Although I have a competitive streak a mile wide and take karate as a form of exercise and self-defense, I’m generally a peace-loving sort. I hate arguments and tend to try to diffuse volatile situations so that cooler heads can prevail.
And even if you’re a hot-head outside the office, I’d imagine you and most other benefits professionals would opt for a peaceful solution to workplace disputes — if only to avoid litigation, which as we all know can be as costly as it is contentious.
Thus, in the spirit of peace, I offer you two items from EBN:
1. The newest segment in our “Five Minutes With …” podcast series, where Fisher & Phillips managing partner Tamara Devitt runs through her
2. An article from the current June 1 issue, “Bringing everyone to the table,” which profiles the
Adopting an arbitration or mediation policy doesn’t mean that your company is a toxic place full of short-fused employees always looking for a fight. Rather, Dr. Becky Hoover, who led the creation of UA’s mediation program that won honors from the American Psychological Association, says conflict in the workplace can be healthy.
“I think sometimes people mistake a psychologically healthy workplace for a workplace that doesn't have any conflict. Frankly, that's unrealistic. People — because they have different viewpoints on things — are going to find themselves naturally in conflict,” she says. “And that conflict can be very energizing if it's handled in a constructive way.”
Hoover adds that mediation and arbitration remove the contentiousness that’s always present during litigation. “We're not talking about evidence and proof. We're talking about what we do, starting tomorrow, to make things better."
So, listen, read and reflect, then share some peaceful thoughts in the comments.
