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The Definitive Guide to Workplace Mediation & Managing Conflict at Work By Clive Lewis Roperpenberthy Publishing (2009) ISBN 978 1 903905 36 4 Price (£20)
Clive Lewis is the CEO of Globis Ltd, a specialist provider in workplace mediation and diversity management. As a mediator and former HR director he is well placed to write this book and does so clearly and persuasively, if not always elegantly.
The 155-page book follows the classic salesman's methodology: it establishes the need for mediation, qualifies interest, talks up the the benefits, then closes with a pitch for Globis as an external provider/consultant.
As a piece of marketing it is an astute and timely offering, but that's not to suggest its content is compromised. The book's underlying point deserves to be taken seriously: "My conviction," Lewis writes, "is that conflict management currently represents the biggest unrecognised opportunity for cost reduction in today's workplace."
He makes the case with reference to an impressive array of statistics:
"Sickness absence costs UK businesses in excess of £12bn each year. Work-related stress accounts for over a third of all new incidents of ill-health. The CBI states that each case of stress-related ill health leads to an average of 30.9 working days being lost. Collectively over 13 million days are lost to stress, anxiety and depression annually."
Quoting Ralph Hasson and Karl Slaikeu from Controlling the Costs of Conflict, Lewis reveals:
- In the first year of comparison, Brown & Root reported an 80% reduction in outside litigation expenses by introducing a systematic approach to collaboration and conflict resolution regarding employment issues
- Motorola Corporation reported a reduction in outside litigation expenses of up to 75% per year over six years by using a systematic approach to conflict management in its legal department and including a mediation clause in its contracts with suppliers
- National Cash Register Corporation reported a reduction in outside litigation expenses of 50% and a drop in its number of pending law suits from 263 to 28 following the systematic use of alternative dispute resolution
- The US Air Force reported that by taking a collaborative approach to conflict management in a construction project, it completed the project 144 days ahead of schedule and $12m under budget
The book includes a useful trot through the history of conflict resolution starting with Mary Parker Follett, through Carl Rogers and into Edward de Bono. Favourites such as Bernard Mayer and Ken Cloke also feature.
Having done a great job identifying the problems in workplace and the benefits of mediation as a solution, the reader is left unclear as to whether Lewis really believes the notion of employees as mediators (internal mediators) is a realistic proposition, or a potential source of business. Warnings such as, "If a mediator believes that they have uncovered something which is a matter for the police, they should consider whether the mediation should be stopped. The mediator might double check understanding, consult with Globis or the appointed mediation provider or withdraw from mediation without breaking confidentiality." This perhaps suggests mediation might be best left to the professionals. Despite reservations, Lewis recommends that organisations with over 1,000 employees should have a minimum of four employed mediators with an additional mediator for each block of 1,000 employees over 4,000. He concludes "ideally it is best to be able to draw upon a resource of both internal and external mediators."
In summary, the book will prove a useful resource to the ER and HR departments grappling with new legislation from April 09. It's fresh, succinct and very much written for the post-Lehmann Brothers world. |
Book Review 
