Workplace Mediation for UK Employers

Mediation suits situations where two people have to keep working together and the relationship, rather than a rule, is what has broken. Personality clashes, communication breakdowns, perceived favouritism, disputes after a promotion or restructure, and grievances where the underlying complaint is really about how someone is treated day to day.

It is not right for everything. Allegations of serious misconduct, harassment, discrimination or safeguarding need investigation first. Mediation can still help afterwards to rebuild a working relationship, but it never replaces a proper investigation.

The mediator speaks to each person separately first, usually by video, to hear their account and check they are taking part willingly. On the day, each participant has a private session, then a joint session where they speak to each other with the mediator holding the structure.

If agreement is reached, the participants write it down themselves in plain language: what each will do differently, and how they will raise it if things slip. The mediator keeps everything else confidential and reports only whether an agreement was reached, not what was said.

A grievance and appeal typically consumes several days of management time, and the relationship rarely improves afterwards. Mediation costs less, resolves faster and preserves the working relationship, which is why the Acas Code encourages resolving matters informally where possible.

It also matters if a claim follows. Being able to show you offered mediation, and that the employee declined it, is evidence you took reasonable steps to resolve the issue.