Tackling Workplace Conflict Through Integrated Approaches

We partner with organisations to develop the capacity to engage with, manage and resolve conflict at scale. We develop integrated solutions aimed at minimising destructive and expensive disputes and unleashing the potential of conflict to drive innovation, performance and wellbeing.

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Unprecedented Challenges Facing the Workplace

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Sources of Workplace Conflict

Organisations and teams are facing the challenge of destructive conflict from various sources:

Uncertainty and ambiguity over economic pressures, AI adoption and job security
Divergence of views on geopolitical events, national politics and social issues
Different values and approaches along intergenerational, intercultural and interpersonal lines
Pushback on corporate DEI, return-to-office mandates and ESG policies
Increased 'legalisation' of employees asserting rights, claims and defences using AI tools and platforms

Impact of Destructive Workplace Conflict

The impact of poorly managed conflict is widespread and costly for organisations, resulting in:

Triggering formal procedures and over-investigating leading to excessive grievances and employment tribunals
'Forum shopping' by employees to frustrate processes by using inappropriate channels e.g. ethics or whistleblowing
Breakdown in relationships between employees leading to reduced performance and wellbeing
Increased levels of absenteeism and loss of talent
Speaking out against the organisation internally and externally by angry employees

Building Organisational Capability, Not Dependency

With 35+ years of institutional experience and expertise in both dispute resolution and conflict management, CEDR helps organisations work towards sustainable approaches to workplace conflict. These focus on robust internal capabilities and systems that reduce external reliance and put people and human relationships front and centre.

We believe that 85% of conflicts can be resolved early, before formal procedures are necessary while simultaneously creating organisational resilience and helping effectively resolve the most escalated and challenging cases.

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Trusted by global brands and industry regulators

CEDR's Integrated Approach to Workplace Conflict

While every partnership is unique, tailored to the needs of each business, our approach combines four key elements.

Conflict Strategy Development
Practical Skills Training
Dispute Resolution Services
On-Going Partnership & Support

What to Expect when Partnering with CEDR

We partner with organisations in different ways, combining some and all of these components depending on what they are trying to achieve.

Conflict Strategy Development

We assess your current reality and design your path forward.

Through focused workshops and advance preparation, we evaluate your existing policies, processes, and skills to understand your organisation's unique conflict challenges. Then we co-create a practical strategy that aligns with your business objectives and culture.

What we deliver:

Analysis of your conflict issues and root causes
Capability audit of your teams and current processes
Custom dispute resolution model that integrates with your operations and wider business
Tailored training programmes for different teams, skills levels and requirements
Clear success metrics that demonstrate ROI
Communication strategy for internal adoption

Our approach moves at pace, rapidly identifying transformation opportunities while building stakeholder commitment across your organisation.

Practical Skills Training

We build capability through expert-led, hands-on learning.

Our training creates sustainable behavioral change, not just theoretical knowledge. All programmes are delivered by practicing mediators - professionals with real-world experience who use these techniques daily in high-stakes situations.

How we train:

Intensive role-plays and skills practice based on real workplace challenges
Personal coaching and feedback on individual styles
High trainer-to-participants ratios (1:6 for training; 1:4 for assessment)
Flexible delivery: in-person, virtual, and e-learning modules

Skills your people develop:

Active listening and empathy
Managing emotions and tensions
Creative problem-solving
Rapport and trust building
Effective influence and persuasion
Conflict and communication styles and adaption

Practitioners, not lecturers. Our trainers bring diverse expertise from hostage negotiation, industrial relations, international peace-making, and high-value commercial mediation.

Dispute Resolution Services

Resolving the most complex, escalated and sensitive disputes.

Not every issue can be resolved early. We provide a range of dispute resolution services, centred around mediation, to ensure businesses can access timely and effective support whenever it is needed.

Available through a dedicated company panel of external mediators, or on a case-by-case basis, our specialist workplace and employment mediators are on hand to help.

This is supported by our team of dedicated Client Relationship Associates who guide you through the entire process.

On-Going Partnership & Support

We ensure your capabilities stick and evolve.

Transformation doesn't end with strategy and training. We provide continuous support as your organisation develops and embeds new conflict approaches.

Ongoing support includes:

Conflict coaching for individuals and teams facing difficult situations
Expert facilitation when escalated issues need specialist intervention
Aftercare services to restore productivity and relationships post conflict
Train-the-trainer programmes to scale capability internally
Agile advisory that adapts to your emerging needs

You’re never on your own. Your CRA manages everything from booking and preparation through to post-mediation follow-up, ensuring a smooth and supported experience throughout.

Partnerships that Make a Measurable Impact

Here are examples of how we have worked with clients to tackle entrenched issues and embed a culture of positive conflict engagement.

Sanofi - Reducing Formal HR Cases

Challenge

High volume of workplace issues being escalated to investigation or grievances, damaging employee morale, engagement and performance as well as being costly to manage.

Solution

CEDR helped design and build an internal Ombuds Service to support early engagement with issues and triage to appropriate resolution pathways. This included bespoke training for new Ombuds professionals.

Result

Significant reduction in formal HR cases, with improved employee engagement and a stronger workplace culture.

Channel 4 - Enhancing Workplace Relationships Through Mediation

Challenge

Awareness workplace conflict has the potential to disrupt productivity and harmony, with the risk of escalating into time consuming and expensive legal processes.

Solution

Channel 4 partnered with CEDR to develop an intense and practical 4-day training programme to certify 10 employees from across the business as mediators.

Result

Increased confidence and capability of key members of HR & ER community to engage, manage and resolve conflict early.

Financial Services Client - Comprehensive Workplace Conflict Audit & Strategy

Challenge

The organisation faced widespread and deep issues with conflict, leading to a culture of avoidance and disengagement.

Solution

CEDR conducted a comprehensive audit and review of conflict sources, culture, processes and outcomes. This led to a detailed set of recommendations from training programmes to enhanced dispute resolution models.

Result

Systematic reduction in grievances as well as a more open culture of conflict engagement leading to improved employee satisfaction scores.

See All Case Studies

Meet the Experts Behind the Strategy

Real-world experience, strategic mindset and human-first delivery. CEDR’s Business Strategy consultants are more than trainers; they’re practicing mediators, trusted advisors and culture changers.

Every member of our team works at the frontline of conflict resolution, combining decades of hands-on experience with backgrounds in law, psychology, negotiation and organisational change. They’ve advised FTSE 100 leaders, helped rebuild failing cultures, and transformed grievance-heavy workplaces into collaborative, high-performing environments.

What sets them apart?

Practitioner-first: Our consultants don’t just teach strategy, they mediate, coach, and consult every week.
Cross-disciplinary expertise: Expect the perfect balance of empathy and challenge, drawn from law, HR, psychology and negotiation fields.
Strategic depth: We go beyond surface-level fixes. Our team helps you build a long-term conflict resolution strategy that supports people, performance and culture.
Boardroom credibility: Whether guiding HR or working directly with SLTs, we speak the language of change at every level.

Ready to Strengthen Your Conflict Resolution Strategy?

Speak to a CEDR specialist about tailored consultancy and support.

Workplace Conflict Services FAQs

What kinds of organisations use CEDR’s strategic support?

We work with companies across all sectors and industries, both in the UK and internationally. This includes FTSE 100 companies and other large multinationals, supranational organisations such the UN and World Bank, governments and ministries of justice and SMEs, charities and public bodies.

Can an organisation just do training, without wider support?

Absolutely. We work with organisations depending on their needs and budgets. While some projects include wider support and consultancy, we also deliver training only solutions, upskilling individuals, teams and whole departments. This can be done on a small scale, as well as for large groups.

Who delivers the work?

All of CEDR’s consultants are practising mediators with backgrounds in law, HR, psychology or organisational development. You’ll work with someone who understands conflict and how to create sustainable behavioural change.

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Tackling Workplace Conflict Through Integrated Approaches

Unprecedented Challenges Facing the Workplace

Sources of Workplace Conflict

Impact of Destructive Workplace Conflict

Building Organisational Capability, Not Dependency

Trusted by global brands and industry regulators

What to Expect when Partnering with CEDR

Conflict Strategy Development

Practical Skills Training

Dispute Resolution Services

On-Going Partnership & Support

Partnerships that Make a Measurable Impact

Sanofi - Reducing Formal HR Cases

Challenge

Solution

Result

Channel 4 - Enhancing Workplace Relationships Through Mediation

Challenge

Solution

Result

Financial Services Client - Comprehensive Workplace Conflict Audit & Strategy

Challenge

Solution

Result

Meet the Experts Behind the Strategy

What sets them apart?

Ready to Strengthen Your Conflict Resolution Strategy?

Workplace Conflict Services FAQs

What kinds of organisations use CEDR’s strategic support?

Can an organisation just do training, without wider support?

Who delivers the work?