Arbitration, mediation, and conciliation are popular forms of dispute resolution that offer interesting and diverse career opportunities.

People pursue alternative dispute resolution (ADR) training and accreditation for a number of reasons. Some aspire to become professional mediators or arbitrators. Others are simply looking to handle conflict better in their personal relationships or workplace.

It’s certainly an industry in demand. From business disputes to divorce settlements, people are turning to ADR as a more flexible, less costly, and more time-effective means of resolving conflicts.

Arbitration, mediation, and conciliation offer three different approaches to conflict resolution. They differ in terms of procedure and outcomes, as well as training and accreditation.

In this post, we guide you through clear definitions of arbitration versus mediation and conciliation, including applications along with pros and cons. Let's get started.

Mediation has become an increasingly popular option for settling family disputes in Ontario. It’s typically quicker, more cost-effective, and less adversarial than going to court.

Mediators need to prepare and support their clients to make sure each party can participate fully. They need to be alert to anything that can adversely affect a client's ability to engage in the process, such as mental health issues or family violence.

That's why they meet with each party beforehand to understand the factors involved. This is known as pre-mediation, or "screening in."

Thinking about a career in mediation? Keep reading to learn what the intake process involves and why it’s so important.

Public policy can be described as the strategy governments use to meet the needs of society.

Are you interested in helping Ontario families work through their differences without going to court?

Becoming a public policy advisor or analyst offers a unique chance to make a real difference in the lives of millions of Canadians.

What's the number one challenge facing every single new manager? Lack of training on how to actually lead a team.

Whether you were drafted into management because someone quit, or you paid in blood, sweat, and tears to earn that promotion—you're all in the same boat.

Very few organizations offer comprehensive (if any) management training.

One study by consulting firm West Monroe found that 59 per cent of Americans got no training whatsoever when they were promoted to management.

So, what's a first-time manager to do?

While employers drag their feet, seek out your own training on how to master the biggest, most fundamental challenge of your new job—managing your human resources.

Take a page from the HR training handbook. Here's how a few HR basics can significantly improve your transition to management—and earn you respect as a leader.

The way you integrate a new hire into your organization has a huge impact on that employee’s motivation and engagement.

Done well, onboarding helps new employees understand expectations, attitudes, tools, policies, and processes. It also helps them develop a sense of connection and camaraderie with both their team and the larger organization.

But that’s not easy to accomplish when people are working from home.

Team members who don’t share the same physical space aren’t able to absorb company culture and norms organically. They can’t just shadow a colleague all day and drop in on casual conversations around the water cooler.

So how can you help remote employees get set up for success right from the get-go?

Check out these best practices for virtual onboarding.

Does your job put you into close contact with individuals you suspect suffer from mental health issues? Feel ill-equipped to properly support these people because you simply don't understand the challenges they're facing—or how best to intervene?

You are certainly not alone. Many community-serving professionals lack mental health training and awareness. They don't possess the knowledge or practical skills needed to recognize mental health problems, interact with individuals in crisis, or refer mentally ill people to the most appropriate health care services.

Lack of organized education in this area has led to a mental health crisis in Canada. One in three Canadians will have mental health problems at some point in their lives—which means every single one of us, either directly or indirectly, is impacted by the epidemic.

It's clear that we need stronger, widespread education and service initiatives at the government level, but grassroots training is also extremely important.

Community mental health courses are an excellent first step for professionals who work with and serve the public.

These are just three ways quality training can completely change the way you do (and feel about) your job.

It's quite possible that opposing parties of a mediation will not trust each other. Whatever issue has brought them to this process, you can assume both sides are feeling anxious and have their walls up.

This is why it's so crucial that all participants be able to trust you, the mediator. You are the one objective individual at the negotiation table—the stable center in the midst of all those swirling emotions, expectations, and uncertainty.

From the very first point of contact, until the issue at hand has been resolved, the mediator must earn and maintain the trust of his or her clients. One of the key ways mediators accomplish this is by cultivating rapport, putting participants at ease, and establishing an atmosphere of cooperation.

But in their eagerness to build rapport, mediators sometimes stumble into traps. Take a look at 4 common mistakes to avoid when you're seeking  to connect with your clients.

Employee mental health has been a core part of occupational health and safety (OHS) for many years. But the issue really took centre stage when COVID came along.

According to government surveys, 1 in 5 Canadian adults were dealing with symptoms of anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder in the fall of 2020. By the spring of 2021, that was up to 1 in 4.

Mental health has a huge impact on worker productivity. Depression, anxiety, and stress can make it difficult for people to focus or make decisions. That often leads to poor performance, absenteeism, and turnover.

Now more than ever, supporting the mental health of workers is a business imperative.

So what can OHS leaders do to create a psychologically safe and healthy work environment?

Here are a few strategies.