The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service helpline helped avoid 16,000 employment tribunals last year, according to figures released today.

Research commissioned by the service showed that 86% of callers who expected a tribunal avoided one occurring as a result of the service’s advice.

Discipline, dismissals, grievances, contracts and redundancies topped the list of concerns with over a half of employers changing their policies as a result of their call.

A quarter of calls to the helpline came from the public sector, with 20% from retail and 19% from finance and real estate.

Ed Sweeney, Acas Chair said: "By nipping problems in the bud you can avoid problems later on.

"Our helpline is a key indicator of the temperature of the British workplace."

Earlier this year, Acas reported record demand for the service, with over a million calls being received in a year.

In 2010 demand for the helpline hit a record high and Acas provided advice and guidance to more than one million employers and employees on workplace problems.

Acas has recently been involved in several high profile industrial disputes, including London Underground, London Fire Brigade and British Airways.