My third blog in the series about mediation was always going to be about conflict in the workplace – and where mediation fits in as a solution to such conflicts. And then, as if by magic, ACAS releases a fascinating report called ‘Estimating the costs of workplace conflict’  and it practically wrote my blog for me.…
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Following on from my earlier mediation blog, this time I looks at different types of mediation, their many benefits and possible outcomes. Mediation sits between negotiation at one end and litigation at the other end of the ‘dispute resolution spectrum’. My previous blog explained that mediation came to my attention initially as a means of…
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Rather like Luke, I have been on something of a journey over the past year. Whereas Luke’s route has been into executive coaching, mine has been into the fascinating world of workplace mediation. I have long-harboured an interest in mediation.  Does that sound rather contradictory coming from a lawyer who specialises in litigation?  I have always…
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The recent Uber judgment in the Supreme Court  (full judgement available here) has provided yet more confirmation – if any were needed – that if you have someone working for your organisation as part of your workforce, delivering your products or services to your customers, then they are going to be your employees, or at least…
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With a large number of people in the UK now vaccinated, employers are understandably keen that their staff should be part of that group.  With reports of individuals reluctant or refusing to have a vaccine and certain employers stating that they will make having a vaccine a condition of employment, we thought this was a…
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This is not an easy topic to discuss, but an important one nonetheless. Many of you will have also seen recent press coverage following Chrissy Teigen and husband John Legend’s miscarriage. It is a fact that 1 in 4 women experience miscarriage (in medical terms, the loss of a baby at any time before 24…
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The length of time the economy has had to shut down as a result of Covid-19 means that businesses are facing tough cost-cutting decisions.   As redundancies are neither cheap nor easy, the alternatives to achieve savings yet retain skilled staff are very much worth examining.  This article looks at some of the options, together with…
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As we start to contemplate the idea of ourselves and colleagues returning to workplaces, even if this may still be some way off, we all need to prepare ourselves for an uncomfortable ride in places. I think we will all, at some level, feel a little nervous at the idea of a sudden return to…
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Our Menzies Law Guide to All Things Furlough went out to you on Thursday with the caveat that Government guidelines on furlough were changing rapidly.  Just to prove it, the Government has today updated (or clarified) some aspects of its Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) as follows: You can re-hire and furlough anyone CHANGED: (this…
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FAQ’s and what we know so far… By Anne-Marie Boyle and Luke Menzies This is a long blog post and rather more dry than our usual fayre.  But we think you will forgive us, in view of the importance of the topic and our wish to share the following information with you all.  It is hard…
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