The need for mediation arises when there is conflict between people that they cannot resolve without the help of a third party.

Sadly, it is fast becoming a coping strategy of choice in many organisations.

It is a costly process in many ways – the time taken to resolve the conflict, the resulting psychological presenteeism that occurs when people are more focused on the failed interaction than on their work, the healing time required to return to a new normal, with the potential of good people leaving because of the experience.

The need for mediation is a symptom of other features of the workplace, such as a psychologically unsafe working environment, poor leadership and a lack of cohesion between team members.

A far more effective approach for organisations and teams is to prevent the need for mediation in the first place by creating a positive working environment that provokes individuals to feel psychologically well and mentally fit, with an outcome led and values driven culture, and where adaptive leadership and intelligent management behaviours are applied.