An impartial third party to resolve conflict
Conflict in the workplace is common. If not resolved, it can quickly escalate.
The cost of conflict to UK organisations is £28.5billion. Don’t let it fester, our Mediation team are on hand to find solutions to any issue.
Book free consultation
Mediation is a tool to resolve workplace conflict or disputes. It’s often described as a form of alternative or informal dispute resolutions as it’s less formal than grievance and discipline procedures and employment tribunals. It still follows a structured approach. Mediation can be used at any stage of a disagreement or dispute. The process is flexible and voluntary.
Mediation seeks to provide fuller solutions that address underlying causes and are more genuinely win-win than adversarial approaches. The process aims to create a safe, confidential space for those involved to find solutions that are acceptable to each side.
Mediation can be used for conflict involving colleagues of a similar job or grade, or between those with different jobs and levels of seniority. It can also be used where there’s a disagreement between a line manager and a member of staff, or groups of staff.
It can be used at any stage in the conflict including to rebuild relationships after a formal dispute has been resolved. In the early stages of a dispute, it has the benefit of stopping it from escalating.
At a very early stage, a team manager may use mediation techniques informally to help people resolve differences, rather than bringing in a designated mediator. Equally, mediation can be useful when managers aren’t well placed to deal with a dispute, for example because they’re implicated in it or lack the skills to resolve it themselves.
It can be used to address a range of workplace issues including relationship breakdown, personality clashes, communication problems, and bullying and harassment. Relationship breakdown is the issue most frequently cited by employers as suitable for mediation.
