If you're considering mediation yourself.....
Mediation is a confidential, voluntary approach to resolving interpersonal conflicts. It’s relatively quick and straightforward and takes place within one day. Your employer will meet any costs.
The Manchester Mediation Network is a group of independent mediation practitioners. The mediator(s) working with you will be qualified and experienced and will ensure that a constructive and balanced approach is taken throughout. We understand that the process can be emotionally difficult and you may be feeling anxious or upset; however workplace mediation has a very high success rate so with an open-minded approach from all parties, it’s a process that’s always worth trying in order to repair your relationship.
Telephone conversation
The mediator(s) will schedule a telephone conversation with you to introduce themselves, explain how the process will work and to answer any questions or concerns you might have.
Pre-work
They'll then send you a pre-mediation form for you to complete and return - this is to help you to think through the issues you have and the resolution you'd like to achieve. You'll also receive a confidentiality agreement to read and take along with you on the day.
Venue and timings
The mediation will take place at a neutral and private venue organised by your employer. If space allows this may be at your own workplace, if not it may be at an external venue. The mediator(s) will confirm to you the timings of the day which will usually be within your standard working hours.
Individual mediation meeting
Initially, you’ll meet individually with the mediator(s) to explain how you see the current situation, how you’d like it to be in the future, how you imagine the other party would want it to be in the future and how things might be improved. You'll also discuss what suggestions you have for resolving the problem. The same discussion will be held separately with the other party.
Joint mediation meeting
If both of you agree to come to a joint meeting, the following takes place. The mediator(s) will explain the structure of the meeting and ask you both to agree to some basic rules such as listening without interrupting and not using offensive remarks. Each of you will then have a chance in turn to talk about the problem as it affects you. The mediator(s) will try to make sure that everyone understands what each person has said and allow them to respond, then help both of you identify the issues that need to be sorted out. This very often leads to solutions that no one had thought of before, helping you both to reach an agreement.
Either of you can ask for a joint meeting to be stopped for a while to take time out or to speak to the mediator(s) alone. Both of you can talk to us openly because nothing said will be passed on without the agreement of the person who said it. The mediator(s) won't take sides or judge who’s right or wrong. Because mediation is about repairing working relationships you'll be encouraged to focus on the future, not on who may have been right or wrong in the past.
Agreement
The agreement you reach will be written down and signed by both of you. It isn’t legally binding but simply acts as a reminder to both of you as to what was agreed between you. You won’t be forced into making an agreement against your wishes and if no agreement is reached you may still, if you wish, use any workplace procedures that are relevant.
Confidentiality
We won't “report back” to your manager(s) or to the HR department. During the session you’ll both agree what, if anything, you’re going to say to your manager(s) and any other relevant parties. This may be a courtesy debrief for your manager or it may be a question of asking someone for further help. In any event, this will be agreed in the session.
Any notes taken by the mediator(s) in the meeting will be destroyed.
Follow up
Unless you ask the mediator(s) not to do so, they'll contact you within a month of the session to review how things are going.
back.....
The Manchester Mediation Network is a group of independent mediation practitioners. The mediator(s) working with you will be qualified and experienced and will ensure that a constructive and balanced approach is taken throughout. We understand that the process can be emotionally difficult and you may be feeling anxious or upset; however workplace mediation has a very high success rate so with an open-minded approach from all parties, it’s a process that’s always worth trying in order to repair your relationship.
Telephone conversation
The mediator(s) will schedule a telephone conversation with you to introduce themselves, explain how the process will work and to answer any questions or concerns you might have.
Pre-work
They'll then send you a pre-mediation form for you to complete and return - this is to help you to think through the issues you have and the resolution you'd like to achieve. You'll also receive a confidentiality agreement to read and take along with you on the day.
Venue and timings
The mediation will take place at a neutral and private venue organised by your employer. If space allows this may be at your own workplace, if not it may be at an external venue. The mediator(s) will confirm to you the timings of the day which will usually be within your standard working hours.
Individual mediation meeting
Initially, you’ll meet individually with the mediator(s) to explain how you see the current situation, how you’d like it to be in the future, how you imagine the other party would want it to be in the future and how things might be improved. You'll also discuss what suggestions you have for resolving the problem. The same discussion will be held separately with the other party.
Joint mediation meeting
If both of you agree to come to a joint meeting, the following takes place. The mediator(s) will explain the structure of the meeting and ask you both to agree to some basic rules such as listening without interrupting and not using offensive remarks. Each of you will then have a chance in turn to talk about the problem as it affects you. The mediator(s) will try to make sure that everyone understands what each person has said and allow them to respond, then help both of you identify the issues that need to be sorted out. This very often leads to solutions that no one had thought of before, helping you both to reach an agreement.
Either of you can ask for a joint meeting to be stopped for a while to take time out or to speak to the mediator(s) alone. Both of you can talk to us openly because nothing said will be passed on without the agreement of the person who said it. The mediator(s) won't take sides or judge who’s right or wrong. Because mediation is about repairing working relationships you'll be encouraged to focus on the future, not on who may have been right or wrong in the past.
Agreement
The agreement you reach will be written down and signed by both of you. It isn’t legally binding but simply acts as a reminder to both of you as to what was agreed between you. You won’t be forced into making an agreement against your wishes and if no agreement is reached you may still, if you wish, use any workplace procedures that are relevant.
Confidentiality
We won't “report back” to your manager(s) or to the HR department. During the session you’ll both agree what, if anything, you’re going to say to your manager(s) and any other relevant parties. This may be a courtesy debrief for your manager or it may be a question of asking someone for further help. In any event, this will be agreed in the session.
Any notes taken by the mediator(s) in the meeting will be destroyed.
Follow up
Unless you ask the mediator(s) not to do so, they'll contact you within a month of the session to review how things are going.
back.....
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