Public-facing staff
Conflict Management Training
Staff who work with the public sometimes face anger, verbal abuse, threats and challenging behaviour.
Our Conflict Management training helps staff recognise warning signs, communicate effectively, reduce tension and know when to withdraw or seek assistance.
The course is tailored to your organisation, using practical examples and situations relevant to your staff.
Discuss this course
At a glance
- Audience
- Housing, local authority, security, reception, enforcement, and support teams.
- Typical duration
- Half day / full day
- Group size
- Training is delivered to groups of up to 15 delegates, allowing everyone to participate in discussions and practical exercises. For larger teams, we can arrange additional sessions to suit your staffing requirements.
Why the course matters
For staff facing aggression and difficult conversations
This course is most relevant where staff in housing associations, local authorities and utilities regularly deal with hostility, enforcement conversations, emotionally charged service users, complaints or situations that can escalate if handled poorly. The Safety Hub guidance on workplace violence and aggression covers the same subject. Staff who also work alone: Conflict Management & Lone Worker Personal Safety Training.
Who it is for
Who should attend?
This course is suitable for staff who deal directly with the public, including housing officers, reception staff, customer service teams, council employees, NHS staff, charity workers and managers.
We adapt the training to the situations delegates may encounter in their everyday work.
Course content
What delegates will learn
- Recognising warning signsRecognise common triggers, changes in behaviour and situations that may lead to confrontation.
- Communication and de-escalationUse listening, tone of voice and clear wording to reduce tension and keep a difficult conversation under control.
- Managing challenging behaviourStay calm when faced with anger, verbal abuse or other challenging behaviour, and work to reduce the hostility.
- Professional boundariesSet clear professional boundaries during a difficult conversation without increasing the risk.
- When to withdraw or seek assistanceKnow when to stop the conversation, withdraw, or ask a colleague or manager for assistance.
Practical training
Practical Exercises and Workplace Scenarios
Delegates work through realistic situations based on the work they carry out.
In group exercises and discussion, they practise recognising warning signs, communicating calmly, managing challenging behaviour, keeping professional boundaries, and deciding when to withdraw or seek assistance.
Training Arrangements
In-house or live online
We deliver training at your premises or live through Microsoft Teams or Zoom. Sessions are led by experienced trainers and include discussion and practical exercises.
Planning your training
We agree dates with you and review your staff's roles, relevant policies and training requirements before delivery. Larger programmes can be arranged across several sessions.
Where we deliver
We provide in-house training throughout the UK and Republic of Ireland, alongside live online courses for organisations in different locations.
Course fees
We provide a quotation based on the training required, number of delegates, location and delivery arrangements.
Common questions about this course
Which staff benefit most from conflict management training?
Staff who deal with complaints, refusals, enforcement conversations, intoxication, distressed people or hostile members of the public. Typical groups include housing officers, reception teams, council staff, security teams, enforcement officers and support workers.
What practical skills will delegates practise?
Delegates practise tone of voice and body language. They leave with wording, decision points and routines they can use at work.
Can the scenarios reflect our organisation?
Yes. Sessions can use examples from your workplace, such as arrears visits, reception disputes, enforcement conversations, complaints, anti-social behaviour, refusal of service or security incidents. Your policies, escalation routes and incident reporting can be included in the exercises.
What do delegates receive?
Every delegate receives a certificate of attendance, a PDF copy of the certificate and PDF course handouts.
Course guidance
Free, maintained guidance from our Safety Hub on the subjects this course covers.
- Workplace Violence and AggressionEvidence-led guidance on foreseeable violence, employer responsibilities, incident response and learning.
- Workplace Violence Risk Review ChecklistA structured review of violence and aggression exposure across roles, settings and reporting routes.
- Incident Evidence and ReportingCapturing, recording and acting on incidents so patterns change controls rather than going unreported.
- Body-Worn VideoWhat body-worn cameras do and do not do for staff safety, and the data protection duties that come with them.
- Being Recorded and LivestreamedWhat to do when members of the public film your staff, and how to prepare staff before it happens.
- Workplace Online Harassment: Protecting Staff from Online TargetingGuidance on protecting identifiable employees from online abuse, threats, unwanted exposure of personal information and targeted harassment.
- Post-Incident SupportImmediate welfare, supportive conversations, debriefing, referral routes and organisational learning after an incident.
Conflict management training from Cardiff, across Wales and the UK
We are based in Cardiff. Where the law in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland differs from England, we research the position that applies to you and build it into the material. NHS Wales teams can pair this course with training shaped around the All-Wales Violence and Aggression Training Passport.
Call 02920 657753 to discuss your staff and the situations they face.
Discuss this course
Tell us what you need and we will quote for it.
Discuss this coursePlan training around your staff and risks
Tell us about your staff roles, working environment and the situations your staff face. We will recommend the right training approach for your organisation.
Trusted by organisations across the UK for practical, scenario-led staff safety training.