Considering referring a case to mediation?
- Do you have members of staff, at any level, who find themselves embroiled in conflict with another member of staff or group of people?
- The parties involved may be distressed and upset?
- Their conflict is having a negative effect both on their own performance and that of their colleagues?
- Attempts will have been made locally to resolve their issues and despite this the conflict remains?
- You are not sure what route to go down next?
- Their conflict is dominating your time?
- The parties are reluctant to raise a formal grievance but don't know what else to try?
Mediation is being used successfully within the University amongst a very diverse range of employees, at all levels. Over 90% of cases that go to mediation reach an agreement which includes both parties agreeing a way of working together in the future that is acceptable to them both. The Mediation Service have successfully dealt with complicated entrenched conflicts that have been going on for months/years which had seemed impossible to resolve.
Cases often involve perceptions of bullying and harrassment, differences in/dislike of line-management style, aspects of performance management, poor communication practices, conflict and confrontation, no communication and isolation and a complete breakdown in a working relationship.
Recommended way to approach the subject of mediation with parties in conflict
- Gaining the consent of each party to mediate is more likely to be achieved if sort by the Mediation Services Manager rather than the manager/HR/team leader. This helps to avoid parties feeling pressured into agreeing without first having an opportunity to discuss and understand mediation more fully.
- Ask each party if they would be willing to participate in a resolution process. Recommend they consider mediation first as an informal way of resolving their difficulties before looking at the formal processes.
- Rather than explaining mediation at length yourself merely gain each parties agreement for you to pass their name to the Mediation Services Manager.
- You may need to remind each party that agreeing to talk to the Mediation Services Manager does not commit them to anything, it is completely confidential, nor does agreeing to mediation affect their rights to proceed to other remedies such as raising a grievance. Draw their attention to the Mediation Service webpages to get more information: http:www.southampton.ac.uk/mediation
- The Mediation Services Manager will take it from there by contacting each party individually and arrange to meet them. Each party will then be in a position to make an informed choice and THEY CAN DECIDE whether it is something they feel they would like to do.
If you would like to talk through a case prior to mentioning it to the parties involved call:
Telephone 02380 597098 (Internal Ext 27098)
Email: K.Grant@soton.ac.uk
How to make a referral
(if you are ready to refer a case now)
Please go to the Online Referral Form for Managers