Mediation

Mediation provides an early opportunity for the people concerned to communicate with one another in a private, safe and secure environment with the help of an independent and trained mediator who facilitates.

Benefits of Mediation:

Creates better solutions by involving people appropriately;
Protects the well-being, mental health and dignity of employees;
Protects the reputation of the organisation;
Saves money by ensuring a prompt return to productive work and reducing long absences, unwanted early retirements and resignations;
It fits organisations values far better than the more adversarial approaches;
Direct costs of mediation are typically one-third of those expected in pursuing traditional grievances;
In just a day or two most situations can be resolved amicably;
Cases are closed quickly, ensuring a prompt return to productive work;
It avoids valuable employees leaving, many costing up to four times their salary to replace;
It protects the time of internal managers and specialists;
Mediation prevents relationships from deteriorating to levels which make a full recovery difficult;
It gives people the chance to re-build working relationships and contributes to a positive working culture.

Responses from those who have engaged Mediation Services

“In just one day, two mediators helped the employees to begin talking again. Both complaints were withdrawn and the employees reported regaining a sense of dignity and control over their situation.”

“The case was closed by lunchtime and both people back at work. Our Plant Manager was delighted. It had saved valuable time and money but he also noticed a positive effect on the atmosphere on the afternoon shift. I now have confidence to offer mediation more often.”

“I am convinced that mediation is the future. A difference of opinion had persisted for weeks between these 2 officers; we had 2 formal complaints on the table and team safety was being compromised. After just a few hours with a mediator, they had resolved their differences, the complaint was dropped and team work and safety improved immediately.”

The Process

How?

The process is simple. We assess the situation with you. We make an early opportunity for the parties to meet with the mediator, usually individually in person or by telephone. The parties only progress to a shared mediation if and when all are ready.

What really is the problem?

An employee may have questioned how they have been treated by a work colleague; someone may be absent due to stressful relationships at work; someone may be thinking of complaining more formally about a possible discrimination issue; an investigation may have left people with low energy for mending relationships and moving on; or someone may wish to leave with some closure, dignity and even perhaps a settlement.

Resolution and speedy closure

For protracted or complex individual people situations we will guide you towards prompt resolution and closure of the situation. This can save continued and unproductive expenditure and bring uncertain and stressful situations to an end. An average mediation takes between 5 to 7 hours from commencement to resolution and enforcement of agreement.

Rates vary depending upon the number of participants to the mediation, but are usually between $260 per hour to $360 per hour. Please call us now to obtain a quote.

Feedback to the organisation is limited in order to protect privacy to that agreed beforehand or with the parties’ consent. Mediators encourage feedback by the parties to the organisation so that future management action, support and duty of care for others can be addressed.

Mediation is voluntary and does not prejudice the right to access other procedures later if problems remain.

Mediation is usually successful – over 95% of cases settle.