Workplace
Workplace Mediation in London
Workplace Mediation
What it is and how it can help you and your organisation?
Mediation is a process in which an impartial third party helps disputing parties work towards resolving their dispute and reach agreement of how they will work more productively together in the future. The disputants, not the mediator, decide how they will work together more productively in the future.
Mediation provides opportunities for people to learn how to communicate better. In a safe environment they can communicate (speak and listen) exchange feelings, ideas and perceptions; negotiate; participate fully in making decisions about their working lives.
Conflict resolution in London
All employers experience conflict in the work place from time to time. This conflict can disrupt the way an organisation performs and can lead to poor morale, high staff turnover, absenteeism and costly grievance and disciplinary procedures.
The modern legislative framework places more emphasis on employers developing a 'toolkit' of preventative measures which can be developed alongside existing procedures to manage employee relations.
Mediation should form part of that toolkit, to prevent unnecessary escalation of disputes and long-winded, high-cost formal processes which can be detrimental to the running of an organisation.
What is in it for the employer?
Mediation has been shown to be cost effective. It can be rapidly arranged to nip problems in the bud before they start to affect performance, productivity and costs. It is may be considered a more positive step compared to other, more formal, and adversarial processes and procedures.
In many cases, effective conflict resolution skills can make the difference between positive and negative outcomes. By having mediation available, an employer is demonstrating that they have the welfare and interests of their staff at heart and wish to maintain a peaceful working environment. In many cases, effective conflict resolution can make the difference between the success and failure of an organisation.
Issues and conflicts can occur in any organisation. My business mediation and facilitation skills are universal in scope and application because they deal with interpersonal relationships.
If you are considering mediation to resolve any dispute in your workplace, please call me, I offer a free initial consultation to explore with you: the history of the dispute, the various parties' positions, concerns and the desired outcomes.
If Mediation is going to be helpful then I will:
Attend individual meetings with all parties. The employees concerned will then be interviewed separately by me to determine their view of the dispute and what they would like to see change.
If both parties are then agreeable, a joint meeting, preferably the same day, will be arranged. How long the session takes depends on how much there is to discuss and how willing the disputants are to look to the future and reach agreements. By the end of the session it is envisaged that the disputants will reach agreement. Further sessions can be arranged if necessary
I will facilitate the meeting in a way that provides a safe and positive environment, in which people are helped to focus on the future of their working relationship, rather than on the past. Exploring the past serves to help the parties understand why it has been difficult to work together but does not seek to lay blame on either side
The whole process will be run according to a sequence of mediation stages and will be subject to a strict confidentiality agreement. This allows people to speak honestly and without fear of retribution.
Where a disciplinary, grievance, or other adversarial process is imminent and needs to be avoided, having me to facilitate a 'difficult' meeting is well worth considering!
At Judy Karr & Associates we strive to achieve a high level of service for all our employee assisted program services in London and the surrounding areas at either in my consulting room in Mill Hill or at your offices .