Is there a right to accompaniment in workplace mediation? If you are planning a workplace mediation between two or more of your staff, you might have been asked if one of them can have someone in with them. The answer is far from straightforward. There is no right to accompaniment in workplace mediation, unlike in a disciplinary or grievance process, where it is a statutory right. Some mediators actively discourage it unless a disability or mental health issue renders it essential to the process. What Is Workplace Mediation? Workplace mediation is a way of settling workplace disputes. It is usually done before having to start the disciplinary or grievance process or instead of. However, it is not always appropriate and each case should be judged on its own merits. It involves both sides talking openly in a constructive environment to reach a compromise and enable both parties to move on from a workplace dispute. The process usually involves an external person finding out the details of the disagreement and working with both parties to find a solution. The solution is often a compromise that both sides commit to upholding. You can read more about using an external workplace mediator here. […]
If you have a dispute between a number of your team you might be considering whether you should use an external workplace mediator to settle it. Mediation is a great way to bring harmony back to a workplace if your staff or managers have a disagreement. You might bring in a workplace mediator if: Your employees cannot settle a disagreement themselves. It is affecting the productivity or culture of the workplace. The issue does not require a disciplinary or grievance procedure. On these occasions, mediation can work wonders by helping both parties reach mutual understanding and acceptance. Can you mediate a workplace disagreement yourself or should you use an external workplace mediator? Do You Have To Use A Professional Workplace Mediator? You don’t have to use a professional workplace mediator. You can carry out the mediation yourself or have a colleague do it. However, mediation is a skill in which a professional workplace mediator is trained and experienced. We have been to workplaces where well-meaning managers have had a go a mediating a disagreement and it has actually made things worse. Your staff may not want to share their personal thoughts and feelings with another work colleague. If their level […]
The CIPD’s latest research on how to deal with conflict at work found that just over a third (35 per cent) of employees experienced some form of conflict over the past year, whether that was an isolated incident or an ongoing difficult relationship. Some examples of unpleasant daily work situations experienced by UK employees every year are: A colleague is excluded from work conversations and not invited to a meeting when a new project is introduced. Another is cut off in the middle of answering a question Or pulled up for an easily remedied mistake The boss who overrides reasonable decisions or embarrasses someone in front of their workmates An employee is ‘encouraged’ to take on more work with the ‘incentive’ of holding on to their contract. Findings The report also found 15 per cent of employees have claimed to have suffered bullying at work over the past three years, with 8 per cent experiencing harassment of a non-sexual nature and 4 per cent sexual harassment. However, much more widespread are instances of lower-level conflict that can create the building blocks for the more serious incidents or bullying. Other causes for conflict maybe management who say one thing, yet do […]
Clients regularly ask us does mediation work? Conflict is almost inevitable in most work relationships. Some conflict arises over technical issues – such as what tasks to do and how to do them which can be helpful at times as it drives a company forward to make improvements to processes and policies. However, interpersonal tension can easily damage relationships and lead to wider discord and malfunctioning teams. Some Facts 3 in 4 UK workers report good relationships with their line managers and almost 9 in 10 say they have good relationships with colleagues in their teams. By contrast, 1 in 10 reports a poor relationship with their line manager and 1 in 20 reports poor relationships with team colleagues. Despite this, a number of employees may experience flashpoints of conflict or unfair treatment at work: 3 in 10 workers report at least one form of bullying or harassment in the last year and 1 in 5 UK workers points to a blame culture among their managers and 1 in 5 also point to a lack of an inclusive culture in their teams. The organisational costs of conflict can include: management time being diverted to deal with the conflict instead of […]
Employees who challenge and undermine your authority constantly are deliberately obstructing you in your job. They are rejecting your right to oversee them and have decided that you are not their boss. But you are their boss, they just don’t like it. Maybe they believe they should be in charge. Or perhaps they want you to prove yourself or they just have psychological blocks. Whatever the reason, they are trying to undermine your effectiveness. They are under the presumption that they are too clever and you will avoid confrontation. The situation of a disrespectful employee must be resolved immediately. Otherwise the behaviour will begin to interfere with the work environment. Potentially it could also begin to damage the company from within the workforce. It’s not unusual in this kind of situation to feel anger or sheer frustration with the problem. The employee may think it’s okay to walk out of work because they’re unhappy about something. Or decided to take a break when they feel like it. They could simply ignore your reasonable management instructions altogether. So, how can you deal with employees who challenge and undermine your authority? Mediation in the workplace enables disputing parties to discuss their points of view in a […]
