About our Mediation Services
How can mediation benefit you?
Mediation encourages the parties to:
- explore different points of view about their work conflicts;
- be open and honest while sharing their needs, expectations and priorities;
- find new ways to resolve their conflict that lets everyone walk away with more than when they began mediation;
- work out their own solutions to the situation and make decisions about what they want the future to look like;
- rebuild trust in each other and a good working relationship;
- save time and move forward.
What you need to know about the mediation process
With the assistance of the mediator, the parties:
- develop Guidelines for their conversation that will help them have a respectful and productive discussion;
- identify the issues to be addressed and exchange all relevant information;
- explore their interests, hopes and concerns;
- come up with a variety of options, assess them and select those options that are acceptable to all and best resolve the issues at hand;
- describe and record the solution they chose in an agreement that is satisfactory to all.
Something else you should know about the mediation process
- People can choose to try mediation at any time.
- Everyone chooses to participate on a voluntary basis and in good faith.
- The mediator is impartial and does not take sides.
- The mediator is responsible for the mediation process; the parties are responsible for the outcome.
- Any new information that is shared during mediation is normally expected to remain confidential; exceptions and limitations are discussed and agreed upon as part of the mediation process.
- The parties can be accompanied or assisted during the mediation process by other people - including union representatives, legal counsel and spouses.
- While in mediation, parties arrange to have any formal redress mechanisms such as grievances or harassment complaints put on hold, and agree not to initiate any new complaint before the mediation process is concluded.
- The parties can withdraw from mediation at any time.
- Parties can return to or initiate a formal process should they not succeed in resolving the conflict through mediation.
- The parties are encouraged to cooperate actively and responsibly in searching for options and solutions.
- The agreement reached at the end of a mediation does not set a precedent and it is not provided to anyone else unless all parties agree.
What you can expect from the mediator
The mediator:
- adheres to ethical Guidelines;
- establishes and maintains trust with the parties in order to encourage a spirit of cooperation between the parties;
- may provide information about other DND/CF resources or policies, but does not provide advice regarding their use;
- leads discussions and facilitates communication between the parties to help them understand the context of the workplace conflict;
- helps the parties discuss and clarify what is important for them;
- helps the parties to negotiate effectively and constructively, focusing on developing solutions that meet their interests;
- helps the parties get past deadlocks;
- helps the parties to make decisions that are in line with their needs and priorities;
- will not provide legal advice, take sides or make decisions for the parties.
