Solutions
» Mediation
What is mediation?
Mediation is a voluntary and collaborative process between people in disagreement or dispute. It is a way of resolving disputes which helps those involved reach an agreement with the help of an impartial third party; the mediator. The people actually involved in the dispute decide their own goals and the terms of any settlement. The mediator’s role is non-partisan; it is not to either define or impose the goals of a third party such as employer or HR department. In workplace mediation, the mediator will take the employer’s view into consideration as background information, but a mediator is not there to do the employer’s bidding.
Mediation is a problem solving procedure and its essence is about finding a solution that satisfies everyone (this is often called a win/win approach). The process of mediation treats both people equally. Both people, therefore, must be engaged enough in the process to work collaboratively and have the desire to find a solution.
PPC has a dedicated workplace mediation service so specialist advice is at hand. If you have a situation that you think would benefit from mediation, call us and we can talk it through. We can explain how the service works, what it costs and answer any other questions you may have.
When is mediation appropriate?
PPC’s workplace mediation service provides an effective and confidential way of resolving disputes and disagreements in the workplace. Typically, we are called to help with conflicts between staff members, between a member of staff and a manager, within a team or between teams or groups.
Mediation is also appropriate for resolving difficulties between different agencies, customers and suppliers or management and unions.
Why use mediation?
Conflict is costly, and when conflicts spiral out of control the costs follow suit. Obvious examples are the high-profile conflicts that hit the headlines, but any grievance or complaints procedure ties up people, resources and management time. They also lower morale, damage performance and productivity, increase absenteeism and generally reduce efficiency in any organisation.
Formal versus informal routes
In contrast to these formal routes, mediation provides an informal, voluntary and highly effective way of helping disputants negotiate solutions to their problems. By engaging the parties and encouraging dialogue the mediator facilitates understanding and, in many cases, enables the parties to increase mutual awareness and improve their working relationship.
Clients are frequently amazed at what can be achieved with the help of a skilled mediator, even in the face of apparent impasse.
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