Disputes are bound to occur as long as two or more people are working together. But, that doesn’t mean it should affect your productivity or business in California. There are effective and fruitful approaches you could take to solve conflicts and even improve your work relationship with your colleagues or employer. Mediation is one of them.
Understanding workplace mediation in California
Workplace mediation is a process where an impartial third party, the mediator, helps employees in conflict understand each other’s points of view and reach an agreement. The mediator doesn’t take sides or make decisions for the parties involved. Rather, they facilitate communication between the disputing parties to enable them to come up with their own solutions that work best for them.
Reasons why people prefer workplace mediation
There are several reasons why workplace mediation has become a popular approach to solving workplace disputes in California. For one, it’s less costly than going to court or hiring an attorney. It also takes less time since most cases are resolved within a few sessions (or even just one sitting). Moreover, it promotes open communication and mutual understanding between the parties involved, which can help improve their working relationship. Lastly, it empowers employees to take control of their own conflicts and come up with creative solutions that work best for them.
If you’re thinking of pursuing workplace mediation in California, here are a few things you need to know:
- Workplace mediation is confidential, and therefore, anything that’s said in your session cannot be used as evidence in a future court case
- The mediator is impartial; they will never coerce you towards a particular outcome
- Disputing parties must both be willing to participate for it to be successful
- Either party can choose to walk away from the process at any time because mediation is voluntary in California
- The parties resolve their conflict on their terms rather than under the limitations that a judge/jury may legally be able to provide at trial
Mediation is one of the best ways to deal with any issue in California. But, for it to be effective, you must prepare for it adequately, express yourself in a clear and concise way, and listen carefully to the other party to understand them.
