In the light of the 2007 UK government’s independent Gibbons Review into employment dispute resolution, this session will consider the growing interest in mediation as a means of addressing individual workplace conflict. It will consider the impact of employment legislation and, in particular, the 2004 statutory procedures on employers’ handling of employee grievances and disciplinary matters. Drawing upon recent research findings, it will consider the advantages and limitations of alternatives to litigation in dealing with such disputes and explore some of the issues raised by SME employers concerning the move towards early, work based, conflict resolution.

Speaker: Lynette Harris , Professor of Human Resource Management and Professional Practice at the Nottingham Trent University’s Business School.

Lynette is a researcher and consultant to organisations on contemporary issues in human resource management as well as the author of books and articles for both an academic and practitioner readership. Lynette is a Deputy Chair for the Central Arbitration Committee and an independent arbitrator and mediator for ACAS with more than twenty years experience in dispute resolution across all sectors and a wide range of industries. Prior to joining the University, Lynette was an HR Director and has experience of working as a practitioner in both the public and private sector.