Employers 'should be making more use of mediation'

Employers 'should be making more use of mediation'

7.7.2008

Employers across the UK should be making more use of mediation as a way of easing tensions among their staff, it has been claimed.

According to a report from Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, informal dispute management procedures can be very effective in avoiding formal disciplinary problems.

There is a widespread lack of awareness of the benefits of mediation techniques in the UK, which could be leading many people to seek alternative employment though online recruitment service providers.

In fact, the CIPD reports that 80 per cent of organisations that do mediate disputes within their workplaces find the process can improve inter-office relations.

"More employers should invest in conflict management training to give line managers the informal mediation skills to allow them to step in and attempt to resolve disputes before they escalate," said Mike Emmott employee relations adviser with the CIPD.

The CIPD recently suggested that the current economic problems in the UK represent a "severe test" of leadership skills at companies across the country.

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