Mediation in the news
Mediation –the way ahead
This morning’s news reports in Northern Ireland without exception carried the story that there had been a call for the parties to mediate in the so-called ‘gay cake case’.
Last week’s local news reports carried the story of Sport NI and the issues in the workplace that appear to have led to a string of grievances leading to media attention which has nothing to do with the benevolent objectives of the organisation.
Mediation features in the news for a reason – it is fast becoming the far more attractive option for resolving disputes. In the UK, the USA and Europe mediation is widely used as the first resort for resolving disputes. In Northern Ireland it still tends to be considered as the last resort, or is only looked at by parties to a dispute when a judge directs them to consider it. The latter is often at a late stage when the cost-saving benefit has largely been lost and when the parties have become so entrenched in their litigious positions that any hope of a constructive resolution is slim.
Imagine a world where “I'm calling my solicitor" is replaced with “let’s call in a mediator” – for businesses, and small businesses in particular, professional mediation is an excellent alternative to time-consuming and costly court action. Bringing the parties' together in a neutral and confidential setting with an independent mediator, the process provides resolution without recourse to formal judgment.
It is also a far better way to preserve business relationships, to find constructive solutions and to avoid unhelpful headlines.
Mediation works – recent surveys in the UK indicate that 75% of disputes are resolved on the day of the mediation, with a further 10-15% settling shortly after.
If you're interested in the better way to resolve a dispute click here