Mediation is a structured process, which brings people together in the presence of an independent, neutral, skilled third party to facilitate in reaching an acceptable resolution to a problem or dispute. The aim is to encourage mutual understanding and to improve the working relationship or situation in the future.

In addition to being used for individual interpersonal differences and conflicts, mediation can be used for conflicts or difficulties within or between teams. A further use is to help restore working relations after formal investigation has taken place, where insufficient evidence of guilt has been found and people need to continue to work together in a respectful, professional manner.

Mediation is not adversarial and does not involve a decision being imposed on the parties; it is about what the parties themselves really want.

The mediation process is extremely flexible and so can be used very creatively by the mediator to explore solutions and focus on the future rather than getting stuck in the ‘who said what to whom’ background of the dispute.