It would be unfair to speculate too much, no-one really knows what goes on behind closed doors after all, but after news emerged this week that the employee tribunal organisation ACAS has reported a 15% increase in employee disputes, I can’t help but wonder what on earth is going on within some of these companies.

Let’s not forget, first of all, what these tribunals actually cost both employer and government, not to forget the employee in terms of time away from work and no doubt a huge amount of stress and drop in motivation to boot. I think all three aforementioned parties could do without these costly and time-consuming tribunals, and I know as an outsider looking in, I could do without them siphoning off government money and putting pressure on business at a time when there is enough pressure from other well-documented sources.

I probably wouldn’t be as moved by the 15% hike if I hadn’t seen how easy it is for business leaders to get a key grasp on the behaviour of those working within their organisation, understand what is (or isn’t) motivating them, and last but not least, actually take action.

Of course, if these boards of directors knew that an on-going dispute over flexible working practices, pay, benefits or holiday entitlement was close to causing industrial action or a trip to the ACAS offices (well, more likely a visit to the website these days I suppose), some sort of action would be taken. Wouldn’t it?