Workplaces bring together individuals with varied roles, responsibilities and personalities. These differences can give rise to conflicts. When these conflicts are left unaddressed or are poorly handled, it can lead to negative impacts on both the employer and the employee, including:
On the other hand, early intervention in such situations can:
At Mediate BC, we provide resources and services to help employers and employees address workplace disputes through early dispute resolution processes. Through informal resolution, such as facilitated conversations and mediations, workplace conflicts can be resolved effectively while preserving workplace relationships. Explore the variety of approaches that can help you or your workplace address conflict early and build a healthier work environment.
Workplace conflicts exist on a spectrum and can sometimes take more serious forms. In some cases, conflicts go beyond small disagreements and may involve bullying, harassment or discrimination. These behaviours can include a range of different actions such as verbal aggression or unwelcome physical contact.
In British Columbia, there are legal frameworks that address bullying, harassment and discrimination. The Workers Compensation Act, enforced by WorkSafeBC, and the BC Human Rights Code are two such pieces of legislation. WorkSafeBC requires all workers, supervisors and employers to take reasonable steps to prevent and minimize bullying and harassment in the workplace. Employers are required to develop a policy on bullying and harassment which includes procedures for reporting and dealing with such incidents. In addition to WorkSafeBC, the Human Rights Code prohibits discrimination in specific areas of one’s life, including employment.
Workplace harassment remains a significant barrier to participation in the trades. The 2025 Gender Equality Report Card by the Canadian Coalition of Women in Engineering, Science, Trades and Technology highlights that such barriers lead to persistent underrepresentation of women and gender-diverse people in the skills trade.
Mediate BC has launched a project focussed on supporting employers in the trades to address sexual harassment and bullying of women and gender-diverse people through early, trauma-informed and non-adversarial conflict resolution processes. By supporting employers in implementing these processes, we hope to help build workplaces where issues are resolved sooner and more effectively to increase recruitment and retention of women in trades.
Please click below to find out more about the project.
