How can we help you to maintain staff training and development, to manage conflict and to resolve disputes in this difficult time of COVID-19?

24 March 2020

Felicity Steadman

Felicity Steadman is co-founder and Director of Conflict Dynamics and Chairperson of the Conflict Dynamics Empowerment Trust. She has been a professional in the field of dispute resolution since 1989, 'the IMSSA' days of ADR in South Africa. She co-designed the training materials for the first cohort of CCMA commissions and was herself a senior CCMA commissioner. She was trained and accredited as a commercial mediator by the London-based Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR) in 2003, with whom she is actively engaged as Head of Faculty of mediator training. Felicity is certified by the International Mediation Institute, registered with the Civil Mediation Council in the UK, and is on the CEDR Chambers and Oxford Mediation panel of mediators. She currently works as a full-time mediator and maintains a steady caseload. She mediates a wide variety of disputes including employment and workplace, information, communications and technology, right of way, trusts, wills and probate, financial services, and partnership and shareholder.

It can be tempting under the current circumstances of COVID-19 to run and hide, cancel, postpone and ignore business imperatives - one of these being the development and training of staff and another being efficient and effective dispute resolution.

Conflict Dynamics is deeply committed to assisting its clients to maintain as much continuity as is reasonably possible under the circumstances. We believe that business continuity is a critical psychological component of coping with these trying times. And when the crisis passes, as it certainly will, we would like our clients to be recognised for having continued to support, encourage, develop and train their staff through the challenge, thereby emerging stronger in knowledge and skill than when the pandemic first hit!

WE OFFER CONTINUITY OF STAFF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

Currently, social distancing is imperative, and therefore it is unlikely that many face-to-face training and development workshops can take place. BUT this does not mean that learning and development need to stop. Conflict Dynamics is able to transition its learning programmes from a face-to-face format to a remote teaching or online format. Be assured that our online offering will maintain the same standard of excellence that you are accustomed to receiving from us and will be based on the same Training for Learning methodology which provides guaranteed learning results.

Of course, should any of our clients feel that it is feasible to continue with face-to-face workshops, we are ready and available to work with you on this. Conflict Dynamics has developed and implemented a thorough protocol for responsible business continuity, whilst demonstrating the utmost respect for the health and wellbeing of our employees, facilitators and our clients and their staff. We would be happy to work with you to ensure that both our and your protocols are implemented in the training room.

WE OFFER CONTINUITY OF DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROCESSES INCLUDING MEDIATIONS, INVESTIGATIONS, CHAIRING OF ENQUIRIES AND FACILITATIONS

In these difficult times, conflicts and disputes will inevitably continue to develop and may even increase given the anxiety we all feel and the potential for miscommunication due to social distancing and businesses having to make difficult choices in these uncertain economic times.

We continue to offer mediation and other dispute resolution processes through CD Direct in a variety of formats so that processes can be conducted remotely with all parties in the safety of their homes or offices. We encourage our mediators to use Zoom video conferencing, however, if you or your clients are not comfortable with using Zoom we are also happy to mediate via phone, Skype or Facetime or a mix of methods! We want to help you and your clients continue to move forward, so please do contact us to discuss your particular case further.

At this time, we want our clients and their employees to be able to “Keep Calm and Carry On” and we are here to assist with this in any way possible.

For help with training and development needs, contact Vanessa Botha: vanessa@conflictdynamics.co.za Cell: +27 82 895 9556

For help with mediation and other dispute resolution needs, contact Marion Shaer: marion@conflictdynamics.co.za Cell: +27 83 267 8315

For general enquires, contact Craig Hulscher: craig@conflictdynamics.co.za Cell: +27 72 757 4041