Managing workplace conflict is an ever increasing and time consuming feature of the human resource professionals’ role and for those engaged in people management generally.
A recent OPP/CIPD survey records that almost half (48%) of HR professionals devote half a day per week dealing with conflict situations and a significant majority (83%) say that conflict management is a ‘very’ or ‘critically’ important leadership skill.
In addition, the statutory requirements changed in April last year and place a greater emphasis on the regulation and avoidance of conflict internally to the workplace and discourage external reference to employment tribunals.
In response to this research and legislative developments, the University of Glamorgan is launching a unique postgraduate programme on the subject of The Management of Workplace Conflict.
The Glamorgan Business School has put together the UK’s first Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma and full Masters Degree suite of qualifications to embrace the essential areas of study in this critical part of the workplace environment.
Michael Murdoch who is leading this suite of courses at Glamorgan said, “There is a large demand for increased knowledge and training in this area of employment relations and human resource management. Workplace disputes are costly to all parties, in time and money; there is a high administrative burden for all; the average cost to business of defending an employment claim is estimated at £9,000. There is also the stress and damaged employment prospects for employees.
“Our new courses are directed at those working in HR and operational managers who manage people and who want to be better equipped to deal with this area of work. The modules on the courses are the result of considerable research and dialogue with senior business, government and ACAS representatives and identified as the core subjects for study.”
The programme includes modules on Conflict Regulation and Avoidance and Workplace Behaviours, Equalities and Diversity and Governance and Leadership and is delivered on weekends.
