Workplace Conflict Costs Employers £30bn a year.
A recent report by ACAS and the CIPD has highlighted the devastating impact that workplace conflict has on both our business and our bottom lines.
The research highlighted that staff turnover is the biggest single expense as nearly half a million workers resign every year over disputes. Workplace conflict costs UK employers £28.5bn a year and what we need to consider is not just the cost of the employee who is leaving but also the recruitment cost of bringing in a replacement and then subsequently training them up to the desired level.
Experts are also warning that a shift to remote working and an influx of automation has created a number of new people challenges and as a result, has required businesses to place an emphasis on the skills needed to prevent, manage and resolve conflict.
Here at RBHR, we see all types of employee conflict, ranging from the minor to the more severe and we have seen first-hand how devastating it can be for companies who do not have processes or policies in place, in order to minimise the damaging effects it can cause. During the pandemic, we have successfully managed to resolve a number of conflicts via the use of mediation. Using our trained mediator, we have examined the causes of the conflicts and got the parties talking with an amazing 100% success rate of the cases we have been involved with. This just goes to show that employees are eager to resolve conflict without going down the formal path.
Is mediation an area which you have thought about before? If not, then give us a call on 01935 411 191 and speak to one of our Consultants who will be happy to provide you with details on this service.
Historically, using formal procedures such as grievance was the only option, but maybe now, we need to look at other ways of resolving issues and keeping formal processes for the final option. Our advice would be for employers to adapt their strategies and policies in respect of workplace conflict. This can be done by investing in early resolution of conflicts and putting an emphasis on repairing those employment relationships, as well as creating multiple channels / services / processes where employees can access support.
Call us on 01935 411191 or email through the button below to discuss any of the points made above or if you have any queries or need support.
A member of our consultancy team will be available to help you with any HR, recruitment or training query which you may have.