Are you involved in a conflict at work?
If you are involved in a dispute with a colleague or your employer, the information on this page may help.
Suspicious?
The dispute may have dragged on for some time, with little movement towards a solution. You may be suspicious of a suggestion to mediate, because you're not sure what it involves or because you feel it could be a delaying tactic.
Reassurance
If your employers have suggested mediation, it is usually out of an honest attempt to reach a resolution that you can agree with. If you are dubious about whether it can work, this quote from an individual who mediated with us may help:
"My own feeling is that without mediation it would have been very difficult to get anywhere near resolving this issue."
Mediation creates a calm, confidential atmosphere in which you and the others involved can talk about your grievances and the issues that have lead to the conflict. The mediators, who will be completely impartial in their attitude, are there to help both sides find ways to resolve the dispute. They are not there to judge the merits of either side, nor to tell you what you must or must not agree to. A few words here won't overcome any suspicions you may have, but there are some things you can do to decide if mediation might help.
Background Reading : You can download the Mediation FAQs document which will give you more answers.
If you are involved in a dispute with your Employer you will find more information in Preparing for a Mediation Employee. You may also find some of the Case Histories relevant in deciding whether mediation may be appropriate.
Pre-Mediation Meeting
You could ask if you could hold a Pre-Mediation meeting. This is held with a mediator and is confidential. The objective is to let you explain the problem, ask any questions about what happens at a mediation, what the mediators do, what you might expect from it and how you should prepare for it.
What to do next
Talk to your HR manager, union representative or legal advisor who could ask the company whether they would agree to a pre-mediation meeting or you could ask them yourself. Which ever you choose, remember to give the company our contact details and ask them to call us. Or if you would like us to talk to the company, use the contact details opposite and tell us who we should contact. Remember anything you tell us will always be confidential and will not be passed on to anyone else.