What to expect at your workplace mediation. Usually, you would have reported a dispute with another employee. Your employer, HR or legal department would then source a workplace mediator.

The mediator once confirmed by your employer should do as follows.

Workplace Mediation Introduction Call

  1. Have a pre telephone call with each employee.
  2. This should be no more than twenty minutes.
  3. The workplace mediator should explain their role clearly. Ensuring that the employee fully understands what they are signing up for. The below should be explained thoroughly.
  • Being independent and neutral.
  • Mediation is freely entered into and is voluntary.
  • Is without prejudice.
  • Completely confidential.

They should then explain the process they are going to use, to tackle the workplace dispute.

  • A private, separate confidential one hour session with each employee.
  • Whereby the remainder of the day is used to have private and joint meetings as appropriate.
  • Any agreement reached is committed to writing, but is not legally binding, unless the employees want it to be. It can only be shared with the employer if both the employees agree to this.

They then should ask about the dispute.

  • How longed have the employees worked together?
  • What went wrong, when and why?
  • What is the current situation?
  • What needs to be done to draw a line and move forward?
  • What could the employee have done differently to have prevented the dispute from escalating?

The mediator should also explain what position statements are.

The Workplace Mediation

The mediator should have prepared by reading through the employee’s position statements, and should be clear on the issues between them. Having had both the private and joint sessions, the mediator’s role is to guide the employees to a solution, facilitating the process, but not imposing a solution on them.

Any agreement reached must accurately reflect what the employees agreed to, the mediator should also check who if anyone, the agreement can be shared with. Learn more about our workplace mediation services to tackle your employment and workplace disputes early.