FOR HR, PEOPLE AND EMPLOYEE RELATIONS LEADERS
When conflict lands in a process built for a different problem, it usually gets worse.
Theory Y gives your organization an informal, confidential path for workplace conflict: coaching, mediation and training from a certified mediator who has also sat in the HR and COO seats.
Which process does this conflict belong in?
Is this a performance problem?
Built to measure work against expectations.
Is this a disciplinary issue?
Built to address conduct.
Does this need an investigation?
Built to determine whether a policy was violated.
Does this conflict need support?
The question that usually has no process behind it.
The gap most organizations have
Organizations interpret problems through the processes they have. As a conflict heats up, the question becomes which existing workflow it belongs in.
Each of those processes matters. None was designed to help two people understand each other and get back to work. Once a conflict enters one, the process shapes the outcome: documentation, findings, risk. Trust often erodes along the way.
What unresolved conflict costs
85%
of employees report dealing with conflict at work. [Source]
1 in 5
employees have seen someone leave their organization because of conflict. [Source]
Up to 2.5x
annual salary to replace an employee, once recruiting, onboarding and lost knowledge are counted. [Source]
The costs land on managers’ time, on HR’s credibility, and on team culture well before anyone resigns. And with EEOC response windows tightening in some offices, the time to resolve a conflict informally, before it becomes a charge, is getting shorter.
Services for organizations
Mediation
When two people are struggling to work together. A voluntary, informal process that gives each person a voice and ends in practical agreements about how they’ll work.
Mediation plus coaching
For longstanding, raw or high-stakes conflicts. Each person gets a CDP-I assessment and two coaching sessions before a joint conversation.
One-on-one conflict coaching
Outside capacity for a leader or employee navigating a difficult working relationship. CDP-I assessment plus two 90-minute sessions.
Conflict advisory for HR
For an HRBP supporting a conflict that falls outside formal processes. A discovery call and a half-day working session to plan support for both parties.
Conflict Response-Ability training
A half-day, interactive team training developed with the Mediation Training Institute at Eckerd College. Optional group Conflict Dynamics Profile®.
ADR training for managers and HR
Build in-house capacity to resolve conflict informally and early. [Add a one-line description and format.]
How engagements work
1
Discovery call
We confirm the situation is suited to an informal process and isn’t one that requires an investigation.
2
Agreement and scope
A short agreement sets confidentiality, what HR will receive, and the support each person gets.
3
Individual preparation
I meet each person separately. Participation is voluntary and never limits their right to file a complaint.
Most engagements are completed over a 2–3 week period, depending on complexity, availability and number of participants.
4
Conversation and close
A facilitated joint session, then a brief close-out to HR limited to what the parties agree to share.
Questions HR leaders ask
When is mediation appropriate, and when is it not?
This approach is appropriate when:
There is open interpersonal tension, misalignment, or breakdown in working relationships;
The situation is impacting team effectiveness of individual or team performance;
Both parties are able and willing to engage voluntarily.
It is not appropriate in cases involving concerns or allegations of harassment, discrimination, or other matters that require formal investigation or legal intervention.
How is this different from an investigation?
Theory Y Conflict Coaching is not an investigative or disciplinary process. It does not determine fault. Instead, it is a structured, facilitated process designed to help individuals clarify perspectives, surface misunderstandings, and develop a shared understanding of the situation, while skill-building. It is particularly effective in situations where concerns exist, but a formal investigation is not warranted.
What is shared with managers and HR?
An follow up report is provided to participants, managers, and Human Resources. This report includes:
Context, background, and facts
Each participant’s perspective (shared only with explicit consent)
Relevant organizational or structural factors
Agreements made during mediation
Does participation limit the ability to file a complaint?
No. Participation in mediation does not preclude, limit, or waive the right to initiate or file a formal complaint or in any other way impede on the organization’s polices.
How does this reduce organizational risk?
By addressing conflict earlier and more directly, this process can:
Provide a meaningful support service to employees who are struggling;
Prevent escalation into formal complaints, especially when unwarranted;
Reduce the likelihood of turnover;
Identify organizational gaps that can be easily cured;
Enables people to work through differences directly.
How long does it take?
Most engagements are completed over a 2-3 week period, depending on complexity, availability, and number of participants.
A neutral who understands how organizations work
Genevieve Croteau brings 13+ years as an HR leader and COO to her conflict practice, so she sees conflict both between people and inside the systems around them.
Certified Workplace Conflict Mediator, Mediation Training Institute at Eckerd College
IMI-qualified mediator
IOA Ombuds Foundations
Conflict Dynamics Profile® Qualified Administrator
Give conflict a process of its own.
A discovery call to talk through a current situation, or to set up a standing agreement for when you need outside support.
genevieve@theory-y.io · 860.304.1762