In a world defined by volatility, uncertainty and accelerating change, our traditional approaches to people, culture and leadership are no longer tenable. The outdated paradigms of excessive inaction or punitive overreaction were never fit for purpose, and they certainly aren’t now. The time for a resolution revolution is now, and it is urgent. The successful organisations of the future - measured in terms of talent acquisition, talent retention, productivity, customer experience and investor sentiment - are those which adopt a transformational culture. A culture which is rooted in fairness, compassion, justice, inclusion and sustainability. For it is these principles which are the drivers of high performance, not autocracy, power, hate, polemic, blame, punishment and retribution.

As a species, we are rapidly approaching an inflexion point. That inflexion point is being felt in every organisation across the globe. And it’s not just AI. Now more than ever, organisations must prioritise meaningful dialogue, human connection, and emotionally intelligent leadership.

The symptoms of a broken system are clear: bullying, incivility, toxic cultures, and overflowing grievance caseloads. These aren’t isolated issues – they’re systemic and structural failures designed and overseen by HR professionals, lawyers and leaders. At TCM, we believe the time has come to radically reframe resolution and rehumanise the workplace. This is the mission that energises our work in partnership with thousands of organisations across the UK and internationally.

Recent data reinforces the urgency. Gallup’s 2025 State of the Global Workplace report found global employee engagement fell from 23% to 21% in 2024 – only the second drop in a decade – costing the global economy $438 billion in lost productivity. Much of this decline is linked to a drop in manager engagement. Meanwhile, Deloitte’s 2023 Global Human Capital Trends report revealed that while 93% of organisations recognise the value of moving to a skills-based model, only 20% feel ready to make the shift. These figures reflect not just a leadership deficit, but a cultural one.

The Resolution Revolution: From Process to People

At TCM, since 2001, we’ve helped more than 2,000 organisations transition from outdated grievance and disciplinary procedures to purpose-led, values-based, person-centred approaches. At the heart of this shift is our Resolution Framework™ - a holistic model that fuses procedural rigour with restorative dialogue, enabling early, compassionate and constructive resolution.

This isn’t theory – it’s practice. Organisations including Burberry, BBC, Nationwide, Next, KPMG, NHS England, and the London Ambulance Service have seen measurable impact: increased engagement, reduced tribunal risks, improved leadership confidence and stronger cultural cohesion. So confident are we in the model’s effectiveness, we offer it open-source and work hand-in-hand with clients to embed it meaningfully.

As Deborah Arnold, Regional HR Manager at Next, put it: “TCM’s Resolution Framework has truly impressed. It is fully aligned with the needs of the business and what our people need. Introducing a ‘resolution first’ approach has empowered our managers to engage in early-stage conversations in a supportive and non-confrontational way.”

Yet despite the clear evidence, mediation and restorative approaches remain underused. In an age where the tools are readily available, continuing to rely on adversarial processes is not just outdated – it is organisational malpractice. Change is not optional. It is long overdue.

The Cost of Conflict: Why Strategic Action Can’t Wait

According to Acas, unresolved workplace conflict costs the UK £28.5 billion a year – over £1,000 per employee. But this isn’t just a financial issue. The real costs are eroded trust, diminished psychological safety, rising stress levels, and cultures of fear and reactivity.

The Resolution Framework™ flips this paradigm. It equips HR teams, leaders and employees alike with the skills and confidence to prevent, navigate and resolve conflict before it escalates. Our training, coaching and consultancy services enable organisations to move from ‘power over’ to ‘power with’ and from fear to fairness.

Participants in our mediation training frequently tell us how life-changing the experience is. Sharon McKoy, Assistant Director at the University of Wolverhampton, shared:

“I began as a complete novice, feeling in the dark – but completed the course with confidence in my potential as a mediator. Thank you, TCM!”

Her story is a reminder: transformation isn’t just possible, it’s inevitable when we invest in people with care and intention. This isn’t about firefighting or risk mitigation – it’s about designing workplaces where the fire never ignites. All too often, traditional HR processes are the match that sparks the blaze, while those invested in maintaining adversarial systems, and costly legal processes hurl stones at the fire engines… if they arrive at all.

Coaching and Mediation: A Transformational Partnership

Let’s shift metaphors from fire engines to aviation. Think of mediation as the departure gate, coaching as the runway, and the Resolution Framework™ as the control tower. At TCM, we help relationships achieve lift-off. By integrating transformational coaching into mediation, we build emotional insight, interpersonal skill and a readiness for sustained resolution.

Clients like Superdrug, Daikin and Canterbury Christchurch University have seen the power of this synergy. Whether preparing a senior leader for a difficult conversation or supporting employee’s post-resolution, coaching offers the emotional scaffolding that enables sustained growth and repair.

Through our coaching programmes, we regularly address imposter syndrome, psychological safety, avoidance behaviours and communication breakdowns. Our HR as Coach and Mediator course, one of our most in-demand offerings, empowers HR professionals to lead resolution with presence, confidence and compassion.

As Ruth Banks from Sopra Steria noted:

“TCM’s HR as Coach and Mediator course is excellent – insightful, practical, and packed with strategies to support managers through conflict and change.”

Leading with Dialogue: Mediation as the Anchor

Let’s be crystal clear – mediation isn’t a ‘nice to have’. It’s a business-critical capability for 21st-century leadership. We train over 1,000 workplace mediators annually through our National Certificate in Workplace Mediation™ and have supported hundreds of organisations to establish in-house mediation schemes. Our award-winning FAIR Mediation Model is built on empathy, impartiality, and psychological safety – delivering a 93% resolution rate.

Recent TCM masterclasses on Influence, Authority and Bias in Mediation have shown how hungry professionals are for psychologically rich, socially aware, and practically applicable approaches to resolution. We must confront these dynamics head-on if we want truly fair and inclusive systems.

For hybrid teams and frontline staff alike, mediation provides a faster, more effective and humane alternative to formal litigation-style processes. It transforms conflict into connection – friction into insight.

A Transformational Culture: Building the Future of Work

The Resolution Framework™ is one pillar of our broader Transformational Culture Model™ – an operating system that aligns purpose, values, behaviours and systems. Our diagnostic tools, including the Resolution Review™ and Culture Insights® audits and our multi award-winning consultancy and training services, help organisations build inclusive, values-led and high-performing cultures from the inside out.

As I often say, “Culture is not built by chance. It is created by choice.”

In this VUCA world – volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous – organisations must move beyond process and procedure. What the future of work demands is courageous leadership, compassionate cultures, and systemic approaches to fairness and inclusion.

As Andrew Massiah, HR & EDI Manager at LSE put it:

“TCM offer a high-quality, customer-focused service from start to finish.”

Join the Movement

If you’re a mediator, coach, HR leader, CEO or policymaker – this is your moment. Let’s redesign the workplace around connection, accountability and trust.

• To find out more about our training, consultancy, and comprehensive resources, visit www.thetcmgroup.com
• We are offering the Resolution Framework™ to organisations on an open-source basis. Visit www.resolutionframework.com to request your copy.
  

David Liddle is CEO and founder of The TCM Group, a leading expert in people, culture and resolution. He is the author of Managing Conflict and Transformational Culture, and a recognised thought leader in transformational leadership, organisational justice, and cultural change.