Workplace Mediation: Fast and cost effective conflict resolution

Why use a Workplace Mediation Service?

From time to time in almost any organisation, it’s not unusual for there to be some disputes or issues that develop between colleagues.  Ideally, these are quickly and easily resolved by the parties themselves or perhaps via the timely intervention of a line-manager. However a recent survey entitled ‘Managing Conflict at Work’ by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) showed that 60% of employers have seen an increase in the use of HR departments to resolve these disputes, and that on average, each dispute takes an incredible 10.5 days to deal with!

In addition to this, more and more businesses are recognising the association that exists between good quality co-worker relationships and overall productivity and service-user satisfaction. In other words, the long-term success of an organisation, to a greater degree than has previously been recognised, is built on the quality of the relationships that exist between the employees of the organisation.

 

What does the Mediation process involve?

Workplace Mediation is a structured process designed to facilitate and direct people from positions of deeply felt negativity and conflict to new agreed outcomes and constructive changes.

Once the parties concerned have agreed that they wish to engage in the process of mediation and have agreed on who that mediator should be, they will receive some more detailed information outlining the whole mediation process. The parties are asked to sign a pre-mediation agreement – this is a non-legally binding document that simply sets out the basic aims and objectives of the mediation process. This document also helps the parties to commit to the idea of resolving the dispute or issue that exists between them.

Both parties will also be asked to submit a short written statement outlining the situation as they see it to the mediator in advance of the formal mediation beginning or if required, the mediator will arrange to meet with each party individually.

A convenient date is then set for the mediation and a neutral venue is arranged, ideally away from the usual place of work.

Mediation then commences on the day agreed, with the objective of a positive resolution being achieved on that same day, so that the parties can return to work the following day knowing that the issue/dispute is completely behind them and that any damage to their working relationship has been resolved.

The mediator is completely impartial and is there only to facilitate the process. The mediator does not decide what they should do, or make any judgements about the rights and wrongs of the situation. The aim is for the parties involved to explore and agree on win-win solutions, changes of behaviour or work practices, and strategies for action, with an emphasis on how they would like things to be in the future.

 

Is it confidential?

Absolutely. All the information that is exchanged between the parties and the mediator is completely confidential and no report is submitted back to an employer. The entire process is also considered to be ‘without prejudice’, which means that in the unlikely event of the mediation not being successful, the parties cannot rely on what was said during the mediation process in any subsequent action.

 

How likely is it that Mediation will be successful?

Very likely indeed. Nationally, the average success rate for all mediation procedures is in excess of 85%, and this is reflected by our own success rate.

 

Who does the mediating?

Jonathan Bockelmann-Evans is our principal mediator. He has a wide range of experiences and a depth of knowledge that make him ideally suited to working in the mediation field and has successfully facilitated several Workplace Mediations with high-profile clients. He is in the process of studying for an OCN Accredited Certificate in ‘Mediation in the Workplace’ and registering with the Civil Mediation Council.

 

From Stress To Success abide by the European Code of Conduct for Mediators.

 

Cost and further information

Please contact us for details of our costs or if you would like any further information on our Workplace Mediation service.