Employment and Workplace Mediation

Benefits of Employment and Workplace Mediation are;

• It can be applied at any stage of a workplace conflict and is relatively speedy
• It is highly cost effective compared with the cost of formal action or an Employment Tribunal
• It can reduce the levels of stress and sickness absence among employees
• It offers the opportunity to resolve workplace conflict in a way that meets individuals and organisation’s needs
• It is flexible and can accommodate each participants needs, goals and aspirations
• It can improve morale and productivity among staff
• It offers potential remedies to workplace conflict that are not available through adversarial policies and practices
• It is more positive and more likely to give those involved the outcomes they want
• It is more constructive, and can help restore working relations rather than destroy them

Workplace/Employment Mediation is a structured process whereby an impartial mediator facilitates communication between those in dispute in order for them to come up with mutually agreed solutions on how to improve their working relationship in the future or come to agreement on compensation/benefits in cases where employment tribunals have been issued on the grounds of unfair dismissal.

There are a number of reasons which explain why workplace and employment mediation is now becoming the most favoured dispute resolution method for the resolution of employee conflicts including harassment and bullying.

The huge increase in the number of employee complaints (employment tribunal cases reached record levels last year), the higher levels of compensation, the continuing introduction of new employment legislation and, for many, the realisation that formal procedures and investigations can in some circumstances be so adversarial and stressful to all concerned that any possibility of people working together again is minimal.

Workplace Mediation is based on the principles of encouraging constructive communication in a safe and confidential environment, identifying mutual solutions and agreements and restoring respectful, professional working relationships.

Workplace mediation is based on the principles of encouraging constructive communication in a safe and confidential environment and identifying mutual solutions and agreements which will restore respectful, professional working relationships. In many cases of harassment or bullying, people want certain behaviours or language to change and do not wish to go down the route of formal investigation, particularly if they want the working relationship to continue.

Often there are issues on both sides which could be helped by better communication and understanding - facilitated by an experienced mediator.

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