Every organisation will at some point become faced with a situation which requires a difficult conversation in order to be resolved. In such instances support from a third party to structure the conversation can make all the difference.

Facilitated conversation services for a range of workplace issues

For over 30 years, we’ve supported a variety of organisations in having better conversations to build the foundation of an open, trusting working culture. In situations where a little extra support is needed, we can provide an expert workplace facilitator, who will take the time to understand the needs of each individual before enabling a free, open conversation and a productive outcome for all.

What does workplace facilitation achieve?

A facilitated conversation aims to guide participants to reaching acceptable solutions to the issues they face. The facilitator’s role is to guide a respectful, confidential discussion, without any determination or making a decision as to who is right or wrong. This can be useful in a range of situations, where a conflict or difference of opinion may prevent a useful discussion.

A facilitation is a form of informal intervention, which can restore interpersonal relationships at work whilst preventing the need for formal processes. Our workplace facilitators have an expert knowledge of the psychology of conflict and receive expert training to enhance the way they communicate. Their role is to explore issues in a needs based manner which encourages curiosity, active listening, creativity and problem-solving.

The benefits of a workplace facilitated conversation include:

• Preventing misunderstandings from escalating
• Resolving workplace disputes
• ‘Clearing the Air’ when relationships become damaged
• Reducing the cost of conflict for all involved

Refer a Case

A facilitated conversation is an informal, confidential process which can be used to resolve conflict at an early stage. For a conflict involving parties, we follow a standard process whereby each individual first meets with the facilitator on their own. This meeting enables trust and rapport to be built, whilst the facilitator can become clear on the issues that each individual is facing.

A joint meeting follows, in which our workplace facilitator will guide (but not lead) an open conversation between the parties. This will allow for each person’s issues to be heard, and for the conversation to focus on building a better relationship and working towards agreements. We offer a flexible approach to facilitated conversations, dependent on the exact nature and complexity of your case.

Facilitated Conversation Training Courses

An organisation with the capacity to effectively facilitate difficult conversations when the need arises is in an excellent position to save time, money and stress for all those involved. In order to equip your staff to facilitate conversations effectively, we offer a one day facilitated conversations training programme.

This training provides a theoretical understanding of conflict and how it arises/ develops; practical conflict management and facilitation skills practice; and structured practical role plays to enable full practice of the facilitated conversation process. Thanks to our large pool of trainers, we travel to you and deliver our courses face-to-face at your location.

Facilitated conversations for groups and teams

When issues present within a larger group, we can provide a structured team facilitation process in order to identify problem areas of the team dynamic and structured support to improve the relationships where the key issues lie. Such a process would typically consist of a series of 1-1 interviews, to first establish an understanding of each individual’s perspective on the group. This will enable a plan to be formed for further joint and group intervention.

It may become clear that there are some key interpersonal relationships that could benefit from a two- party facilitation, using a mediation-style approach. Once these have happened, our team facilitator will then be in a position to gather the full team together, to develop practical methods to improve how the team members feel and work together.