TCM's customer of the week
Celebrating our customers' work to build positive workplace cultures
TCM’s ‘customer of the week’ is a celebration of our fabulous customers and partners. It recognises their achievements to resolve workplace issues constructively and to embed positive workplace cultures. A huge congratulations to each of our customers of the week!
David Liddle, CEO and chief consultant at The TCM Group
Customer of the year 22/23
Claire Salter from Burberry
As soon as we met Claire Salter FCIPD, Director of Global Employee Relations at Burberry, we knew we had something special.
Our partnership began back in 2021, when Claire’s team started to cultivate a shift towards a person-centred, values-based organisational culture. This conversation sparked Burberry to embed a global Resolution Framework that promotes a dialogue-driven, non-adversarial means of resolving conflict, complaints and concerns.
For our Director of Investigation & Resolution Services Harriette Wolff (MCIPD), “from the start of the partnership with them, Claire and John Murphy were so forthcoming with ideas, passion and just a hunger to really make a change for their teams and colleagues.
They were always open to my ideas as well, really transparent with expectations and it was a real partnership.
Claire recognises how the power of dialogue can make a difference to the people she works with, and this comes across in our working relationship, but also the human-centric approaches they applied into their policy work and colleague development.”
Partnering with TCM has really helped us to think creatively about how we can create a human-centric approach to speaking up at Burberry, ensuring we maintain a culture of psychological safety when dealing with conflict.
Claire Salter, Director of Global Employee Relations at Burberry
Gail Sharkey, Senior HR Advisor at UK Export Finance
This week, our consultant partner Rachael Stiddard has led an Advanced Investigation Skills course at TCM HQ in London.
The course was full of eager individuals ready to upskill their development – but one delegate in particular brought a wealth of experience to the class.
🏆👏 Paula Mitchell is our customer of the week! Jointly nominated by Rachael and Lisajay Baker, Paula added value to the training course and contributed extensively throughout.
What’s so special about investigations training anyway?
Upskilling workplace investigators is crucial for several reasons, as it helps maintain a fair, safe, and productive work environment. Here are some of those reasons:
✏️ Adherence to legal and ethical standards
✏️ Objective and impartial investigations
✏️ Continuous improvement
✏️ Conflict resolution and prevention
✏️ Enhanced reputation
Paula is a really experienced investigator and she brought her wealth of knowledge and insights to the group. She’s really added value to the training course and has contributed extensively throughout. It’s been a pleasure to host this training for Paula and all of the other delegates.
Rachael Stiddard, TCM Consultant Partner
Freda Parker-Leehane, Ministry of Justice
Our trusted partnership with the Ministry of Justice was sparked by our work with their neighbour the Cabinet Office.
We’ve been working with the MoJ on a series of Mental Health and Complex Conversations training sessions, a workshop that’s all about exploring the considerations involved in mediating when parties are suffering from mental health issues in order to help the mediator get the best possible outcomes for the parties, whilst protecting the integrity of mediation and the mediator.
Since embarking on our partnership, the team has already given positive feedback – particularly that TCM’s ethos and values have been inspiring and refreshing.
That’s why the MoJ and Freda Parker-Leehane is our Customer of the Week!
A huge thank you to Lisajay Baker & Cameron Duncan for the nomination.
I became aware of TCM through a number of free webinars and I have found the ethos and values to be inspiring and refreshing. I was able to attend Marie Coombes’ taster session for the Mental health and Complex Conversation training and requested that we arrange three sessions for our mediators. I have already received positive feedback from the training, and I am looking forward to attending my session next week.
Freda Parker-Leehane, Ministry of Justice
Gail Sharkey, Senior HR Advisor at UK Export Finance
NATS are the UK’s leading provider of air traffic control services.
They exist to make the skies an even safer and more efficient environment for aviation. With this in mind, two things drive everything they do.
The first is safety, a duty of care for the skies.
The second is a constant striving for improvement to ensure aviation best meets the needs of a changing world.
Fusing purpose and NATS’ people, the organisation also has a duty of care for its employees, constantly striving for improvement. That’s precisely why they’ve partnered with us for various training programmes over the years, spanning many of our services, to ensure they’re always meeting the needs of a changing working world.
As our latest customer of the week, Keely Stafford praised that: “TCM is a trusted partner for NATS, we’ve tapped into their expertise numerous times and always receive great service and credible facilitators.
Most recently TCM consultant Marie Coombes delivered invaluable training brought alive by her wealth of experience in the employee relations and mediation fields.”
Thank you NATS for being a trusted partner!
TCM is a trusted partner for NATS, we’ve tapped into their expertise numerous times and always receive great service and credible facilitators. Most recently, TCM consultant Marie Coombes delivered invaluable training brought alive by her wealth of experience in the employee relations and mediation fields.
Keely Stafford, Employee Relations Business Partner at NATS
Rody Bristow-Jones and Emma Collins, The Francis Crick Institute
Undertaking workplace investigations training is of significant importance as it helps organisations to build and sustain a fair, safe, and productive work environment – that’s something that all employees deserve.
It therefore shows a real dedicated effort to happy, healthy and harmonious workplace culture.
That’s why The Francis Crick Institute is our customer of the week. They’re an independent charity, established to be a UK flagship for discovery research in biomedicine.
Since 2022, the Institute has partnered with TCM to undergo various investigation skills training courses for their teams.
Embarking on continued training over the years shows the Institute’s ongoing commitment to learning, connecting the organisation’s practice with their principles. They’re taking their ethos of research, improvement and prevention to learn more about best practice, improve standards and prevent further conflict within the organisation.
Thank you to resolution team Chloe Pye and Harriette Wolff for this week’s stellar nomination!
The team at TCM have thoroughly enjoyed working with Emma and Rody to deliver investigations training for Francis Crick Institute. They have been completely proactive and helpful in setting up an engaging and useful course and the trainer really enjoyed visiting colleagues onsite for a great half-day session!
Chloe Pye, Investigation Services Coordinator at The TCM Group
Gail Sharkey, Senior HR Advisor at UK Export Finance
UK Export Finance are the UK government’s Export Credit Agency. They work with over 100 private credit insurers and lenders to help UK companies access export finance – the loans, insurance policies or bank guarantees that enable international trade to take place as easily and securely as possible.
UKEF has 100 years’ experience supporting UK businesses to achieve global success. As the world’s oldest Export Credit Agency (ECA) they have a proud history of innovation, while maintaining standards and principles.
It seems fitting, then, that our latest Customer of the Week Gail Sharkey chose to undertake TCM’s mediation accreditation to support her role as Senior HR Advisor. She’s continuing to innovate processes within the organisation while embedding person-centred and values-based standards and principles as her approach to conflict resolution.
It was a lovely, positive experience and I learned so much! It’s a really good course and the trainer was so knowledgeable and experienced.
Gail Sharkey, Senior HR Advisor at UK Export Finance
Jennifer Parker, Complex Casework Specialist at Greater London Authority
We first started working with the GLA back in 2019 when they decided to transform their workplace culture and shift to our Resolution Framework – the pioneering alternative dispute resolution process.
Since then, we’ve worked with the GLA on mediation, investigation and management training, alongside providing an outsourced mediation scheme and investigations.
For Lisajay Baker, working with this organisation has been a pleasure: “not only do they work tirelessly to ensure that they create a harmonious environment for their teams but they regularly invest in the upskill of their facilitators, investigators and champions”.
The GLA are a perfect example of what it means to have a trusted partner in TCM. Our TCM ecosystem is designed to provide support to all aspects and needs of any organisation: from leadership to resolution, coaching to investigation, or training to mediation.
Whatever first brings a customer to TCM, we endeavour to be there every step of the way – no matter the transformation in mind. We’ve been designing dreams into reality since 2001.
Not only do they work tirelessly to ensure that they create a harmonious environment for their teams but they regularly invest in the upskill of their facilitators, investigators and champions to ensure that they are equipped with the skills and knowledge they need to carry out their roles.
Lisajay Baker, Director of Business Operations at The TCM Group
Helen McGowan, Casework and Policy Advisor at Health and Safety Executive
HSE is a Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. It prevents work-related death, injury and ill health.
Our trusted partnership began in August 2022, when HSE contacted TCM to enquire about training up some new mediators within the organisation. HSE wanted to prioritise health – not just the safety kind – by ensuring that any conflicts, complaints or concerns between colleagues could be resolved with compassion and care.
It’s brought a whole new meaning to providing health and safety at work – physically, mentally and emotionally.
Our trusted partnership began in August 2022, when HSE contacted TCM to enquire about training up some new mediators within the organisation. HSE wanted to prioritise health – not just the safety kind – by ensuring that any conflicts, complaints or concerns between colleagues could be resolved with compassion and care.
Robyn Marsh, Content and Engagement Manager at The TCM Group
Melissa Craig and Colleen Manderville from City of Lethbridge
This government administration looks after the third largest city in Alberta, Canada.
With a very busy and important job ensuring the population is protected and served, City of Lethbridge are taking the same approach to providing a fair, sustainable and inclusive environment for their own colleagues by implementing our Resolution Framework – the compassionate alternative to traditional grievance procedures.
Fellow Canadian Hannah Cotton, our People & Culture Strategy Coordinator, has nominated the team because of the team’s collaborative, thoughtful and innovative nature. She’s greatly enjoyed working with Melissa Craig and Colleen Manderville.
Proud to be your trusted partner, Canada.
The City of Lethbridge has worked to highlight and embed their values at the heart of their Resolution Framework. While we have worked collaboratively together, we are also impressed by the initiative that they have taken throughout the implementation process in engaging and communicating with stakeholders.
Hannah Cotton, People and Culture Strategy Coordinator
NHS Blood and Transplant team
This year marks the NHS’ 75th anniversary. This is particularly significant to us at TCM as, since our formation, we’ve worked with over 300 NHS trusts and health and social care organisations.
As we celebrate the NHS, we also champion their ongoing commitment to building fair, just, sustainable, inclusive and high-performing cultures within such an integral part of our society. That’s why NHS Blood and Transplant is our Customer of the Week!
Since working with them in 2021, their implementation of the Resolution Framework is currently in full swing.
What does that mean, exactly? In choosing restorative resolution, it highlights a recognition that adult to adult dialogue, compassion, respect and empathy are signs of strength and that they offer some of the most powerful ways of holding ourselves and others to account.
Nominated by our Resolution team, they praised NHS BT’s drive, passion for the project and vision for change.
This is our little way of saying thank you for choosing TCM and the power of resolution.
It’s clear that the NHS has a deep desire to do what is best for their people. They’ve really sought to understand the framework, and why it’s beneficial for workplace culture, which considering all they’ve been through and had going on is impressive.
Rebecca MacKinnon, People and Culture Systems Coordinator
Andrew Snell from Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Andrew Snell of Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is not only a recently TCM-accredited mediator, but he’s also our customer of the week!
Joining us on our flagship National Certificate in Workplace Mediation, led by trainers Rachael Stiddard, Andi Hargreaves and Gemma Bromfield, Andrew left 5 days of intense training feeling empowered to learn more about mediation.
It’s inspiring to see hugely important organisations like the NHS taking steps toward building fair, just, inclusive and compassionate workplace cultures.
He praised our expert trainers, saying he felt supported throughout.
Nominated by our Training & Events Coordinator Cameron Duncan, Andrew’s experience is a perfect example of what it’s like to train through the TCM Academy.
We can sum up TCM training in three words: empowering, engaging and often extraordinary.
I have wanted to do this course for such a long time and it was amazing.
The week was hard with lots to take on but we were all looked after so well and supported throughout.
I really feel empowered now to learn more. Thank you.
Andrew Snell, Lead ODP at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Peter Eley and Abi Phillips from University of Bath
Sometimes, new partnerships are just as meaningful as old ones.
This year, we started working with the University of Bath to launch our revolutionary Resolution Framework.
A real collaboration on both ends, people involved included David Liddle and Hannah Cotton from our core team, consultant partner Marie Coombes, and deputy directors Abi Phillips and Peter Eley.
In just a short few months, we’ve covered a lot of ground, working with key stakeholders to set the scene for a new approach to conflict resolution at the University.
A huge thank you to our new friends over at the University of Bath for joining our cause to make the world of work a more compassionate, communicative and courageous space for everyone.
I signed up to a TCM webinar ‘Transforming to a people centred culture’ and then immediately purchased the textbook. This was the start of the journey, with the insightful, TCM Group.
Meeting David and the team has truly reshaped my thinking on what HR teams are here to support and challenging my own practice. HR is changing shape and reacting to the needs/expectations of staff now and those in the future. Incredibly proud of the changing direction that our employee relations practice is taking, here at University of Bath.
Abi Phillips, Deputy Director of Culture and Inclusion at University of Bath
Beth Mayes and Chin Brown from Oxfam
Oxfam is a global movement of people who are fighting inequality to end poverty and injustice. Across regions, from the local to the global, they work with people to bring change that lasts.
Their work is grounded in the commitment to the universality of human rights. Driven by diversity and founding these asks in evidence and experience, they take sides against poverty and injustice everywhere. Feminist approaches guide all analysis, action and interaction.
Because of this, it’s important that Oxfam works with organisations that share and champion these values of diversity and inclusion. That’s where TCM came in.
Over the last 12 months, Beth Mayes and Chin Brown have worked with us to introduce our Resolution Framework, the alternative to traditional discipline, grievance and performance systems.
This transition has enabled the team to “walk the talk” on their strategic aims of being safe, feminist and anti-racist; putting people at the heart of their policies.
That’s precisely why Beth & Chin get the Customers of the Week accolade. Nominated by Chloe Pye, the team’s passion and commitment to empowering individuals has been inspiring.
Working with David and his amazing TCM colleagues has been a very empowering experience.
We have, over the last 12 months, used the introduction of our Resolution Framework to “walk the talk” on our strategic aims of being safe, feminist and anti-racist, putting people at the heart of our policies and ensuring compliance – our new procedures help us hold the tension between these three drivers and TCM been instrumental in guiding us through this work.
Beth Mayes and Chin Brown from Oxfam
Janine Hodge from The Met Office
Nominated by Emily Reilly, Janine is Employee Experience ER Specialist Partner at The Met Office.
We began our partnership together just this year after Janine came to TCM to discuss how we could support them in transitioning from a traditional grievance procedure to a more compassionate and restorative mediation practice.
In short, they wanted to make the shift from process to resolution .
What did we do to help?
We developed an outsourced mediation scheme to handle all of The Met Office’s mediation cases. This took the stress out of their hands and ensured that each case had a quick turnaround, extensive aftercare and expert facilitation.
Emily has said that working with Janine “has been great fun! We have regular catch ups to check in on progress and are now getting ready to launch their outsourced mediation scheme which will see them move away from traditional HR processes to a more resolution-focused culture within The Met Office.
Thank you for choosing TCM to support you on your journey and we look forward to working with you over the years to come.”
TCM’s mediation approach worked best for us because the service offers both a quick turnaround for cases and extensive aftercare. Early intervention was needed to nip conflict in the bud.
Janine Hodge, Employee Experience ER Specialist Partner at The Met Office
Hannah Brown from NATS
Way back in 2019, we delivered a conflict resolution course for the organisation, helping them to implement compassionate, collaborative and communicative mediation.
The relationship has only grown since then, with TCM’s Consultant Partner Dominic Human recently delivering further training to a brand new group of mediators.
What we love most about this partnership is not only the wonderful team over at NATS, but the shared importance of spreading the message of restorative resolution far and wide.
For Hannah, “it’s been amazing to receive such a detailed, bespoke training course.” Win-win.
We have always found TCM to be an excellent service provider of quality courses, tailored for our needs. It has been amazing to receive such a detailed, bespoke training course which successfully delivered on the brief provided.
Hannah Brown, Human Resources Direct Entry Graduate at NATS
Nike Ajibowo from Plan International
Since the beginning of our partnership with Plan International in 2019, our journey has gone “from strength to strength”, says TCM’s Director of Business Operations and Chief of Staff Lisajay Baker.
Fast forward to 2023, and we’ve trained mediators from across 10 countries and delivered our flagship National Certificate in Workplace Mediation course in both English and French to staff across 10 countries.
Plan International’s aim to promote a culture of open and constructive communication, underpinned by feminist leadership principles and Plan values, aligned perfectly with TCM’s mission to foster happy, healthy and harmonious workplaces.
TCM’s cross-cultural and inclusive approach in the delivery of the course was a major factor in the successful roll-out of the course. As a result of partnering with TCM, we have been able to deliver the course to staff whose first language or national language is either French or English. This has been invaluable to us as a global organisation operating in 60+ countries.
Nike Ajibowo, Head of Employment Relations and Inclusion at Plan International
Theodore Awani from Macmillan Cancer Support
Theodore Awani is People Services Specialist at Macmillan Cancer Support.
In 2017, we first partnered with Macmillan for our mediation services.
Over the years, this has led to various other ventures such as coaching, facilitated conversations and investigations.
“I was extremely impressed by the service received by TCM, the process, structure and timelines provided clearly both to me and the candidates.”
Theodore Awani, People Services Specialist at Macmillan Cancer Support
Ros Doyle from London Borough of Hounslow
Back in the noughties, Ros Doyle was one of TCM’s first ever customers. Beginning in 2005, we worked together to establish one of the UK’s first ever mediation schemes. Now, LBH is taking it to the next level by implementing the Resolution Framework™️.
Since forging a working relationship all those decades ago, the partnership between TCM and London Borough of Hounslow has only grown stronger. 🤝
Ros celebrates that the TCM approach “has been ground breaking from the off and has helped us at Hounslow to think differently. The Resolution Framework [pushes us] to really think about how we can deal with conflict in a way that allows our people to feel heard, respected and to remain engaged.”
“TCM’s approach to resolution has been ground breaking from the off and has helped us at Hounslow to think differently. The Resolution Framework [pushes us] to really think about how we can deal with conflict in a way that allows our people to feel heard, respected and to remain engaged.”
Ros Doyle, Head of Strategic People Services at London Borough of Hounslow
