Workplace Mediation
'Solution/Agreement' focussed
Mediation is not about going over the past and deciding who was right. It is about finding a way forward to work together more harmoniously in future.
Participants generate the solutions
Mediators do not make suggestions for how you will work together. During mediation you will listen to each other’s needs and wishes, and make suggestions for trying to meet your own needs, as well as your colleagues’. We are looking for win-win, co-operative solutions.
Confidentiality
The content of the mediation sessions is entirely confidential between the mediator and the participants. This means your mediator will not be available as a witness in future. They will write up your agreements and give a copy will be given to the Sponsor and to HR/OD. This is the only feedback that they will receive from Rowan, other than a general indication of whether the process seems to be going well.
Informed Consent
Mediation only works if all participants wants to come together to find ways to improve your working relationship.
Mediator is impartial
The mediator does not take sides, nor are they there to judge the merits of the case. Their job is to help you to communicate with your colleague(s), so that you can work together better in future.
When is Mediation Appropriate?
Mediation is appropriate at the early stages of a dispute, to prevent conflicts escalating into a formal grievance, disciplinary, or tribunal. Equally, it can be entered into after a formal grievance or disciplinary, when colleagues need to find a new way to work together.
Mediation is most likely to resolve a conflict when the participants:
- want a resolution
- are able to express themselves
- have the authority to implement their agreement
How Mediation Works
The mediation process can be broken down into three stages:
- Stage 1 – Individual Meetings
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The mediator has a one-to-one meeting with each participant to hear their desired outcome from the mediation, the main issues and to help you prepare for the join meeting.
- Stage 2 – Joint Meeting(s)
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The mediator meets with the participants together, in twos or larger groups. The participants listen to each other and then generate agreements on how you will behave to improve your working relationship(s). We facilitate listening and understanding on both sides and help you create workable solutions to meet both your needs.
We do not dwell on past events, but on behaviour patterns. At the end of the meeting, the participants usually present their written agreements to a colleague, called the Sponsor. - Stage 3 – Review Progress
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The Mediator meets with the participants together regularly to support them in reviewing and refining their agreements. This phase usually lasts up to six weeks.
Examples of suitable issues
Conflicts about:
- working styles, roles, or responsibilities
- bullying, or abuses of power
- discrimination and harassment
- the management of change
- cultural differences
We are signatories to the Mediators Green Pledge which commits us to ensuring that we minimise the impact on the environment of every mediation we are involved in.
Introducing our Mediators
Rachel Weiss
Workplace Mediator
Rachel is an experienced, qualified mediator who has attained the standards of the Scottish Mediation Register. She delights in helping mediation participants see each other as human beings again, instead of demonising one another and taking things personally. Often the differences are due to differences in style or personality. Teasing this out helps participants put past assumptions and conflicts behind them and find new ways of working together.
“I do not aim to make participants friends, just to establish functioning working relationships, so that they can both get their job done efficiently, with minimum personal distress and maximum benefit to the organisation.”
Rachel’s training and experience as a counsellor and coach adds depth to her mediation work. She takes a systemic approach, being aware of the organisational factors which may be influencing the conflict.
Alison Ebbitt
Workplace Mediator
Alison Ebbitt has over 25 years’ experience as a mediator with a specialist qualification in workplace mediation. She is registered with Scottish Mediation and is on the Lord Advocate’s list. Alison is a tutor on University of Strathclyde’s MSc in Mediation and Conflict Resolution and on their Diploma in Professional Legal Practice, as well as teaching on Relationship Scotland’s Certificate in Family Mediators.
Alison has a Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling and is a member of the National Training Team for Scotland’s Mental Health First Aid course. She is an experienced trainer with a professional qualification in Training and Development.
Alison is also a qualified nurse, midwife, social worker and mental health officer and has experience of mentoring.
Find out more about mediation
To book a mediation appointment, or to find out more, simply call us on 01738 562005 or use our contact form.