By Jill Cheeks
Mediation Center Executive Director
Springtime can be tough for many office staffers and team members to handle. Summer vacations are still too far away and the holiday breaks are well behind us. Workers may be contending with stir-crazy kids who had a taste of spring break freedom and are now eyeing the end of school. Tax returns are due. Most folks aren’t in stellar moods and tensions can run high.
But when discord strikes among your staff, the Mediation Center is here to help with a program that a lot of people aren’t aware they can take advantage of. Our Workplace Training Program focuses on managing conflict and building consensus among employees. We can help to neutralize colleagues in conflict and simplify tense and stressful situations in the workplace. This course is designed to deal with negative attitudes and other sources of workplace conflict in a positive, healthy, productive manner.
The course focuses on defusing “hot button” situations, calming explosive personalities and exercising damage control while encouraging participants to keep their own confidence and composure during the process. Our instructors equip attendees with strategies for managing conflicts, building consensus and understanding others more effectively. To get to the root of conflicts and defuse them before they escalate, we must generate multiple mutually-constructive solutions and strategies.
Other professional services offered by the Mediation Center include usage of our experienced mediators to facilitate retreats, meetings and planning sessions as well as conducting mediations among conflicting employees to reach an agreement. We’ll also assist with defining decision-making strategies and assessing root causes of conflict in your workplace.
I personally visit a wide range of workplaces and offices who choose to work with the Mediation Center for these services and teach courses on-site to the participating attendees. I’ve found these programs useful in a number of scenarios, such as helping employees put difficult situations in perspective. Furthermore, when it comes to facilitating group workshops, board retreats, planning sessions or forums, our trained mediators’ experience in bringing about harmonious resolutions allows them to keep groups on track, maintaining order and streamlining discussions to achieve goals. When professionals come to us seeking assistance, we help them objectively examine matters from both sides of the equation – and that’s never a wasted life skill, whatever the future might bring!
If you’re interested in utilizing any of these professional services, please call or email me today at 912-354-6686 or jcheeks@mediationsavannah.com.