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Workplace conferencing: an effective organisational response to transforming workplace conflict

Thorsborne, Margaret
June 4, 2015

Source: (2009) St. Paul: Minnesota Department of Corrections.

While many organisations have adopted policies and procedures to deal with difficult people and situations, rarely are they able to deal effectively with the emotional impact of this harmful behavior and its aftermath. Their attempts at problem solving often make things worse. Clever organisations, on the other hand, have understood that healthy workplace relationships are critical to job satisfaction and therefore productivity (Thorsborne, 1999). This paper will describe a process called Workplace Conferencing, which, adapted from processes used to divert juvenile offenders from court, has been used successfully as a response to cases of workplace harassment and other challenging situations which result in high levels of conflict. Brief case summaries to illustrate the use of conferencing to deal with a variety of typical scenarios have been included. (excerpt)

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AbstractAcademicCourtsEvaluation/StudyPrisonsRestorative PracticesRJ and the WorkplaceRJ in SchoolsRJ OfficeRJ TheoryStatutes and LegislationTeachers and StudentsVictim Support
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