tips FROM DispUtE
REsOLUtiON EXpERts GROUP
hOW DO yOU NEgOTIATE WITh SOmEONE WhO hAS ALL ThE
POWER?
You may have to negotiate with your boss for example, who has all the power.
That doesn’t mean there’s nothing you can do. We all have the power to be
more effective negotiators and use techniques that will persuade others to do
things that we want them to do. For example, when you’re negotiating with
your boss, you can refer to objective criteria or standards of fairness as a way to
persuade. Everyone likes to think that they’re being fair and if your boss sees
that he or she is not being fair, they may change their approach.
hOW CAN yOU bE ASSERTIVE WIThOUT DAmAgINg RELATIONShIPS?
The trick is to be soft on the people, hard on the problem. It doesn’t have to
be “me against you”; it can be us against a problem and we can be rigorous in
trying to solve the problem. Just because we disagree, it doesn’t mean we have
to be disagreeable with each other.
ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION
WORkShOP DATES:
Toronto: August 11-14, September 29 - October 2
“The ADR Workshop was by far the best course I have attended in my 30+ year
career in HR. A must attend for HR Professionals. I have used the tools on a
regular basis.”
- Dan Heard, HR, Ministry of Community & Social Services, Bleinheim
“Each day was packed with information. The role playing method of instruction
was much more effective than the normal lecture format of other seminars.”
- Gerry Walsh, HR, AOC Resins and Coatings Company, Guelph
Contact us to speak to an instructor
1.800.318.9741 | adr.ca | contact@adr.ca
HR’S ROLE
HR’s role is to support that culture. At
its most basic, a positive organizational
culture is one that values and promotes
trust, honesty and fairness for all work
interactions – from conversations with
colleagues, meetings, to performance reviews
and disciplinary processes.
As a leader, an HR professional should
be guiding a healthy workplace on a number
of fronts: ensuring there are policies
and procedures in place that support a
culture of wellness, psychological and
physical health and being there as a conduit
for that information.
On a more practical and day-to-day level,
HR can support the culture by ensuring
the right benefits are in place, providing resources
and supporting managers in how
to promote a culture of safety and wellness,
trust, respect and professionalism.
HR also acts as a kind of workplace
barometer. People often come to HR because
they feel more comfortable having a
confidential conversation about a mental
health struggle than they might with other
senior leaders: “Here is the issue, how do I
help manage through this?”
THE BUSINESS CASE FOR
A MENTALLY HEALTHY
WORKPLACE
With one-fifth of Canadian workers missing
three or more workdays a year due to
depression, stress, anxiety and other mental
health-related disorders (according to
a 2007 Ipsos Reid Poll), maintaining a
mentally healthy workplace is not only the
morally right thing to do, but a bottomline
necessity.
A mentally healthy workplace goes
hand-in-hand with an efficient, productive
– and happy – organization. n
Brenda Clark, CHRE is chair of the
Human Resources Professionals Association
(HRPA).
8 ❚ JULY/AUGUST 2015 ❚ HR PROFESSIONAL
