The University of Bradford faced a growing employee relations burden, driven by a legacy of inappropriate behaviour, unresolved grievances and inconsistent handling of conflict. These issues were impacting staff morale, union relationships and organisational performance. Under new leadership, the university sought to rebuild trust, create a positive culture and ensure managers had the confidence to intervene early.
CMP was selected to support this cultural transformation. Over time, we delivered a multi-layered programme combining conflict resolution training, accredited investigation skills development and the creation of an internal mediation service. We trained a cross-functional team of mediators, including union reps and HR staff, while also providing independent, high-calibre mediators to resolve long-standing disputes.
Blended learning for managers was central to the initiative, combining eLearning and classroom delivery to embed practical skills in tackling behavioural issues. Managers became more confident and consistent in their approach, enabling earlier interventions and fewer formal cases. Union relations improved, the culture shifted to one of openness and shared accountability, and employee relations cases declined.
Key Services
- Establishment of an internal mediation service including training for HR, TU reps and university staff, plus a dedicated coordinator role
- Delivery of ILM-accredited investigation skills training to improve case quality and reduce ET risk
- Conflict coaching and ‘Courage to Manage’ blended learning programme to build managerial confidence in early resolution
- Deployment of experienced external mediators for legacy and senior-level disputes
- Support for culture change programmes aligned with strategic university priorities
“CMP provided us with the external independence and level of expertise that we needed to make the transition from a blame culture to a more positive, transparent and individually accountable culture. The mediators they provided were of very high quality.”
Director of HR and ODUniversity of Bradford
