• The Cost of Workplace Conflict Podcast

    Recent research has estimated the cost of workplace conflict for employers in Northern Ireland to be £851 million per year.

    For the fifth podcast in our series on "Challenging Workplaces", we are joined by one of the authors of the research, Professor Richard Saundry from Westminster University, along with Nicola Barber, Chair of CIPD Northern Ireland, and our own Director of Employment Services, Mark McAllister, to discuss the topic and how managerial capability could help reduce these costs.

  • Early Conciliation

    The Labour Relations Agency provides an Early Conciliation service following a change in NI employment law which took effect on 27 January 2020.  This service helps to resolve workplace disputes in a legally binding way, without the need to take a case to the Industrial or Fair Employment Tribunal. Click below for more information or to make an Early Conciliation notification.

     

  • Employment Document Toolkit

    Once you are registered you can unlock our free core employment guides to help you build documents, policies and procedures for your own organisation.

  • Taking pride and making strides in the workplace

    Labour relations agency and panel of leading speakers join our first Pride Panel event, Encouraging Respectful Conversations in The Workplace.

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  • Four Day Working Week Podcast

    Four day working week

    In the fourth podcast in the "Challenging Workplaces" series, we discuss the four day week, and whether it might be time to reassess the traditional Monday to Friday working pattern in the modern workplace.

    Last modified: 04 July 2023
  • Employment Document Toolkit - How to Register - Demo Video

    Toolkit

    This video provides step by step instructions on how to sign up to our new, free, online employment document toolkit.

    Last modified: 15 September 2022
  • Practical Guide to Hybrid Working - LRA - October 2021

    This practical guide offers support to those considering introducing hybrid working in their organisations.  It sets out the key considerations and offers a sample policy.  Free to download.

    Last modified: 27 January 2022
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About the Labour Relations Agency

We provide an impartial and confidential employment relations service to those engaged in industry, commerce and the public services. Our services include the provision of advice on good employment practices and assistance with the development and implementation of employment policies and procedures. We are also active in resolving disputes through our conciliation, mediation and arbitration services.

When people contact the Labour Relations Agency it is quite often because things are not going well in the workplace and this can be upsetting and, at times, emotional. We are here to help by listening, giving non-directive advice or whichever service we can provide in a free, impartial and independent manner. Whilst our staff are trained to handle difficult calls and callers in an understanding and empathetic way, we cannot tolerate our staff being subjected to any form of verbal abuse, bullying or harassment.

When a customer’s behaviour crosses the threshold from being upset to becoming abusive, we have advised our staff to follow an operational guideline to get them out of harm’s way and away from the abusive caller. Work can be hard enough without taking it out on someone who is here to help if they can, so please respect our staff.