The Resolution Revolution

We’ve always known that mediation works. 20 years of business success has depended on it.

The purpose of workplace mediation is, in a nutshell, to resolve conflict. By settling grievances, this naturally fosters a healthier, happier, and more harmonious workplace. But it goes much further than that. Many companies anticipate a positive, forward-facing cultural shift within their organisations following an adoption of alternative dispute resolution.

This is because the very concept of mediation prompts parties to think outside the box, discuss root issues, and customise their own bespoke and creative resolutions. Formal litigation is the antithesis of this: only specific claims are identified and judged to a rigid ruling, leaving no space for discussion and dialogue.

Away from the stark and hostile interiors of courtrooms, affirmative behaviours of collaboration, communication, compassion, and creativity are learned and practised by involved parties, facilitated by an external and impartial mediator. Value arises from thoughtful consideration and discussion of underlying interests and needs.

When it is acknowledged that embodying these qualities results in a win-win outcome, parties choose to actively continue this flow of positive action, interaction, and reaction back in their respective workplaces.

The Benefits

Let’s get down to the details. Why mediation?

  • It saves time, money and stress.
  • It places responsibility for the resolution directly with the parties.
  • It creates a safe place for all sides to have their say and be heard, with uninterrupted speaking time.
  • Disputes are halted before they escalate out of control.
  • Mediation reduces the stress and anxiety associated with conflict.
  • It reduces the risk of litigation and costs of conflict.
  • Mediation helps to cultivate a happier, healthier and more harmonious working environment.

Oh, and it also has an unprecedented 93% success rate!

Kotryna Surkeviciute Customer Success Team Lead at UNiDAYS

“The Practical Mediation Skills course was so full of new and really useful information for me; this has given me a lot of confidence in how to approach conflict, especially highlighting phrases to use and to avoid to ensure my own languages can support and diffuse the situation. I enjoyed the open discussions most because it was really interesting to hear different scenarios and examples, and how they relate to my own. Overall, the course was very interactive which is my preferred way of learning.”

Helen Sumner HR Business Partner at Tokio Marine Kiln

“Practical Mediation Skills is an excellent course facilitated by a highly experienced mediation practitioner, would thoroughly recommend.”

Juliette Staunton Senior HR Consultant at Clarke Willmott LLP

“The HR as Coach and Mediator course was a 2-day programme supported by useful resources and insightful information from the trainer. Group sessions allowed for open discussion and debate about the topics covered.”

Jenny Jones Wellbeing Support Caseworker at Hampshire Constabulary

“Essentials of Mediation is a great course delivered in a different way that keeps you engaged and involved at all times.”

Helen Williams Leadership Development Consultant at Nottingham Trent University

“For me, the mediation workshop provided a round peg to the round hole I had!”

Lucy Finnie HR Officer at Trust Links

“The Practical Mediation Skills course was packed full of information, useful tips and guidance on how to start mediation sessions in the workplace. Fantastic training and support. Well worth it.”

Gemma Bromfield MD HR Consultant at Go Beyond HR Consultancy Ltd

“I have had the best experience with The Mediation Company, and I will be recommending TMC to colleagues interested in mediation.”

Dan Gilmour Associate Director of Employee Relations at Gilead Sciences

“This is a tough and intensive course, but thoroughly rewarding. It introduced good, solid frameworks and formats to adopt when conducting mediation at work. Terry was a very skilled and informative trainer, and the other facilitators who joined him were very supportive and gave some great ideas and feedback which helped my understanding and confidence grow.”

Nicola Woodhouse Jensen HR Business Partner at Coleg Gwent

“Excellent course with some great skills and tools to perform in my HR role day to day and manage effective mediation. Thank you to the trainer for a really positive learning experience and for supplying me with a great kit bag!”

Louise Sims Partnership Development Manager at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust

“TMC provide excellent, in-depth and practical mediation training. Highly recommend.”

Jan Barrett Service Administrator at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust

“An educational course delivered in an entertaining and engaging manner, would thoroughly recommend if you are considering mediation training.”

Joshuah Codjoe Tower Hamlets Enforcement Team Leader at London Borough of Tower Hamlets

“TMC were great from start to finish and the knowledge of the trainer/s is next to none. If you want to have a sound understanding of mediation in a short period of time then TMC will meet your expectations!”

Emily Stuart Employee Relations Advisor at RSPCA

“The mediation training that was delivered by TMC was enjoyed by all delegates on the course, we all felt that we had learnt a new skill that we could not only use to benefit the organisation but one that we could take away into our personal and professional lives. The trainer Bola was enthusiastic and knowledgeable. Would strongly recommend this course.”

Val Ward Learning & Development Manager at Historic Royal Palaces

“Managers tell me it’s definitely a worthwhile thing to do. As they trust the process and see what can come out of it, more and more are saying ‘What about mediation?’ A lot of the principles of mediation are about common sense and disagreements in the workplace often start out as simple misunderstanding.”

David Corbin Equality & Diversity Manager at Dorset Healthcare

“After looking at several companies I attended one of TMC’s taster sessions. Following that I booked to attend the full course. The service overall was outstanding, and the professionalism of the trainers was outstanding. I still use the supporting material today as a guide. Since I became trained my Trust has now invested in three further Workplace Mediators and we have just completed an 18-month report on the cases we have had referred. We also meet monthly for a debriefing session to discuss cases. We are in the process of reviewing our Grievance Policy and Mediation is already listed as an early intervention before moving to a full-blown investigation. To be completely honest I have always found my interactions with TMC very positive. I feel that I can approach the team at any time for advice and linking into the Webinars is always a good reminder of why we take the steps to resolve issues at the lowest possible level.”

Poonam Bhatt HR Advisor at Ambitious About Autism

“The Mediation Company has a reputation exceeding other organisations. TMC provided the specialist skills for the Mediation Course ensuring that the small groups allowed the focus to work through the mediation approach and style. The course was extremely effective as the practical element I was able to take away and use the skills when mediating at work.  I was able to share my skills and knowledge with managers within the organisation and use the skills effectively. TMC helped by bringing benefits into our organisation by enhancing the need for mediation before taking the formal route of capability. I will always recommend TMC to others due to the personable training that was delivered and the effective approach.”

Helen Snape Human Resources Manager at Care UK

“Mediation is an excellent and sustainable form of conflict resolution. The course was intense, educational, well-structured and most of all fun. I particularly liked the mixture of different learning styles that was presented by both trainers and I most certainly feel able to start mediating straight away!”

Cathe Gaskell B&H Specialist at London Ambulance Service

“David and his team were superb to work with in every way, generous with their time, inspiring and motivating… they delivered fantastic training and worked to engage staff at all levels as experts in mediation and conflict management. David was both empathic and intuitive, he made it easy to work with and he was very supportive to me as a client. In terms of customer care, The Mediation Company is an outstanding group and made things easy.”

Anna Ryland Senior People Advisor at The White Company

“The Practical Mediation Skills course was brilliant – a great journey through mediation and understanding the process. The models help to frame and are really clear on the purpose of the process. An excellent and insightful course. I understand the process and best practice fully. I would highly recommend!”

Ben Williams Senior ER Manager at Virgin Atlantic Airways

“The mediation training that The Mediation Company delivered was first class – engaging, thought provoking and highly professional. David’s collaborative, future focused and solution focused approach to conflict resolution really resonated with me and my team and aligns neatly with our brand values and people strategy.”

Catherine Anderson Organisational Development Manager at OneSource

“Great organisation and great people passionate about mediation and resolution. We have worked with The Mediation Company for 5 years and have recommended their mediation and training services to many.”

Tracy HR Lead at Hounslow and Richmond Community Healthcare NHS Trust

“Mediation training is a must for all HR professionals who deal with conflict – definitely added value!”

Katie Rees HR Manager at ARAG plc

“Fantastic course that was accessible online and facilitated very well. It has provided me with so many skills that I can use day to day as well as in a full mediation situation. It has helped me become much more comfortable in tackling workplace conflicts than I have ever been. Thank you!”

Andrea Weigert Consultant Anaesthetist at Chelsea and Westminster NHS Trust

“This course has been both hard work and immensely enjoyable, and has made me feel much more confident to use mediation in a workplace setting.”

Danni Hudson HR Mediation and Investigations Service at DWP

“The Mediation Company has been used several times by DWP over the years, we’ve received very positive feedback from our mediators from every course that’s been run. We have a great relationship, TMC has fantastic offers/networking events and I hope we will continue to see more of this. The training that TMC delivered was extremely effective and engaging. Even those trained by TMC from other government departments have had nothing but good things to say. TMC benefited us by giving us the ability for our organisation to offer an outstanding mediation service which is continuing to grow. If was up to me we’d choose TMC every time, but I understand we have internal processes to follow. I look forward to us working together in future, hopefully not just the training of new mediators, but other events too.”

The Model

Our way works. At The Mediation Company, our FAIR Mediation Model™ is specifically designed for solving workplace disputes. It’s really effective and has been used by some big names: Royal Mail, HSBC, Aviva, Network Rail, The Metropolitan Police, alongside universities, hospitals, councils and pharmaceuticals.

This model gets right to the root cause of a conflict whilst bringing a pragmatic problem-solving approach. And when the conflict has been successfully resolved, the model delivers just as much, after the process has taken place.

Putting people first is at the core of everything we do. Remember it’s people you are dealing with, not statistics. Treat them as humans – with kindness, compassion and integrity – and watch fear subside in the face of wellbeing, productivity and success.

The process

The mediation process removes debates, cultivates a safe space, and brings resolution at pace. In just one day, a mutual agreement will be reached as follows:

During the first meeting:

  • Both parties meet with the mediator individually.
  • This meeting provides an opportunity for both parties to identify the root cause of the conflict.

During the second meeting:

  • This meeting is also held individually.
  • Both parties understand and decide how they want to explain their situation within the joint meeting.

During the joint meeting:

  • Both parties are together in a room with the mediator.
  • They both have uninterrupted speaking time and are encouraged to listen and understand each other’s perspectives.
  • This part of the process can completely change the dynamic and is hugely powerful.
  • The exchange takes place, after which mutual agreement is made for resolution.

When the mediation concludes:

  • Parties are invited to reflect on the process and the outcome.
  • They decide on future action to be taken if a further conflict arises.
  • The mediator remains in contact with the parties involved for a year after mediation.

 

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