Mediation in the Workplace: The Role of Human Resources in Internal Disputes

Abstract

Conflict is natural for human beings and it is part of their history, affecting personal and professional relationships. The way individuals manage conflict can vary according to their background, education, culture and beliefs. The humanity is frequently changing and new types of conflicts and ways of managing them also arise. Many companies use conflict management as the main approach to solve disputes. However, mediation has been demonstrated to be effective in conflict resolution, as this approach facilitates communication, and give power of decisions to both parties. The objectives of this study are to investigate the contribution that mediation could bring to an organization’s culture, to identify the approaches used by Irish organizations to manage internal conflicts and to demonstrate the advantages of Meditation for Irish workplace. The study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of Mediation in the workplace dispute. The methodology used in this study was quantitative research, as it involved surveys that were sent to HR professionals across Irish organizations. With the research it was possible to conclude that most Irish organizations are not aware of this tool. However, the study demonstrated the positive results obtained from the studied companies, demonstrating that this method helps to improve engagement, synergy and communication, increases productivity and reduce turnover.