SHELL EASTERN PETROLEUM (Pte) Ltd asked CELSIM to design a negotiations skills workshop to prepare management and union participants for upcoming collective agreement negotiations. The one-day workshop used assessments, role plays and simulations to teach participants tools and techniques for effective negotiation, influence and communication. Participants gained experience applying negotiation frameworks and leveraging their strengths to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes. Feedback from participants found the tailored workshop very helpful for upcoming negotiations, particularly the practical simulation exercise.

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Case study
SHELL EASTERN PETROLEUM (Pte) Ltd: Negotiations Skills & Knowledge
SHELL EASTERN PETROLEUM (Pte) Ltd (SHELL) is a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell plc
based in Singapore. SHELL refines and distributes oil and gas products, manufactures a range of
construction products, engages in the trading of natural gas, electrical power, crude oil, refined
and environmental products, as well as operates a network of service stations in Singapore.
A Shared Industrial Relations Vision for employees of SHELL Companies in Singapore arose
from a desire to improve the industrial climate in the organisation. Both the union and the
management have been trying to remain relevant and effective in their own ways.
The Challenge
CELSIM was asked to design and deliver a negotiations skills workshop to equip participants with
the proven tools and techniques to negotiate effectively, influence others and gain Collective
Agreement (CA) between management and union in industrial relations.
The objective of the workshop was to best prepare participants for the likely eventualities and
situations they will face, either in the imminent CA negotiation or at some future point.
1. Negotiation: gain knowledge and experience in creating and managing dynamic
negotiating environments for mutually successful results.
2. Influence: adopt flexibility of approach to meet diverse personalities and situations as
they arise.
3. Communication: build deep levels of rapport and move self and others from conflict to
agreement and cooperation.
The Solution
In association with the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF), we designed a one day
Negotiations Skills workshop – combining pre assessment, interactive role plays, tailored
simulations and practical discussions – to address the specific needs of SHELL. These included:
 Considering the key tools and techniques of effective negotiating as they affect individual
circumstances and produce action plans to take back to integrate into work situations.
 Exploring negotiation dynamics through our ‘Collective Agreement Negotiation’ simulation
to allow participants to tailor the concepts to their own experience and improve impact.
 Applying best practise models to develop an effective negotiating style in navigating real-
world pressures and challenges to achieve success.
The Results
SHELL participants gained the tools and techniques to confidently and effectively improve their
negotiation skill-set and leverage own strengths and experiences to influence, communicate and
deliver positive outcomes in a safe learning environment of sharing, practise and reflection.
Martha Fernandaz (Industrial Relations Manager, HR) a participant on the workshop commented,
“I found the workshop to be very helpful in preparing us for our coming negotiations. The
simulation was really interesting and practical. It was especially relevant as it was tailored to our
needs. I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to actually experience when and how to put the
negotiating framework into practise to bring about win-win solutions for all parties.”