Member Article

Workplace Mediation - what is it?

I often receive calls from organisations that have long term unresolved staff issues. In the majority of cases the early use of Workplace Mediation would have dealt with these issues more quickly and effectively, saving the organisation a large amount of money.

Instead, the problems are allowed to fester leading to sometimes costly consequences with some ultimately having to be heard through the formal Tribunal system.

Workplace Mediation is an informal and confidential approach to resolve disagreements or conflict between people who work together. It works by encouraging staff and/or management to speak to each other and reach a mutual accord that will sort out the problem. The process is aided by a trained Workplace Mediator who operates as the facilitator.

It provides for management and/or staff the chance to talk about the situation, express their views to one another and come up with some sensible ideas about changing things for the better. The friction could be between two or more people. The difficulty is that the timing on the decision to mediate is often based on a costs equation:-

• Internal damage £ + Future Risk & Liability £ = External Cost for Mediation £

What are the benefits of using Workplace Mediation?

The results taken from a CIPD survey report on Workplace Mediation; respondents stated:-

• To improve relationships between employees: 83%
• To reduce or eliminate the stress involved in using more formal processes: 71%
• To retain valuable employees: 63%
• To reduce the number of formal grievances raised: 57%
• To develop organisational culture that focuses on managing and developing people: 55%
• To avoid costs defending Employment Tribunal Claims: 49%
• To reduce Sickness Absence: 33%
• To maintain confidentiality: 18%

The basic argument for making use of Workplace Mediation was succinctly put by one respondent:-

’A lot is gained from people talking about their problems before an employee with a grievance goes to the law. Many conflicts are escalated by external involvement. When employees go for external advice additional claims are always added ….Too much formalisation leads to escalation of problems, which leads to stress for all concerned, and costs’

The current Acas Code of Practice on Discipline and Grievance is being revised to reflect the changing nature of conflict and disputes at work. The revised non-statutory guidance released in September 2014 places Workplace Mediation at the heart of dispute resolution.

It is hoped the new code will reflect this emphasis.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by The Business Medic .