Workplace Mediation Services

What is mediation?

Mediation is a process that can also be referred to as Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). It is an alternative to judicial determination, which can save your business alot of time, money and angst.  The participants are involved in a process that will identify the issues, explore options and ultimately, consider options for outcomes that they are satisfied with. Having a 'mediator' to facilitate the process allows  someone neutral to guide the participants through the process, which allows the parties to feel heard and acknowledged. The mediator does not have a preferred outcome, so they can be impartial and guide the negotation to be fair and equitable.

Why use it?

Mediation can be an excellent circuit-breaker when you have an escalating dispute within your workplace. By addressing conflict early you can reinforce your positive company culture and support your employees through workplace disputes. Bringing the parties together, with a neutral third-party to facilitate the process, to discuss and ultimately resolve the issue can be a time and cost efficient way forward. Situations that could benefit from engaging a mediator would be:

• team breakdowns or inter-personal conflict between employees
• managing high-conflict performance issues
• de-escalating bullying or discrimination claims before formal escalation
• post-investigation issues (for example, reintegration after bullying complaints)
• general workplace breakdowns that haven't reached litigation or turned into a workers compensation claim.

Mediation is usually confidential, which can be another benefit for the business to stay out of the courts and media. 

Who can help?

If you want to explore mediation we recommend using a specialist that is trained in this area. We currently have two Associate Directors who have gone through the rigorous  training and quailification to become Nationally Accreditated Mediators under the National Mediator Accreditation System (NMAS). This system is a standard recognised across Australia.

If you are dealing with a dispute in the workplace and you want to explore if mediation is right for your business, get in touch with Tamsin or Kate for a confidential initial chat. Simply complete the form on this page or call us on 1300 565 846.