The duo behind a new workplace training programme encouraging ‘Better Conversations in the Workplace’ say it is “making waves across Guernsey”.
Mike Elward from ‘Next Level Training’ and Jon Buckland from ‘Unleashing Potential and Skills Unleashed’ are working together to help teams and organisations across the private, public, and voluntary sectors tackle challenges in the workplace head on.
They’ve created their ‘Better Conversations’ programme to zero in on something they say is “simple but powerful”: how we talk to each other at work.
The duo say that, at a time when emotional intelligence and constructive communication are seen as key to business success, their programme is striking a chord.
This is part of a growing recognition that interpersonal communication isn’t a “soft skill” at all — it’s a hard-edged business necessity, the glue that holds businesses together through both good times and bad.
Organisational culture has long been identified as a driver of staff wellbeing and retention, said Mr Elward and Mr Buckland. They want to help others implement a successful culture, supporting in the planning, intentional action, and ongoing nurturing that is required.
“This is especially apparent in today’s workplace climate, where teams are made up of a wide range of cultures and multigenerational attitudes,” they said. “Within this context, when communication falters, the costs are real: lost productivity, premature turnover, and ultimately, reduced revenue. Better Conversations was designed to address precisely this gap.”
The course blends practical skills – checking in on personal state, being aware of assumptions and context, listening with curiosity rather than simply to respond, and approaching those all important difficult conversations with intent. It also provides reflective exercises that encourage participants to examine their own habits and blind spots.
Developed by The Better Conversations Foundation after three years of pilots, the training blends experiential learning with peer‑to‑peer practice. With Guernsey’s workforce becoming increasingly diverse, emotional intelligence and effective communication are proving essential to keeping people engaged and mentally healthy, the duo said.
Mr Elward added that “feedback so far has been overwhelmingly positive, with businesses seeing Better Conversations as a practical way to invest in their people – and in the future of work on the island”.