5HR01: Conflict and Dispute Resolution

5HR01 asks you to understand conflict at work and how it is resolved. This covers both individual and collective conflict, and the range of approaches from informal conversations to formal procedures. Check your brief for the exact requirements.

Types of conflict

• Individual conflict: disagreements, grievances, or issues between a person and the organisation
• Collective conflict: disputes involving groups of employees, such as industrial action
• Organisational versus interpersonal sources of conflict

Informal and formal resolution

Good practice resolves issues early and informally where possible, through conversation and mediation. Where that is not enough, formal procedures and, in some cases, third parties such as Acas or arbitration come into play.

Mediation and third parties

Be ready to explain approaches such as mediation, conciliation and arbitration, and when each is appropriate. Apply them to a scenario: what would a people professional do, and why?

See the complete 5HR01 guide, and our discipline and grievance article for the formal side of managing individual issues.