If you have been asked to take part in a workplace mediation, it usually means your employer is giving you a chance to sort the matter out directly with the other person, in a safe setting, with an independent mediator in the room. Most workplace policies ask employees to try mediation where they have not been able to resolve things between themselves. This article explains how an Emverio mediation runs, so there are no surprises on the day.
What the mediator does, and does not do
The mediator is independent of your employer and of each person in the room. Their job is to give both of you the best possible chance to talk about what has happened in a safe and constructive way, to understand each other and to work out how you will work together from here. They do not decide who is right, they do not take sides and they do not report back on what was said. If agreement is not possible, they help you both see clearly what the options are.
How the day runs
Every Emverio mediation follows the same structure. First, the mediator meets each person privately in an intake session. The employer has an intake session too. This is where you explain the situation in your own words, ask anything you like and talk through how the joint session will work. If more preparation is needed, a further private session can be arranged.
Once the intake sessions are done, you both come together for the joint session. It is usually just the mediator and the two of you. Managers and HR do not sit in the joint session. In most cases the intake sessions run in the morning and the joint session in the afternoon, so the whole process takes a day.
What you talk about
We use a facilitative model. Each of you is asked what you want to talk about, and the mediator builds an agenda from that. Each item is explored in turn. The mediator keeps the conversation on track and respectful, asks questions, tests assumptions and reframes what is said so each person can hear the other. Towards the end, most people want to make some commitments to each other about how they will work together. We recommend writing those down so everyone is clear afterwards.
What stays confidential
What is said in the mediation stays in the room. Your employer is told who attended and whether agreement was reached, and receives a copy of any written agreement unless you arrange otherwise. Anything not in the agreement remains confidential. If you are unsure what you have agreed can be shared, ask your mediator. If you need to talk the matter over with someone, choose a person independent of your workplace, such as a counsellor or your Employee Assistance Program.
Support people
Workplace mediation is informal and not disciplinary, so for most mediations a support person is not needed and is not present. If you would like to bring one, talk to your mediator first, because both participants need to agree. Our article on bringing a support person to workplace mediation explains who to choose and what they can and cannot do.
How to prepare
Try not to overthink it. Get some sleep, and remember that this is an opportunity, not a hearing. Your workplace believes you have the skill to resolve this before it goes any further. If you do want to prepare, think about three things: what you want to talk about, at least three suggestions that might improve those areas, and what would stop the matter escalating again. About 89% of mediations end in agreement and their relationship improves, and most people tell us it was nowhere near as bad as they imagined.
Prefer a printable version? Download the What to Expect factsheet from our Resources page, or read the workplace mediation FAQs.
