A Brief Guide to Workplace Mediation: What You Need to Know

Mediation is a great way to mend relationships and increase workplace productivity when there has been conflict or a disagreement at work. Read on to find out everything you need to know.

What is workplace mediation?

Mediation is a process led by an impartial third party with the goal of resolving conflict. Conflict has the potential to arise at any place of employment and is best dealt with early at its source. This is because if arguments and bad feelings escalate, grievances could result in disciplinary procedures and employment tribunals. Mediation aims to avoid these routes by offering a more informal method to reach a mutually acceptable solution. The mediator will not take sides and is there to help everyone involved find a solution all can agree to.

What happens in mediation?

Mediation involves a number of different phases.

The mediator will first meet with each party separately to understand their experience of the conflict, their position and interests, and what their desired outcomes are. They may also seek agreement to facilitate a joint meeting.

At this joint meeting, each party will recount their story and point of view uninterrupted. They will also be expected to listen to the other party’s story. The parties will be encouraged to work towards a mutually acceptable resolution - the mediator will then usually write an agreement approved by both parties.

At the end of this meeting, the mediator will provide a copy of the agreement to those involved and outline and explain their responsibilities for its implementation. If no agreement is reached, other procedures may be used to try to resolve the conflict.

What are the benefits of mediation?

Mediation can help repair workplace relationships by finding solutions that everyone agrees to, improving communication and allowing everyone to have a voice in a final agreement. It offers numerous benefits. It can:

●     Reduce stress

●     Retain valuable employees

●     Avoid formal processes, such as going to employment tribunal

●     Stop more grievances arising

●     Avoiding paying high costs, e.g. employment tribunal claims

●     Provide a confidential space to express feelings and vocalise opinions

Mediation outcomes may include:

●     An acknowledgement of each person’s views

●     A commitment to change behaviour

●     A commitment to regularly review the agreement reached

●     An agreement to review policies and procedures

●     An agreement to share work more fairly and provide more responsibility

Interested in mediation? Almy & Thomas Solicitors can provide professional advice for employers to help with the ever changing aspects of employment law. We specialise in a range of legal services, from contract disputes to personal injury claims. For advice on dispute resolution and more, contact us today.