This article explores the art of having difficult conversations over the holiday season, providing practical tips on how to handle them confidently. It emphasises the importance of such conversations in addressing conflicts, fostering personal growth, improving relationships, and enhancing group dynamics.

I have worked as a mediator in South Africa (SA) for 35 years and in the United Kingdom (UK) for 20 of those years. Over this period, the use of mediation in civil and commercial disputes in the UK grew from approximately 2,500 mediations in 2003 to approximately 17,000 mediations in 2022. Why is this?

Conflict Dynamics was established in 1996 in the optimistic post-apartheid years to provide pragmatic skills development services, initially to the CCMA, and then to employers and employees. These services were mainly in relation to training in the fields of industrial relations and mediation.

In the fast-paced environment of the modern workplace, effective communication is paramount. However, not all workplace conversations are easy and smooth. In this article, we will explore the art of having difficult conversations in the workplace and provide practical tips on how to handle them confidently.

The collective bargaining season, often referred to as ‘strike season’ because of the high incidence of strike action which accompanies it, is once again upon us.

Why would an employer dedicate the time, effort, and multiple resources required to hold a workplace disciplinary hearing? There is only one logical and valid response to this question – that the employer believes that an employee has committed such serious misconduct that it could warrant bringing the employment relationship to an end, the most serious of disciplinary sanctions.