At the end of each Conflict Dynamics mediator training course, we ask participants to reflect on what they have learned about themselves over the five days of training and their responses are always very interesting and, for a trainer, very inspiring.

The need to attract foreign investment to South Africa is very topical at present and appropriate Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) is one of the keys to attracting that investment.

The question as to if, when and how Judges should or should not mediate has recently become topical in South Africa and is worthy of careful consideration. Read John Brand's thoughts on the question.

The practical application of Labour Relations at the workplace is ever-changing and evolving. With each case pronounced on by the courts or dispute resolution bodies such as the CCMA, previously well-known and consistently applied principles and practice can change. Line managers and even HR/ER specialists can be forgiven for feeling a little overwhelmed at times when trying to keep up with the basics pertaining to workplace discipline. Join us for a one-day course on 20 November 2019 in Johannesburg during which we will explore potentially challenging areas when preparing for and presenting cases in internal disciplinary enquiries.

“Employment Equity – 20 years down the line, a marginal movement to diversity” “Transformation lagging in private sector, minister calls for crackdown on culprits” “BMF creates legal fund to take on companies violating Employment Equity laws” “Big employment equity shake-up as government looks to speed up transformation”

Small conflicts, tensions, and disputes arise daily in our lives – road rage, rude service providers, slapping or punching on the playgrounds, countless domestic violence attacks. Many of these conflicts are not reported or policed so it falls on us as citizens to manage them. The workplace, where we spend most of our time, also presents challenges: meeting huge targets adds stress, retrenchments heighten emotions, personality clashes with colleagues make work unbearable. How does one deal with these situations?

I recently returned from a wonderful three-week cycling tour in France during which I savoured its cuisine and marvelled at the beauty of its countryside. Although conflict, negotiation and mediation should have been far from my mind, it wasn’t. I kept being reminded about the role of communication and language in dealing with people and conflict.

When employers are approached by unions in the workplace, they have two basic options – they can resist, or they can co-operate. In the South African context, the political environment and the law make it practically very difficult to resist unions without seriously damaging consequences. Therefore, most employers choose to co-operate with unions in the workplace. However, doing so does involve some difficult challenges that, if they are handled well, can result in co-operation with a union being beneficial to an employer. Learn how to handle these challenges at our one-day workshop on 21 August 2019

The employment law landscape in South Africa is an ever-changing one. Join us for the forthcoming Employment Law Update to keep up to date on recent decisions in the CCMA and Labour Courts. The Update will be led by lawyers from the Bowmans' employment law department. The next update is being held in Johannesburg on 26th July 2019. To book READ MORE below

How often have you been in a situation at work where you feel bullied or harassed? I know I have.