Starting at 12pm (UK time)

Transcription

1 Starting at 12pm (UK time)

2 OVERVIEW How social media Contributes to disputes developing Perpetuates conflict Can get people into trouble at work Social media policies: what is needed? Can social media be a force for conflict resolution? What we can offer

3 57% of managers feel uncomfortable when a staff member sends them a friend request Source: Robert Half International

4 70% of employers use social media to screen candidates (up from just 11% in 2006) Source: Harris Poll

5 17% of workers admit to using social media within work time to learn about a colleague Source: Pew Research Center

6 HOW SOCIAL MEDIA contributes to the development of disputes People post disparaging comments about others These get shared or retweeted Others misinterpret (wantonly or otherwise) what they then see on social media Gossip abounds, which always gets back to the target of the initial comments There is poor dialogue (or no dialogue) about the upset that is caused. There is a dispute

7 HOW SOCIAL MEDIA can perpetuate conflict People retweet/share without comment, implying that they agree with, or endorse, the initial tweet/post When the gossip mill starts to turn, people selectively include and exclude others from their distribution list People project: they attribute thoughts and feelings to others that don t necessarily belong to them People can then deflect: pretending that everything is OK when it isn t, and retroflect: holding back on what really needs to be said Factionalism develops, and things go badly wrong

8 HOW SOCIAL MEDIA can get people into trouble at work Excessive use of social media during work time Posts that fail to distinguish between personal and professional, implying that someone s opinions are those of their employer Private spats becoming public and reflecting badly on corporate image The fallacy that anything on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram could possibly be considered to be private

9 SOCIAL MEDIA POLICIES what is needed? Encourage users to make a clear distinction between their use of personal and company accounts Consider explicit disclaimers about whether their posts are their own views or those of their employer No trash talk : assume the target of your post is going to read what you write. Would you say it to their face?

10 SOCIAL MEDIA POLICIES what is needed? A retweet with no comment implies that you are endorsing the original content. Always add a neutralising comment of your own, or make it clear that it is not necessarily your own view Check your privacy settings of Facebook so that you are in control of what you share, and with whom. But assume that nothing on the internet is private Examples of these and other social media policies can be found at:

11 CAN SOCIAL MEDIA BE A FORCE FOR CONFLICT RESOLUTION? Yes, if we consider that Clearing the air in any form is better than not clearing the air at all Addressing miscommunication and misperceptions in a selective group forum is better than drumming out angry s to one or two people at a time

12 CAN SOCIAL MEDIA BE A FORCE FOR CONFLICT RESOLUTION? No, if we consider that Effective conflict resolution, especially mediation, needs to be kept private. There are big issues with this in online dispute resolution For drier, less personal disputes, a mediator can indeed make a better online discussion happen if participants are willing to give it a go; but for anything more heartfelt, and where significant hurt has been caused, we have to get people together face to face

13 Training and support from UK Mediation One- and two-day Mediation Skills courses Five-day Accredited Mediator training Conflict coaching Team and one-to-one mediation In-house training and consultancy packages

14 Q&A Any questions?

15 Upcoming webinars Register at

16 APRIL Becoming a Workplace Mediator Friday 20 th April A comprehensive webinar on becoming a professional workplace mediator, building your reputation, growing your experience and establishing credibility.

17 MAY Mediating Salary Disputes Friday 18 th May Pay gaps and perceived unfairness surrounding salary can be difficult issues to resolve. Workplace mediation can be an excellent way to address disputes that arise around issues relating to pay.

18 JUNE Neighbourhood Mediation Friday 29 th June Mediation provides an opportunity for neighbours and tenants to communicate better, understand one another s concerns, and jointly come up with ideas for how to end their dispute.

19 Keep in touch Like & subscribe twitter.com/ukmediation Dr Mike Talbot facebook.com/ukmediationltd

20 Thanks for joining us!