Do Formal Mediation Programs Work in the Settlement of Employee-Employer Disputes?

People spend an unbelievable amount of their time at work. Work relationships are often very intimate and personal. Because of this, many hostilities and frustrations arise from the workplace and the personal relationships that are formed there. Most people leave their jobs because of their supervisor or team leader. “Basically, it’s a lack of trust, of communication, of relevant and timely feedback, of appreciation, of fair treatment and of information.” These tribulations often create matters that can be mediated successfully. “Personal feelings of worth and personal satisfaction seem to be essential to maintain a productive workforce.” Unhappy workers are not as successful as those that are content with their working environment. A workplace sees much more achievement in their workers if there is a mediation practice created. The nature of the workplace makes the style of mediation much more beneficial the typical adversarial position taking found in traditional litigation. Mediation is a very useful tool that can be implemented in many disputes that arise from the workplace environment; this paper will focus on the use of mediation in the workplace