5 November 2009: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has advised employers to do more to tackle the effects of stress in the workplace.

The cost of work-related mental illness is reported to be £28bn per year – a quarter of the UK’s total sick bill. Nice advised that there are a number of simple steps that organisations can take to prevent stress levels increasing. Part of the problem, they said, lay with the relationship between line managers and direct reports.

Globis MD, Clive Lewis said “Poor working relationships can have a negative impact on productivity and can cause employees to regularly call in sick. Giving feedback, praise, setting objectives and reviewing performance can all help to manage the stress levels faced by today’s workers. Globis has been working hard to help organisations understand more about building better relationships and managing stress in the workplace”.

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development recently produced a survey which revealed that a quarter of UK workers describe their mental health as moderate or poor, yet nearly all continued to work regularly.

Dame Carol Black, the government national director for health, who produced a report calling on employers to take more of an interest in the health of their workforce, welcomed the recommendations.

The Confederation of British Industry said that many organisations have set up staff support schemes in recent years.

To view a clip from Professor Mike Kelly, director for Public Helath, NICE please click here.    

30 October 2009 – News Release:

This week, Clive Lewis, Globis founder and MD was interviewed for an article on the BBC’s website. The article, entitled “Doing deals between angry parties” outlines what mediation is and explains some of the key tactics employed to get a successful outcome.

After negotiations between Royal Mail and the Communication Workers Union (CWU) failed to reach agreement despite three days of talks being attended by the TUC’s Brendan Barber, the latest postal strikes are in full swing. Clive, an experienced mediator himself, who has settled hundreds of cases, said that disputes can have several different issues, some not entirely related to the main bone of contention. Pay, working hours and plans for modernisation might all play a part. Something like the issues among the CWU and Royal Mail.

Mediation is used to solve thousands of cases across the UK. There are a number of important key points to follow for a mediation to be successful. Neutral venues to both parties have obvious advantages in creating the right atmosphere; the mediator also operates neutrally in their role. The mediator does not express any views as to the merits of a case being put forward by each side. Their role is to ensure that the parties reach as full an understanding as possible of the strengths and weaknesses of their own and their opponent’s cases. The mediator will guide parties to a point where ideally they reach a settlement.

To view the full article click here

Note to Editors:

•  Globis is one of the UK’s leading providers of workplace mediation services
•  Globis founder and director, Clive Lewis is a Board member of the Civil Mediation Council and author of ‘The Definitive Guide to Mediation at Work’
• A new ACAS code of practice introducing mediation for the first time was introduced in April 2009
• Globis recently trained 16 mediators at East Sussex County Council leading to the implementation of an in-house mediation scheme which has delivered cost savings of £500,000 in one year. East Sussex County Council is on the short list for the CIPD 2009 awards for the introduction of the scheme.

For more information please call Clive Lewis or Jack Fallow on 0800 345 7703 or email info@globis.co.uk

29 October 2009 – News Release:

This morning, Globis founder and MD Clive Lewis, was interviewed live on BBC Radio 5’s Wake Up to Money show. Yesterday, the Communication Workers Union (CWU) informed its members that strikes would be going ahead from today. Both sides have indicated a willingness to engage in dialogue, but sticking points appear to be preventing progress.

Clive Lewis talked about the benefits that mediation brings when parties are in dispute. He discussed how mediators work hard to establish the interests of the parties and attempt to close any gaps.

What is the dispute about?

In 2007, the two sides agreed a Pay and Modernisation agreement. The agreement had 4 phases. The CWU says that Royal Mail has carried out 3 of the 4 planned phases. The 4^th phase is proving to be more difficult to work through. The main sticking points appear to be about the organisations plans for modernisation and the potential impact on job security. Royal Mail is losing £170m per year through a drop in the number of letters and parcels being delivered. To respond to this decline, a number of staffing cuts are being proposed. Royal made a profit in 2008 for the first time in 20 years.

What strike action is planned?

• At 4.00am today, 44, 000 staff in mail centres, delivery units in mail centres, network logistic drivers and garage staff walked out
• Tomorrow, staff at centres in Plymouth, Stockport and Stoke will go on strike
• On Saturday, 77,000 delivery and collection staff will walk out

Mediation is a process that is future focussed. It is less concerned about who is right or wrong. It is more concerned about solving problems so that they don’t occur again. Mediation is used to solve thousands of disputes in the UK every year and succeeds in around 90% of cases. You can listen to the live interview by clicking here. The interview starts 20 minutes into the programme.

Note to Editors:

• Globis is one of the UK’s leading providers of workplace mediation services
• Globis founder and director, Clive Lewis is a Board member of the Civil Mediation Council and Author of ‘The Definitive Guide to Mediation at Work’
• A new ACAS code of practice introducing mediation for the first time was introduced in April 2009
• Globis recently trained 16 mediators at East Sussex County Council leading to the implementation of an in-house mediation scheme which has delivered cost savings of £500,000 in one year. East Sussex County Council is on the short list for the CIPD 2009 awards for the introduction of the scheme.

For more information please call Clive Lewis or Jack Fallow on 0800 345 7703 or email info@globis.co.uk

News Release

Yesterday (8 October 2009), Sir Stuart Rose, Executive Chairman of Marks and Spencer, appeared on the panel of BBC Question Time.  A member of the audience asked the panel a question about Anton de Beke’s recent comments. In case you have missed the commentary on the case here is a summary. Anton de Beke is a current contestant on the BBC Strictly Come Dancing TV show. There have been calls for de Beke to be sacked after it was claimed that he called his partner Laila Rouass a “Paki”. A statement was issued saying that “The BBC does not condone offensive language in the workplace. Anton de Beke has apologised unreservedly to Laila Rouass who has accepted his apology. The BBC has received hundreds of complaints.

Sir Stuart Rose spoke about the many difficulties faced by organisations to manage relationships in the workplace. He went on to say that mediation is a useful tool to help solve workplace disputes. Sir Stuart is one of the UK’s most trusted, admired and respected business leaders. His comments will be of huge benefit to the industry where the business case for mediation is not yet fully recognised.

Globis has been one of the UK’s leading mediation providers to promote the business case for mediation. Conflict costs the UK in excess of £24bn per year. In many cases, line managers are spending 20% of their time managing issues associated with conflict.

Globis founder and director, Clive Lewis said “I welcome Sir Stuart Rose’s comments. Those in the mediation industry can talk about its benefits, but when a leading business man such as Sir Stuart Rose refers to mediation in such a positive way, it adds weight. Hopefully workplaces across the UK will respond to Sir Stuart Rose’s comments by beginning or increasing the use of mediation”. 

Ends:

9 October 2009

Note to Editors:

• Globis is one of the UK’s leading providers of workplace mediation services
• Globis founder and director, Clive Lewis is a Board member of the Civil Mediation Council and Author of ‘The Definitive Guide to Mediation at Work’
• A new ACAS code of practice introducing mediation for the first time was introduced in April 2009
• Globis recently trained 16 mediators at East Sussex County Council leading to the implementation of an in-house mediation scheme which has delivered cost savings of £500,000 in one year. East Sussex County Council is on the short list for the CIPD 2009 awards for the introduction of the scheme.

For more information please call Clive Lewis or Jack Fallow on 0800 345 7703

• Lower Band: Increase from £5,000 to £6,000
• Middle Band: Increase from £15,000 to £18,000
• Upper Band: Increase from £25,000 TO £30,000

The Vento principle is often used during mediation of cases involving an element of discrimination. It can help parties think about what might happen in the event that their dispute isn’t settled during mediation.

The judgement was handed down on 29 September 2009 and is effective immediately.

The dispute was typical of the type if fall outs that happen in organisations up and down the UK every day. In summary, it transpired that the Clubs Executive Director – Dennis Wise forced the signing of a player on Keegan.

In the workplace, it is always beneficial to have up front difficult discussions with colleagues. When relationships break down, mediation can be a tool that allows all parties to achieve a win-win. Mediation allows for all parties to have a say and express what they wan and why they want it.

Globis is encouraging executives across all line manages to realise the benefits of mediation and collaboration to help reduce the £24bn per year bill that comes from conflict being present in the workplace.   

John McGurk, CIPD adviser, learning and development, said “Instances of coaching revealed by the survey were higher than expected with 90% of organisations doing it. This is a reflection of less money for training”. He continued that the survey may also reflect a reappraisal and re-labelling of other management practices. A majority of survey respondents (70%) said that they have increased or maintained their coaching spend. Most coaching was for performance management and leadership development. There is now a trend towards performance-based coaching.”

The survey found that a majority of organisations evaluate the impact of coaching. Globis is experiencing a surge in the number of coaching assignments it is undertaking. Globis is also providing more training for people who want to become accredited coaches as part of its ILM Accredited courses.    

To view more on the CIPD research, please click here:

There is an ongoing dispute about who is responsible for paying the compensation as the original Trust was disbanded in 2002.

Clive Lewis of Globis said “This is another example that shows the importance of building better relationships in the workplace. It is important for organisations to get the balance between task and people management right. Employees are much more likely to resort to litigation now than they would have been, perhaps as recently as 5 years ago.

The business case for these principles has been proven. Organisations that are putting preventative HR solutions in place are already experiencing benefits. One benefit is where management does not have to devote any time to dealing with litigation issues”.

For more on the compensation claim, please click here:

• The maximum amount awarded was £1, 353,432 (Race Claim)
• There was a 20% increase in the number of claims accepted
• The number of unfair dismissal, redundancy pay and breach of contract claims went up
• The number of Working time, equal pay and sex discrimination claims fell
• Costs were awarded in 367 (0.2%) cases
• The average award for costs was £2470
• The EAT rejected over 50% of all Appeals for the first time

For more information and to download a copy of the report please click here:

Established by U.N resolution in 1982, ‘Peace Day’ has grown to include millions of people around the world who participate in all kinds of events, large and small.

For more about the International Day of Peace, please click here.

International Day of Peace

The 650 page preliminary report sets out the current law, procedure and quanta of civil litigation costs. It also includes a number of initial conclusions:

• The introduction of one-way cost shifting into collective actions in England and Wales would be a ‘step too far’
• Away from business litigation, parties are not well informed about the benefits of alternative dispute resolution
• The personal injury litigation  industry is populated by numerous interest groups and middlemen, all of whom have to meet their overheads and make a profit on top. If any layer of activity can be removed from the process…….it may be thought that this will serve the public interest.
• Interms of court fees, it is wrong, in principle, that the entire cost, or most of the cost of the civil justice system should be shifted from tax payers to litigants
• A contingent legal aid fund (CLAF) has some attraction
• Following the retraction of legal aid, either conditional fee arrangements (CFA’s) or some other system of payment by result ‘must exist’ in order to facilitate access to justice.

Options for reform in certain areas are also included such as:

• Disclosure
• Expert evidence
• Costs assessment, both detailed assessment and summary assessment

The full preliminary report is available by clicking here:  

Civil Litigation Costs Review

A review of the health and well being of NHS staff has found high levels of sickness and absence and is calling for a major restructure of systems  to deal with the problems.

The NHS Health and Wellbeing Review found that on average, NHS staff take 10.7 sick days per year compared to 9.7 days being taken across the public sector as a whole and 6.4 days for the private sector. The cost associated to the absences is in the region of £1.7bn per year. The review found that absence in the NHS is reducing at a slower rate than in other parts of the public sector or in the private sector.

The report was led by Dr. Steve Boorman, chief medical adviser to the Royal Mail Group. 

He found incidents where staff continue to go to work when they are not fully fit or highly stressed. Staff also did not believe that line managers showed a positive interest in their health and well being.

Clive Lewis, Globis founder and managing director, refers to the association between conflict and health in his book The Definitive Guide to Workplace Mediation and Managing Conflict at Work. 

Clive comments that when relationships are poor and conflict is present, people may feel ill and will stay at home rather than come to work and face their opponent. The forerunner to Steve Boormans report was the ‘Working for a healthier tomorrow’ report authored by Dame Carol Black.  The correlation is mentioned in my book. Every organisation should have a strategy in place for building better relationships in the workplace. Conflict can also sometimes mean that although someone isn’t unwell, staying at home may be the easier option, thus adding to absenteeism problems. If structures aren’t in place to tackle conflict and to do things like conduct return to work interviews the problems will only get worse.

The NHS Health and Wellbeing Review makes a number of recommendations and says that improvements could save the NHS more than £555m a year and improve patient care.

Key recommendations include:

• Inclusion of staff health and wellbeing measures and performance monitoring in the NHS governaance frameworks
• Publication and monitoring of key health and wellbeing statistics, including annual data on sickness absence
• A national minimum standard of OH (Occupational Health) services across the NHS
• An improved provision of wellness and early intervention services for staff

At the launch of the review, David Nicholson, Chief Executive of the NHS, promised more funding over the next eight months.  The full report and analysis is available in the October edition of Occupational Health 

Health and wellbeing

Globis founder and MD, Clive Lewis, has been invited to speak at this years CIPD annual conference. The conference, which is being held on 17-19 November 2009, is the largest forum to keep people management and development professionals up to date with latest issues, thinking and trends. At the conference delegates will be able to hear expert practitioners and gurus as well as receive practical tips during workshops and master classes.

Clive Lewis will be speaking at a session entitled ‘An organisational approach to mediation’. The session is designed to help delegates understand what steps they should follow to put a world class mediation scheme in place. The session will also feature a case study about East Sussex County Council. Globis trained over 20 staff in mediation skills at East Sussex County Council. Following the training, the council implemented an in-house mediation scheme. The council are currently on the CIPD 2009 award short-list for the mediation scheme which generated £500,000 of productivity savings within its first year of operation.

2009 heralds a new era for the conference which is moving to Central Manchester after being held in Harrogate for many years.

Clive Lewis said

“I am delighted that the CIPD would ask me to speak at their conference this year. I am particularly honoured as it the inaugural year of legislative changes following the Gibbons Review. Globis has been working with many companies to help them understand the best way to benefit from the changes. I am pleased to be able to pass this knowledge on”.

You can attend the presentation at the conference on Thursday 17^th November at 2.45pm. Please click here to go to the conference website. There will also be a Globis Mediation Stand in the exhibition suite throughout the conference.

The CIPD have produced the second in a new series of quarterly surveys of employee attitudes, exposing attitudes how the world of work is changing. The survey is based on a sample size of 3500 people in the UK. 

The report focuses on job security and seeking employment during the recession. 64% of respondents indicated that they thought it would be difficult to find a job during the recession if they were made redundant. 

The report also covers: 

• Employee attitudes towards management
• Job satisfaction
• Pressure control and workload
• Work-life balance and flexible working
• The impact of the recession on both employees and employers

Clive Lewis, founder and MD of Globis commented ” Now is one of the best times for employers to think about how to build better relationships in the workplace. In many cases, the psychological contract has been broken and it has been replaced with a lack of trust. Employees could also think about how they can go the extra mile for their employers. The recession could prove to be a win-win for both employer and employee”.

The latest report can be viewed here:

The Spring 2009 report can be viewed here :

The latest statistics from the Employment Tribunal Service (ETS) have been published. The total number of employment tribunals rose by 43% to 189, 303 during 2007/8.

• The highest number of claims related to equal pay. There were 62,706 equal pay claims in 2007/8 compared to 44,013 for 2006/7 
• There were 40,941 unfair dismissal claims in 2007/8 compared to 44, 491 in 2006/7
• There was a three fold increase in age discrimination claims (2,949) compared with 972 in 2006/7 
• Claims relating to working time rose to 55,712 in 2007/8 compared to 21,127 in the previous year

 Figures on the level of compensation awarded in 2007/8 are:

Globis Director Jack Fallow said “The benefits of mediation and alternative dispute resolution will begin to eventually begin to filter through to parties wishing to go to Tribunal. The evidence suggests that engaging in mediation is far more cost effective for the claimant and defendant both in terms of money and time. There are also benefits in terms of preservation of reputation and avoiding potential risks to ones health”.   

23 July 2009: An article entitled ‘How to solve workplace disputes’ is being featured on the IOD’s website. Written by Clive Lewis, the article highlights the importance for businesses to take the issue of conflict management and mediation seriously. 

To view the article, please click here

(This link will take you directly to the Institute of Directors website).

23 July 2009: In early 2008, Globis provided in-house mediation training for East Sussex County Council. The Council then implemented an in-house mediation scheme. The scheme has now been running for one year and has just been short listed for the CIPD Awards 2009 in the category of ‘Business Impact’. The Council is a large complex organisation, employing over 16,000 people in 500 locations. Leatham Green, Assistant Director of Personnel and Training, states that the introduction of mediation into the workplace has:

·         Prevented disputes from escalating out of control

·         Reduced the cost of resolving conflict (financially and emotionally)

·         Contributed to a more positive and productive working environment

·         Reduced the stress and anxiety of all parties involved

·         Provided a safe place for all to be heard

·         Placed the responsibility for resolution directly with the parties rather than HR or the trade unions   

The organisation reports productivity savings of over £500,000 in the first year of introducing the in-house scheme.

Jack Fallow, Globis Director said “Globis had the privilege and honour of providing the accredited mediation training for East Sussex County Council. Right from the outset, it was clear that the organisation had thought through how mediation would fit within the Councils overall HR & Business Strategy in order to achieve the greatest impact for the business as well as its employees. We work with hundreds of organisations, and believe that the way East Sussex has embarked on mediation has been nothing short of exemplary and world-class”

The Definitive Guide to Workplace Mediation

15 July 2009: The widely-acclaimed Definitive Guide to Workplace Mediation and Managing Conflict at Work, written by Clive Lewis continues to be a sought after book. Last week, a large order for the book came in from South Africa. The book has also been ordered by practitioners in America, Germany and the Isle of Man.

Lord Hastings of Scarisbrick CBE , International Director of Diversity and Citizenship at KPMG says “This book is timely. As organisations look for opportunities to save money and build trust, this book offers great advice”.

 

Alison Brimelow, President of the European Patent Office says: “This book is an excellent guide: ground in reality. Understanding that mediation and conflict resolution are effective techniques can be learned the hard way or with help like this. I wish it had been available earlier in my career”.

In the UK, copies of the book have also been purchased by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. The book is available in the Departments resource centre as a reference guide that can be accessed by the Departments staff.

 To order your copy of the book, please click here:

Workplaces are changing. Strategies for building relationships and preventing conflict at work are gaining importance.

18 June 2009: Clive Lewis, Founder and MD of Globis has just returned from speaking at an International Mediation Conference in Algeria. The conference was attended by around 400 members of the Algerian judiciary and legal profession. The Ministry of Justice in Algeria is embarking on a major launch of mediation. Britain has a worldwide reputation for being one of the leaders in the field of establishing good practice mediation principles. Clive Lewis was invited by the Algerian government to present on ‘Workplace Mediation – The British Perspective’. The other presenter from Britain was a Judge who spoke about how Court Based mediation is being adopted for civil disputes.  

Other experts were invited from France, Lebanon, Switzerland, Morocco and Spain.

Clive Lewis spoke about the background to the legislative changes of April 6^th 2009. He also spoke about the compelling business case that is convincing organisations across Britain to embrace the principles of mediation. Other topics covered at the conference included:

·         The legal and regulatory framework of mediation in

·         A sociological and historical approach to mediation

·         Mediation in European Common Law, principles and ethics

·         The role of the lawyer in the promotion of mediation

·         Training and specialisation of the mediator

·         Mediation in intellectual property disputes

Jack Fallow, Globis Director said ” I am delighted that Clive was invited to Algeria to talk about the exciting developments in the field of mediation in Britain. It is great news that countries such as Algeria turn to Britain for advice and guidance on implementing good practice mediation principles”.

The British Ambassador to Algeria, Andrew Henderson, also attended the conference.

Globis founder and managing director, Clive Lewis’ new book on workplace mediation and conflict management in the workplace has featured in this months edition of Accounting Technician.

The review said “Most of us are not keen on the thought of coming into work to confront people; most of us feel that locking horns with colleagues is not mereley unnecessary, but a wholesale distraction from the manifold task we face each day. For those of you keen to avoid the rampant painkiller consumption brought on by workplace stand-offs, Lewis’ book will come as a great relief. Its arrival is timely, too. This month, a new Employment Act comes into force, simplifying and clarifying previous UK employment law, particularly dispute resolution. With material on trust, leadership, and the effects of technology, Lewis deconstructs workplace conflict and offers solutions .  A big book of calm. Our is rating *****”

Clive Lewis said ” I’m delighted that finance professionals have taken such a keen interest in the book. I have been convinced for sometime that there is a direct correlation between conflict and costs. I am optimistic that this review might bring us one step closer to helping define the importance of the business case for conflict management principles in the workplace”.

For more information on the Accounting Technician magazine, you can visit their website at  www.aat.org.uk

During February 2009, the Civil Mediation Council (CMC) election for members of the 2009-2011 Board took place. The Civil Mediation Council is an unincorporated association of Members established in April 2003 by the United Kingdom’s mediation providers, independent mediators, leading academic, legal professional bodies and government departments. As part of this process, Globis Ltd was elected to the CMC Board. Clive Lewis, Founder and Managing Director of Globis,  said ” I am honoured that our colleagues have voted for Globis to form part of the CMC Board at such an exciting stage in the development of mediation in the UK”.

CMC Chair, Sir Henry Brooke, said “Mediation is now an increasingly important way of resolving workplace disputes. I am therefore delighted to welcome Clive Lewis and Globis Ltd to the CMC Board. They will lead for us on workplace matters”. For more information on the work of the CMC, please click here www.civilmediation.org.

Notes for editors:

• Following the 2007 Gibbons Review, action has been taken to repeal the 2004 Statutory Grievance and Discipline process from 6th April 2009. Employers will now be encouraged to pursue early resolution of workplace disputes, thereby avoiding recourse to employment tribunals.
• Latest research from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) indicates that the cost of conflict at work to the UK economy is £24bn per year. In some cases, line managers are spending around 20% of their time managing issues associated with conflict.
• The CMC workplace mediation provider registration scheme will be the main source for users of employment related mediation services to access bona-fide reputable mediation providers across Great Britain.

On Thursday 12^th February 2009 the official launch of the widely-acclaimed Definitive Guide to Workplace Mediation and Managing Conflict at Work took place. Held at KPMG in London, the launch was attended by line managers, HR professionals, Employment Lawyers and Trade Union Representatives from across Europe.

The launch was hosted by Lord Hastings of Scarisbrick CBE. Michael Gibbons, Author of a Review of Employment Dispute Resolution in Great Britain and Mike Emmott, Employee Relations Advisor for the CIPD were also in attendance.

Author of the Definitive Guide to Workplace Mediation and Managing Conflict at Work – Clive Lewis said “I am delighted and honoured that such an eminent group of senior industry figures have attended the launch of my new book. Their presence demonstrates that mediation and conflict resolution in the workplace is currently one of the hottest topics in places of work. The business case is compelling.”

For more information about the book, please click here:

The Definitive Guide to Workplace Mediation

February 10, 2009

10:00 AM to 11:00 AM

Michael Gibbons - A Review of Employment Dispute Regulation in Great Britain

In June 08, Globis begun hosting a series of quarterly webinars designed to help HR professionals and organisations prepare for a major change in employment legislation. Globis is the first accredited workplace mediation provider to undertake this initiative.

In a short space of time these webinars have set the benchmark for providing knowledge and advice on mediation in the workplace. We are delighted that Michael Gibbons, Author, Independent Review of Employment Dispute Resolution will be joining us for our third webinar series at 10.00am on Tuesday 10th February 2009.

Please click here to register for the session: http://mediazone.brighttalk.com/event/Globis/0b1ec36692-2091-intro?TID=website

As part of the Gibbons review, organisations are being encouraged to seek the early resolution of workplace disputes which will save hundreds of thousands of pounds. One of the main tools that organisations are being encouraged to use to seek early resolution is workplace mediation.

The free 45 minute sessions use latest Web based technology to brief delegates from the comfort of their own desks.

One delegate commented ” I am now a big fan of Webinars! It was excellent and the most effective use of viewers’ time”.

Clive Lewis stated ”I am delighted that once again, Globis is leading the field in helping organisations incorporate workplace mediation and build better relationships at work. We are aware of the pressures on people’s time so utilised technology to maximise learning and productivity.”

To view the Webinars that took place in June and October 08, please click on either of the links below:

http://mediazone.brighttalk.com/comm/Globis/5e39914bcc-10376-1854-10174

http://mediazone.brighttalk.com/comm/Globis/38e0988471-8525-1854-8149