Overview
This is a highly participative workshop aimed at giving line managers additional strategies, skills and confidence to handle the myriad of sensitive and challenging issues that may arise in the workplace. It will provide practical tools and tips for dealing with these issues appropriately, in accordance both with the client’s internal policies and procedures and with any relevant employment legislation. The programme will encourage group discussion and will allow participants time to raise any specific issues they find the most challenging to handle.
The emphasis is on encouraging managers to manage positively and proactively, to role model appropriate behaviour, to recognise issues at an early stage and to take prompt action to resolve concerns informally or formally as appropriate.
- Recognise when an issue is sensitive
- Know how to handle it, whether through informal action or formal procedures
- Ensure that they act in accordance with your organisation’s policies and procedures
- Improve their feedback skills
- Deal effectively with challenging responses
- Manage one-to-one meetings appropriately
Workshop outline
1. Introduction
- Course objectives and benefits from attending this course
- Participants’ experience and confidence in this area
- Personal objectives
2. Handling sensitive issues well
- Types of sensitive issue
- What makes an issue sensitive?
- Why are these situations difficult to manage?
- Participants’ experiences and challenges
3. The organisational context
- Quiz to refresh participants’ understanding of relevant legislation such as discrimination and dismissal law
- Relevant policies and procedures
- Roles, responsibilities and sources of support
4. Personal issues
- What personal issues may affect work?
- Dealing with health issues, eg, disability, stress and mental illness, terminal illness, etc
- Alcohol and drug addiction
- Changes to circumstances, eg, divorce, bereavement, etc
- Group exercise on strategies for handling personal issues
5. Dealing with sensitive issues
- Checklist of ‘managerial’ skills
- A conversational approach: preparing for and holding the meeting
- Group exercise: understanding and managing emotional reactions in others
- Managing your own emotions
6. Other sensitive issues
- Group exercise focused on other sensitive issues relevant to the group such as personal hygiene, personality clashes, appearance at work, capability and performance issues, etc
- Practical tips and strategies including how to give effective, constructive feedback
7. Skills practice
- Preparing for, and conducting, a meeting around a sensitive situation and / or managing challenging responses
8. And finally…
- Open forum – remaining challenges and ‘what if’ scenarios
- Action planning – identifying how participants will transfer this learning into the workplace and what else they may need which will help them to do this effectively
- Review and close
