Empowering managers to handle difficult and sensitive conversations

As workplaces become more complex and diverse, managers are increasingly faced with situations that test their confidence and judgement — from navigating performance concerns to discussing highly sensitive topics like gender reassignment and religion.

Handled well, these moments can build trust, inclusion, and integrity. Handled badly, they can damage relationships — or worse, end up at employment tribunal.

This interactive session is designed to help people professionals coach and equip managers to approach difficult conversations with confidence, compassion, and compliance.

• How to support managers in addressing sensitive issues respectfully and lawfully
• Frameworks for handling tricky performance, behaviour or belief-related issues
• Spotting and mitigating legal and reputational risks early
• Building a workplace culture where open, honest conversations can happen safely

Bramhalls is a team of specialist employment lawyers with nearly 100 years of collective experience in delivering high quality service in all matters relating to employment law. The solicitors at Bramhalls work in partnership with their HR clients, and CIPD, to provide solutions to various problems, as well as strategies for managing everything that life, and society, throws at the workplace. Bramhalls strive to provide responsive client care and fresh thinking which focuses on keeping clients’ needs at the forefront of everything they do.

Speakers Bios

Phil Bramhall

Phil Bramhall has been a solicitor for 39 years and has specialized in employment law, for employers, throughout, advising, training and representing HR managers in both the private and the public sectors. He is also an accredited workplace mediator. Phil was an in-house solicitor for over six years in two Local Authorities. Since then, Phil has been a partner with two commercial law firms, heading up teams of employment solicitors. For the last 20 years he has been running his own employment solicitors’ practice, for employers. Throughout his career he has provided employment law support to; local, national and international companies, sports clubs, universities, colleges, local authorities, utilities and government departments. He has always supported CIPD, both academically and regionally.

Adam

Adam has been an employment solicitor with Bramhalls since 2022 and, prior to that, was part of a local authority’s in-house legal team. Adam helps to deal with everything employment law, including; unfair and wrongful dismissal, discrimination, TUPE, and trade union disputes. As with the rest of the Bramhalls team, Adam aims to give pragmatic, commercial advice and find sensible solutions to complex HR issues. Adam regularly delivers training both with clients and at colleges, universities, and CIPD events.

Please note:

1. Reminder emails will be sent to you the day before, with a further reminder on the day of the event.

2. Photography and video production may be taking place at the event, and these images may be used in the CIPD newsletters.

3. By attending the event, you are giving your consent for your image to be used on any CIPD promotional materials.

4. As we are supplying refreshments, if you can no longer attend, please cancel your place either on Eventbrite, responding to this email.

5. This event may include an external speaker who has prepared their own presentation. Any views or opinions expressed by the speaker are their own and do not reflect those of the CIPD.

6. If you require any reasonable adjustments to enhance your experience, please get in contact with us by responding to this email and we will do our best to accommodate