By Sir Henry Brooke Accredited Mediator Member of LADR Chair, the Civil Mediation Council
From bitter wrangling To a happy settlement Within six hours
Most disputes get resolved on their own Or with help from HR, trade union etc But some get stuck A need for a trusted third party neutral
Active listening and empathy Open questions and play back Exploring needs & concerns & interests – not just legal rights Helping people move from entrenched positions To a willingness to see the other side’s point of view
Don’t wait until relationships break down Tackle disputes early on ACAS can’t do it all Scope for private workplace mediators, too
21 registered providers already The website shows where they each work The requirements for registration A pilot scheme These requirements may be made tougher Transparency in the mediation marketplace
The challenge today: The 2004 Act didn’t work Can we make the 2008 Act work? The benefits of early dispute resolution are colossal This is what today is all about