Employers: A good practice for employers is to include a mandatory mediation clause in their employment contracts. This allows employees to try and resolve work issues through mediation first, opposed to simply resigning or seeking legal action.
Employees and Employers: It’s favourable for both the employee and the employer to resolve conflicts. It isn’t beneficial for either party to sever a valuable relationship. Resolving conflict results in the employee returning to work, being productive and happy in his/her job, avoiding the stress of unemployment and job hunting.
For the employer it alleviates time-consuming hiring and training responsibility, along with the associated strain affecting the rest of the employees having to pick-up the slack during the replacement process.
Resolving issues quickly, before they become toxic, results in a happier and mentally healthier work environment. Knowing that conflicts are taken seriously; that efforts are put forth for fair resolution; and that employees are valued makes for a productive workplace.
Some common workplace issues that could be resolved through mediation before good employees quit and valuable relationships dissolve:
- Interpersonal conflicts (e.g. Personal, between employee & manager, between managers, between employees)
- Communication problems
- Bullying
- Harassment
- Discrimination
- Performance issues
Mediation Solutions 