressing disputes.
- Design a transition strategy for embedding ADR in your culture.
- Develop a plan for training and implementation.
- Create monitoring tools to assure continuous progress and results.
