- LEADR Workshop 25 November: Mediating workplace bullying complaints
- LEADR Presentation: Mediation – is it suitable for workplace bullying complaints?
- Moira Jenkins to speak at LEADR Conference in Brisbane 7 - 9 September 2011
- Introducing a new model of mediation for addressing complaints of workplace bullying.
- Is Brodie’s law effective in preventing bullying or a case of closing the gate after the horse has bolted?
Workplace Mediation
By dealing with conflicts as early as possible, mediation can assist your staff to resolve issues that have the potential to escalate into disputes and disrupt work teams and the organisation as a whole.
Workplace mediation can prevent disputes ending in court, which is a slow, expensive and stressful process. Once a complainant takes the legal avenue, a business or organisation can lose control of any resolution process, as both parties defend their legal positions, and stop looking for mutual solutions. It is always worth trying to mediate first.
Mediation allows for direct discussion between people in conflict, and a mediator assists parties to search for practical solutions. Mediation focuses on the interests and needs of the parties rather than just their position.
A mediator has no decision-making power, and assists people in conflict to communicate with each other in a way that they can identify the issues that are contributing to the conflict, and then begin to problem-solve and reach mutually acceptable solutions.
Mediation is a voluntary process, so that all participants must be willing to accept the assistance of the mediator if he or she is to help them resolve their differences.
With permission of the parties involved in the conflict, the mediator can make recommendations to the business or organisation in regard to strategies for preventing similar workplace issues from arising. Moira has developed a model of mediation specifically for complaints of workplace bullying. This model is respectful of the needs of the complainant and the respondent. It helps them both to collaborate in identifying factors in the organisation that may have contributed to the conflict in which they find them selves. With their permission, these factors are discussed with HR so they can be addressed in order to prevent similar conflicts from arising.
Mediation can also occur after an investigation in order to help the parties focus on how they are going to work together in the future and restore relationships. A mediation offers opportunities for apology, explanation and expression of feelings in a safe and structured environment.
It is worth trying to mediate workplace conflicts so contact Aboto for a mediator to assist you.