Common Misconceptions

What follows are some of the key areas where misconceptions arise about workplace mediation and a brief overview of the best practice approach adopted by ScotCoach in its own practice.

1.      The External Mediator Solves the Problem For The Parties

The mediators do not impose a solution on the parties as it will be up to the employees engaged in the mediation process to arrive together at a resolution that all feel they can live with.

The mediators are trained independent people whose role will be to assist the parties to identify the problems and facilitate a safe and respectful discussion and explore whether a settlement or resolution is possible.

2.     Willingness to Participate

All that is required initially is that the parties feel a willingness to attempt the resolution process. This does not have to mean that they like the other person or will end up liking them or befriending them, only that they are willing to enter into a frank and honest discussion of the issues in an effort to resolve them.

Parties are also free to end or pause their involvement in the process at any time if they feel that they are either too distressed or lose faith in the process to arrive at a resolution.

3.     The Parties Need to Be in The Same Room From The Outset

If employees are initially too distressed to meet face to face with each other it is possible to conduct parts of the process using a ‘shuttle method’ whereby the parties are interviewed in separate rooms and if at any time they feel comfortable enough they can then be brought together. However it is possible to use a shuttle approach throughout the entire process if needed or a combination of approaches can be used that suits the needs of the parties and the issues involved.

Parties to the process can expect to be asked to consider and discuss their needs, fears and expectations for the future and to make statements about what they believe would solve the problem and then to enter into a negotiation process to attempt to arrive at a resolution.

Each person is met with individually in the first instance to confidentially discuss each person’s issues and to assess if the conflict is suitable for mediation. Once it has been assessed as suitable and the parties have agreed to proceed with the mediation the parties can then be brought together.

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