Joint problem-solving
Joint problem-solving can be used at work in many different situations - personal grievances, change management processes, productivity working groups, remuneration working parties - in fact, any workplace situation benefits from joint problem solving.
It can give employees greater job security, more satisfying work, and greater influence over work organisation. For employers, it leads to better decision-making, a more committed and flexible workforce, and less time spent on grievances and disputes.
This one or two-day training workshop is designed for employers and unions who want to improve their joint problem-solving skills and processes, and deal with workplace problems more constructively.
This workshop covers
The workshop involves a number of group learning activities to allow participants to explore concepts, process ideas, and practice skills. They’ll use case studies - there are a number for you to choose from so that you can select the most appropriate for your group.
Participants work together discussing, brainstorming, applying information to their own experiences, and answering questions. It’s intended to build their communication skills, not just to get their message across, but to hear what others are saying.
Doing it together
It is ideal to do joint problem-solving training with both union and employer parties - after all, it is a joint process! In this way, the two parties learn, practice, and agree on the process, methods, and skills together. This gives them a good basis on which to have their first real workout with the process. But if it isn't possible for the two parties to train together, it's still beneficial for just one party to do the training.
What's different about this workshop?
There are a variety of joint problem-solving processes around. They all have common elements of exploring the issue and brainstorming a wide number of options before taking the number 8 wire approach and leaping to a solution! This workshop was developed using the Partnership Resource Centre joint problem-solving process and includes the crucial first step: preparation for problem-solving. This includes a strong focus on building communication and listening skills.
You can email workplacepartnership@dol.govt.nz to access these training materials.
