Frequently Asked Questions: Mediation and Facilitated Discussion

What difference will a mediation make?

Engaging Worklogic to conduct a mediation will give you and your employees the opportunity to have a facilitated, managed discussion about the issues.

It can move your employees away from hostility, and encourage them instead to engage in rational dialogue and work towards generating solutions.

In this way, in-house mediation can achieve positive outcomes for everyone involved.

What is mediation?

Mediation is a voluntary, confidential and facilitated discussion by the relevant people about the issues in dispute. The discussion gives the participants an opportunity to be heard, and to hear what each other has to say.

The mediator guides the discussion and encourages those involved to find a mutually acceptable resolution to the issues raised. The participants are encouraged – but not forced – to reach agreement. If they are unable to reach an agreement that they can live with, they will at least have a better understanding of each other’s perspectives.

Mediation can also assist in re-building working relationships.

When will mediation be suitable?

We can explore with you whether a particular workplace conflict is suitable for mediation. For example, the parties to a mediation may discuss inappropriate workplace behaviour, poor communication, or disputes about terms and conditions of employment.

Mediation can also occur after a workplace investigation to help rebuild and normalise workplace relationships.

How does the mediation process work?

Once agreement is reached to participate in the mediation, we will:

Arrange to meet the participants separately to understand the issues and to explain the process;
Bring the participants together to outline their concerns and engage in facilitated discussion;
Encourage them to understand the issues from each other’s perspective;
Ensure neither participant feels disadvantaged, so that they can properly engage in fair and equal discussions and negotiations; and
Encourage them to explore resolution.

The process is confidential and impartial. An outcome will not be imposed on the participants – a dispute can only be resolved in mediation if the participants agree on the outcome.

What are the possible consequences of mediation?

The participants themselves create and agree on the outcomes of their mediation, so there is no “standard” outcome.

What is the difference between mediation and facilitated discussion?

A facilitated discussion is like an informal meeting between the parties, so it is less structured than a mediation. In both processes, the mediator/facilitator sets ground rules of behaviour, addresses any power imbalances, and engages in reality checking, reframing and assisting the parties to discuss ways in which they can improve the future ongoing working relationship.

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