Cerno Thames Ltd | Tel: +44 (0)7798 816169 | Email: kevin.churchill@cernothames.com
What is Workplace Mediation?
Workplace mediation is a structured and supported series of conversations, designed to help coworkers, teams, managers and leaders, resolve conflict quickly and constructively. Workplace mediation provides a constructive, respectful, neutral, safe space for the people involved to express themselves, share their perspectives, listen to the other person, gain understanding, and rebuild trust. It is carried out over several days or weeks, at the workplace, or at a neutral local venue, and involves the coworkers and the mediator gradually working through the situation in a collaborative and constructive manner, all behind closed doors.
The goal is to reach an understanding of past events, and agree a mutually acceptable way of working together in the future, that works for both coworkers and the business, and does not escalate the situation further. The aim is to find a better, or at least workable, working relationship.
Workplace mediation can help co-workers, employees and other stakeholders to avoid or pause, grievance procedures, or employment tribunal procedures, and try to resolve the situation through dialogue.
Why Choose Us?
Whether you're facing a workplace situation with a coworker, line manager or another person at work, Cerno Thames can guide you through the process. Our approach to workplace mediation is designed to empower coworkers, to explore and discuss the situation safely, and agree on appropriate solutions, so as to prevent the conflict escalating, and so the coworkers can work together in the future.
Don't wait for disagreements and disputes to disrupt your peace of mind; have them handled professionally and discreetly.
Let's arrange an initial exploratory call and explore constructive resolutions.
Contact Cerno Thames; we are your partners in progress, prosperity and peace of mind.
Key Benefits of Mediation
By prioritising cooperation over confrontation, coworkers and businesses can save resources, preserve relationships, and swiftly return their focus to growth and success.
Reduces Stress and Anxiety
Reduces stress and anxiety, compared to formal HR procedures, improving mental health and well-being.
Positive Workplace
Maintains a positive work environment, reducing further disputes.
Preserves Relationships
Protect and maintain working relationships by reaching mutually acceptable agreements, civilly and respectfully.
Confidential and Private
All discussions remain private and confidential to those in the room.
Empowers Decision-Making
You are each in control of the outcome and timeline, not an investigating manager, HR or Tribunal, or even the mediator.
Flexibility
Mediation provides for a wide range of possible outcomes, that you can decide.
When to use
Workplace Mediation
Workplace mediation is particularly effective for addressing tension or communication breakdowns between coworkers, disputes between managers and team members, allegations of bullying, disrespect or exclusion, and a wide range of other workplace matters.
What's involved in Workplace Mediation?
Workplace mediation typically involves a period of individual preparation, followed by an individual meeting with the mediator, followed by a joint meeting with the coworkers and mediator together, finally followed by an individual check-in meeting with the mediator, several weeks later.
What's HR's involvement in Workplace Mediation?
HR professionals are crucial to the success of workplace mediation for the coworkers.
They ensure coworkers understand their roles and responsibilities, and are supported by the company throughout. It is the HR team that appoints the Cerno Thames mediator to mediate the situation or dispute.
"‘Kevin has completed several workplace mediations for Oxford Brookes so far this year, and the feedback from parties is consistently good.
In each case Kevin has helped parties move their situation along towards resolution and helped them improve their working relationship."
Jessica Loveday, People Manager
Oxford Brookes University'
Commonly Asked Questions
about Workplace Mediation
Workplace mediation is a confidential, structured process, that helps coworkers resolve disagreements and disputes quickly and effectively. It is a voluntary and confidential process where a neutral third party, the mediator, helps coworkers in conflict to explain their perspective to the other coworker, listen to the other person's perspective, and find a mutually acceptable way of working together in the future.
Any coworker experiencing tension with another colleague, or a line manager, or anyone else at work, can request mediation at any time. A workplace mediation may also be suggested by the HR team, or management, as a means to resolve tension, improve communication or resolve a disagreement or dispute.
Workplace mediation can be started at any time, including either before, after or during a grievance process. Ideally, workplace mediation is an alternative to formal processes such as the grievance procedure.
Generally, you can initiate the request for workplace mediation by speaking with your HR department.
In a workplace mediation each coworker first meets with the mediator individually, either in-person on online.
Several days later, and after each individual meeting has taken place, the two coworkers and the mediator meet together for the joint meeting. The joint meeting is usually in-person, at the workplace or at a neutral local venue, and takes place over a morning or afternoon. The final stage is a round of individual meetings approx two weeks after the joint meeting, to check in with each coworker to see how the situation has improved.
A typical workplace mediation takes place over 2-4 weeks, and allows each coworker time to think and reflect between sessions.
Sometimes additional individual or joint sessions are required depending on the complexity of the situation at hand.
Yes, all workplace mediation meetings are strictly private and confidential. The discussions and any agreements reached are not disclosed to anyone else outside of the mediation room, unless both coworkers agree that content or other information can be shared.
The discussions and agreements are not shared with the HR team, unless each coworker agrees to do so.
The confidentiality encourages openness and frankness by both coworkers during the meetings.
The mediator facilitates the process, guiding discussions and helping coworkers identify issues and explore solutions. The coworkers actively engage in the conversation, share their perspectives, and collaborate on finding a resolution. Decisions are reached through mutual agreement between the coworkers, not imposed by the mediator.
Workplace mediation is suitable for a variety of workplace disputes, including addressing tension or communication breakdowns between coworkers, disputes between managers and team members, allegations of bullying, disrespect or exclusion, and a wide range of other workplace matters. However, issues involving serious misconduct, legal violations, or some matters requiring formal investigations may not be appropriate for mediation.
You are advised to seek guidance from your HR department.
Workplace mediation can help coworkers, colleagues, managers and other stakeholders avoid or pause, grievance procedures, or employment tribunal procedures, and try to resolve the situation through dialogue.
If mediation isn’t possible, suitable or successful, then our conflict coaching may be able to help you progress the workplace situation.