Written by HR Dept Bristol, North Somerset & Bath
Opinionated discussions are inevitable in the workplace, but what happens when the discussions start to get heated? What do you do when conflicts between your workforce progresses into a dispute or even develops further and you unnecessarily lose a valuable member of a team?
Offering independent workplace mediation either before, or after a formal grievance is raised, intervenes and quickly resolves disputes by taking the focus away from “who is wrong and who is right” and instead guides the parties to move towards their own resolution. Mediation can be between any two parties, be it employees, managers or even between limited liability partners.
Why is mediation effective?
- Mediating situations before disputes amplify will prevent the breakdown of relationships beyond repair and will improve the chances of reaching a resolution at a quicker rate.
- By gaining the trust and confidence of each party, mediation ultimately improves communication, preserves working relationships and helps parties to work productively together again.
- The mediator is a fully trained unbiased individual who has no authority to force a decision. So a decision made as a result of mediation is likely to be more effective and last longer as nothing will be decided without each party’s involvement and agreement.
- Mediating grievances is ultimately going to be more cost effective than resolving a legal case.
Why outsource mediation?
- Allowing an outsourced partner to provide mediation will offer greater impartiality and consequently higher levels of trust from the individuals involved.
- Outsourced mediators are trained to deliver effective results; a more cost effective and convenient alternative to training internal staff in mediation management.
At The HR Dept we offer onsite or offsite workplace mediation with trained mediation officers, at a cost-effective price. If you would like more information about mediation in your workplace and the benefits it will bring, please contact The HR Dept on 0117 970 2955 or email advice@hrdept.co.uk.
