HR Zone

The concept of mediation has been splashed across the headlines lately due to a suitably high-profile conflict: the Anglican Church has been divided in two by the issue of women bishops. But the Church is facing the same question as any conflict-stricken organisation does: what is the best approach to bring about a sustainable, long-term solution? It […]

When destructive workplace conflict rears its ugly head, it will typically be an HR professional who suggests mediation as an option to try and resolve the situation By the time the case gets to mediation, this ‘referrer’ will probably have invested significant time and emotion in it and will most likely have expectations about the […]

The prospect of attending a mediation session in order to try and settle a workplace dispute can be very daunting for everyone concerned. So what can HR professionals do to support people and help prepare them for the big day? 1. Clarify the mediation process Most providers supply all parties with a written document that gives […]

Anna Shields & Tania Coke, Consensio The mediation industry has no single regulatory body. The Civil Mediation Council runs a workplace mediation provider registration scheme, which provides a register of mediation suppliers. Although this is a positive step forward, as yet there is no single code of good practice for workplace mediators and the scheme relies on […]

Alex Efthymiades & Tania Coke, Consensio Mediation is increasingly gaining prominence as an effective means of resolving workplace disputes. Yet for many organisations, it is still a relatively untested approach compared to more formal processes such as disciplinary and grievance procedures. In the first of a four part series on the subject, we provide guidance […]