Welcome to Neutrality at Work
We are a specialist practice based in the UK supporting corporate HR Departments with "out of the box" solutions for pressing issues at work.
Our service is safe, quick, friendly, professional, and at a fraction of the cost of going to law. Of course, if you prefer the thrill of the employment tribunals and the adversarial drama involved, then we can do no more than wish you good luck.
We focus on four kinds of issue -
Instead of an employee being told the bad news, sent off to a solicitor to negotiate a compromise agreement, and where the solicitor negotiates through a mixture of demands, threats resulting in trauma for all concerned –one of our mediators meets with the employee immediately after that awful meeting, and explain that their role is not to replace his/her solicitor, but rather to confine that role to the giving of legal advice. We then conduct the negotiations in a manner which is non-adversarial, civilised and respectful. Closure normally takes two weeks but can be achieved within two days if needed.
Instead of those contrived and potentially clumsy “half-way between a redundancy and disciplinary” discussions, where speed is often a business imperative –
one of our mediators meets with all concerned at the outset, and discreetly mediates a solution whilst the employee remains in the business, and where that solution does not necessarily have to be confined to finance. Closure normally takes two weeks but can be achieved within two days if needed.
Instead of the often reluctant process which starts with an investigation and heads towards a formal hearing where a judgment is imposed (often by the line manager of one of the employees involved) causing the “losing” employee to appeal, resign or work on in protest -
one of our neutrals quickly carries out an on-the-record investigation (when this is needed) and, if all concerned agree, a safe, quick, without-prejudice mediation of the issues concerned. Our mediation does not even require face-to-face meetings, particularly between those involved. Closure normally takes two weeks but can be achieved within two days if needed.
Instead of employees suffering in silence, raising a grievance or “going public” on a particular issue –
employees of participating companies can refer their concerns, anonymously if they wish, to our External Ombudsman where, for example, they say they that someone at work has bullied, harassed or discriminated against them. Acting throughout with HR, one of our neutrals can investigate the issues, hold informal off-the-record discussions with those involved, mediate the issues where required, and counsel employees requiring more awareness of certain matters going forward.
Please contact us for further information or for a no-obligation discussion.