4. Assign a mentor Even after proper orientation, part-time workers will be confused. Assign them a full-time worker to be a mentor. The part-time worker will feel more like part of team, and mentor will feel good about added responsibility.

Important: Pick someone who is patient, has good communication skills, is motivated to do task, and has time to answer questions.

5. Mix up workload. Don’t overload part-time workers with “grunt” tasks only. It’s a common temptation to assign all low-level work to part-time employees. Don’t do it! It’s demoralizing. Remember, “Variety is spice of work life.” This is where you would apply information learned in technique number two to mix up assignments. 6. Eliminate any Hard Feelings Eliminate any perceived or real hard feelings between part-timers and full-timers immediately. Explain to full-time employees why you’re bringing in part-time help and that their jobs are not being threatened.

Important: Sell them on benefits of bringing in part-timers (make jobs easier, allow them to learn management skills, etc.)

7. Offer Flexible Hours Many part-time employees are working part-time to meet special situations (College, family health situations, childcare issues, transportation issues, etc.). Use that to your advantage. By allowing flexible work hours, you’ll retain your part-time workers longer, eliminating need for costly retraining.

Important: Make sure part-time employees communicate and clear all scheduling conflicts in advance to avoid confusion.

8. Offer Incentives Most companies don’t offer part-time employees incentives. Believe me, part-time employee knows and resents this policy right away. That’s a big mistake. Set up an incentive program based on your organization’s revenue or behavior you need to see from part-time employee. In case of incentives for behavior, give a bonus or incentive for following:

* Perfect attendance * Perfect on time attendance * Working well with others * Working well with full-time employees * Taking initiative to solve problems * Great customer service

Important: Recognize part-time worker as soon as action was taken and praise publicly (my article “Appreciate to Motivate” will explain how).

If you follow eight steps mentioned, we guarantee that you will be well on way to motivated, productive part-time employees with less turnover and retraining. You will accomplish far more in less time without stress.

We’re all human. You know how easy it is to hold a grudge, or assign blame. Sharing gems appropriately can help each employee begin to shift their perceptions of situation, and more importantly, of each other. To deliver polished gems, try to:

•Act soon after hearing gem •Paraphrase accurately so words aren’t distorted •Ask listener if this is new information and if changes her stance •Avoid expecting employees to visibly demonstrate a ‘shift in stance’ (it happens internally and on their timetable, not ours)

4.RECOGNIZE POWER

Power is a dominant factor in mediation that raises many questions: What is it? Who has it? How to do you balance power? Assumptions about who is ‘powerful one’ are easy to make and sometimes wrong. Skillful conflict resolvers recognize power dynamics in conflicts and are mindful about how to authentically manage them. You can recognize power by being aware that:

•Power is fluid and exchangeable •Employees possess power over content and their process (think of employees concerns as water flowing into and being held by container) •Resolvers possess power over mediation process ( their knowledge, wisdom, experience, and commitment form container) •Your roles as an HR professional and resolver will have a significant impact on power dynamics

5.BE OPTIMISTIC & RESILIENT

Agreeing to participate in mediation is an act of courage and hope. By participating, employees are conveying their belief in value of relationship. They are also expressing their trust in you to be responsive to and supportive of our efforts. Employees may first communicate their anger, frustration, suffering, righteousness, regret, not their best hopes. You can inspire them to continue by being optimistic:

•Be positive about your experiences with mediation •Hold their best wishes and hopes for future •Encourage them to work towards their hopes

Be Resilient. Remember last time you were stuck in a conflict? You probably replayed conversation in your mind over and over, thinking about different endings and scolding yourself. Employees get stuck, too. In fact, employees can become so worn down and apathetic about their conflict, especially a long-standing dispute; they’d do anything to end it. Yes, even agree with each other prematurely. Don’t let them settle. Mediation is about each employee getting their interest met. Be resilient:

•Be prepared to move yourself and employees though productive and less productive cycles of mediation •Help employees see their movement and progress •Be mindful and appreciative of hard work you all are doing

Hopefully, you’ve discovered that these are your own habits in one form or another and that your organization is benefiting from your knowledge. You can learn more about workplace mediation and mediation in general from these books and websites:

The Power of Mediation Bringing Peace into Room Difficult Conversation: How to Say What Matters Most www.ne-acr.org (The New England Association of Conflict Resolvers) www.mediate.com (mediation portal site) www.workwelltogether.com (conflict management toolkit)

"Mediation is based on a belief in fundamental honesty of human beings. Which is another way of saying we all want to be treated justly - that is according to our unique situation and viewpoint on world. And we cannot expect to be treated justly if we do not honestly reveal ourselves." ~ Honourable Neville Chamberlain, British Prime Minister 1937