Using Mediation to Manage Workplace Conflict

Mediation is a method of mending relationships when employees have a disagreement. It is held by a trained and neutral third party (the mediator).

In a report, Mediation and early resolution in East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, Acas measures the effectiveness of workplace mediation. In this report, a mediation scheme has been introduced to East Lancashire Hospitals, and the results so far show that:

• Mediation referrals have a resolution rate of over 90%

• 75% of cases brought to the referral scheme have been resolved informally

Mediation can be a powerful tool to reduce formal grievances that take up time and may damage workplace relationships. Depending on your specific business needs you can train in-house mediators or use external mediators. External mediation can be useful where all the available internal mediations have some connection to the disputing parties and therefore cannot approach the situation without bias.

If you find that your workplace has a high number of grievances, or workplace conflict is getting more common or more serious, then it may be time to consider mediation training for a select number of managers.