Municipal HR leaders are navigating an unprecedented mix of pressure, polarization, and public scrutiny, often being called in only once situations have already escalated. This highly interactive pre-conference workshop, facilitated by Laura Williams of Williams HR Law LLP, offers a condensed, immersive experience of the core themes of the 2026 OMHRA Spring Workshop, grounding participants in today’s workplace realities and equipping them with practical, immediately applicable strategies to address incivility before it hardens into formal conflict.

Through facilitated discussion, real-world municipal case studies, and peer knowledge-sharing, participants will explore the conditions that give rise to incivility, examine how conflict escalates, and how it can be interrupted early and effectively. We will also traverse the evolving legal landscape, clarifying the obligations, risks, and potential exposures municipalities face in today’s environment, and connecting those realities to proactive HR practice.

Working through realistic scenarios that reflect the complexity of municipal workplaces, participants will deepen their confidence in assessing situations, choosing proportionate responses, and balancing culture leadership with risk management. The workshop concludes with discussion about strategies and best practices along with a collaborative exchange of tools and proven practices being used to foster civility, psychological safety, and organizational resilience.

Participants will leave with a sharper diagnostic lens, practical intervention frameworks, and a strengthened sense of collective capacity, setting the tone for deeper learning and connection throughout the conference.

Workshop Learning Objectives

By the end of this pre-conference workshop, participants will be able to:

• Articulate the current pressures shaping municipal workplaces and the evolving role of HR
• Identify the organizational, relational, and systemic conditions that contribute to incivility and workplace escalation
• Recognize key legal obligations, risks, and exposures associated with incivility, harassment, and conflict
• Apply practical frameworks to intervene early, proportionately, and confidently
• Strengthen HR’s understanding of their role as advisor, skilled intervener, culture leader, and risk navigator
• Learn from peer municipalities by sharing tools, resources, and strategies that are working on the ground