Shiv Martin's Blog

What happens when workplace mediation cannot establish the truth, produce an apology or resolve two completely different accounts? Sometimes there is no evidence capable of telling us exactly what happened, and the acknowledgement one person needs may never come. This article reflects on the limits of mediation and the profoundly human challenge of moving forward when certainty isn't available, through the benefit of the doubt, and perhaps even grace and forgiveness.

Workplace conflict is rarely solved by a single process. This article explains how HR professionals and leaders can choose between mediation, investigation, legal advice and coaching to achieve safer, more effective outcomes.

Artificial intelligence is now part of everyday complaints and dispute resolution practice. From AI-drafted submissions to automated triage, the opportunities are real, but so are the risks. This article explores how regulators, tribunals, and complaints teams can respond with clearer guidance, stronger safeguards, and more visible human judgement.

Conflict is a normal part of high-performing workplaces. This article explains why leaders should not fear conflict, how business and corporate mediation helps teams move forward, and why 2026 is the perfect time to reset communication and strengthen relationships.

Deciding whether to quit a job is rarely straightforward. Drawing on workplace mediation and conflict resolution, this guide explains when it’s time to leave and how to quit well, with clarity, dignity, and respect for future relationships.

True change management is as much about navigating human behaviour as it is about rolling out systems. While it may be easy to change back and forth between technology systems, team culture is much harder to bring back once lost, and nothing threatens a team’s cohesiveness like organisational change.

A very common question I am asked by those new to dispute resolution processes is what the difference between a mediator and conciliator is, and which process is suited to their needs. In this article, I step out some of the key differences between these two processes.

Build calm, fair and consistent school complaints handling through practical team training covering AI-assisted complaints, risk, records and process choice.

Learn how to implement an AI complaints handling policy through clear decisions, human accountability, practical training and ongoing review.

As a mediator and trainer, I spend much of my working life on the outside of other people’s workplaces, often seeing teams when things have already become difficult. That perspective has taught me a lot about what builds psychological safety and what can quietly destroy it. In this article, I share six lessons about change, autonomy, culture, leadership and conflict that I wish I had understood better when I was a manager inside my own workplace.

Complaint teams are receiving longer, more articulate AI-drafted submissions. Learn the recognition signals, response language and process logic that keep decisions fair.

Complaint management training must change as AI absorbs routine cases. Learn what skills your team needs now, and how to scope in-house training that works.