ediation seems to be a buzzword in employment circles these days. Many people talk about it, but few people really understand what mediators do. The many ways mediation can be used to enhance the workplace environment also remain, in large part, unexplored. In fact, many people think mediation is just another name for arbitration.
Yet, an external mediator offers a tremendous partnering opportunity to HR professionals, in-house legal counsel, and organizational development consultants. Mediation is a tool of conflict resolution and a tool of conflict prevention. Mediation can also be the paradigm that supports internal personal transitions for employees, resulting in the personal stability necessary to compensate for the lack of predictability that affects all organizations today.
This article explores the nature of workplace conflict, examines what mediation is and how it works, describes the creation of internal mediation programs, and highlights other ways to partner with mediator consultants.
CONFLICT COSTS MONEY
Although a core value of many organizations is to be portrayed as conflict free, a closer look often reveals work environments that are fraught with a wide range of festering conflicts. When left unrecognized and unresolved, conflicts inside organizations frequently develop into major disputes that range from ongoing personal backbiting to multilevel turmoil. The economic cost of unresolved conflict is significant. A portion of this cost can easily be identified by the actual dollars spent on time attributed to internal personnel, and for outside costs and expenses such as legal fees and litigation expenses. Other more intangible costs are not as