CERTIFICATE IN WORKPLACE MEDIATOR SKILLS

BECOME A WORKPLACE MEDIATOR IN YOUR ORGANISATION

This three-day course is designed to equip you with the skills to mediate conflicts between people in the workplace. It is well known that if conflict between employees or between employees and their managers are managed close to the point of origin there is less chance that they will go on to manifest as grievances and disputes, which are often time-consuming and expensive. Mediation is a particularly effective process for managing such conflicts. 

Course feedback

  • "

    Certainly one of the best professional development courses I have been on for a long time.

    "

    OXFAM delegate
  • "

    I thought the course was excellent. Well paced and an excellent mix of theory and practical exercises. It was very helpful to have group discussions followed by confirmation / back-up with the handouts. A good model for learning.

    "

    OXFAM delegate
  • "

    The workbook was useful; great to have a 'toolkit' to refer back to.

    "

    OXFAM delegate
  • "

    The role-plays were incredibly helpful. This type of process / skills seems to be best developed through practice.

    "

    OXFAM delegate
Back

This course is suitable for Human Resources, Employee Relations and line managers, as well as Union Officials and Employee Representatives who wish to mediate in their organisations. The aim of this course is:

  • to equip managers and employee representatives with a process and skills to mediate conflicts in the workplace before they escalate and manifest formally as disputes
  • to prevent formal conflict management and dispute resolution processes from being invoked
  • to enhance workplace dialogue and relationships in order to achieve labour peace and productivity

The course takes place over three days. There is extensive opportunity for practice and feedback from experienced workplace mediators. The first two days involve teaching, demonstration and practice. On the third day, participants roleplay every stage of workplace mediation, from the point of first contact with the referer to their first private meetings with the parties and then the joint meeting in which the mediator brings the parties together to explore and problem-solve their difficulties.

Participants who attend all three days of the course and submit pre and post course assignments that meet the required competencies will receive a certificate in workplace mediation skills. Should they wish to be assessed for accreditation as a mediator they may attend the coaching and assessment days of the Conflict Dynamics Commercial Mediator Training course.

Our Course Curriculum

Participants receive pre-course materials which they are required to read. They must then complete a series of pre-course questions about workplace conflict to prepare them for the course. Their answers are assessed and contribute to their certification.

  1. Welcome and introductions  
  2. What workplace mediation looks like
    1. Distinguishing mediation from other dispute resolution processes including statutory conciliation
    2. Outcomes and approaches to negotiation and creating value
    3. Phases in the mediation process 
    4. Typical steps in the workplace mediation process
  3. Preparation Phase – before the mediation day
    1. Process initiation
    2. Where workplace mediation fits into the conflict path 
    3. Benefits of workplace mediation 
    4. Circumstances suitable and less suitable for workplace mediation 
    5. Issues suitable and less suitable for workplace mediation
    6. Role-play practice discussion about the mediation option
    7. Whether to use an internal or an external mediator
  4. Individual private meetings - before the mediation day
    1. Purpose and key skills
    2. Your role as an impartial, neutral third party and what this means for a workplace mediator
    3. Arranging the meetings
    4. Purpose of the meetings
    5. First impressions and building rapport
    6. Managing typical resistance to workplace mediation 
    7. Agreement to Mediate
    8. Role-play practice individual private meetings before the mediation day
    9. What about representation in mediation?
  5. Opening phase – on the day of the mediation
    1. Preliminary private meetings
      1. Purpose and key skills
      2. Managing emotion in mediation
      3. Role-play practice
    2. Opening joint meeting
      1. Purpose and key skills
      2. Mediator opening and party opening remarks
      3. Practice mediator opening
      4. Generating the agenda for the mediation
      5. Use of the flipchart
  1. Exploration phase
    1. Purpose and key skills
    2. Making process choices
    3. What is the mediator exploring?
    4. How is the mediator exploring?
    5. Active listening skills
    6. Working with confidentiality and how to convey information
    7. Role-play practice
    8. Moving from exploration to generating options and problem-solving
  2. Generating options and problem-solving phase
    1. Purpose and key skills
    2. Listening for needs and good ideas
    3. Getting creative about options and how to do that
    4. Using objective criteria to choose options
    5. Moments of possible deadlock and how to manage those including reality testing
    6. Coaching on offers and conveying offers
    7. Roleplay practice
  3. Concluding phase
    1. Purpose and key skills
    2. Typical outcomes in workplace mediation
    3. Drawing the ideas together in an agreement
    4. Committing the agreement to writing
    5. Discussion about ethics and professional conduct  
    6. Managing unconscious bias in mediation

This is not an assessed day. Coaching and feedback will be given by faculty throughout the day in relation to one role-play. Participants will receive written copies of their coaching comments with the results of their pre and post-course work.

  1. Managing unconscious bias in mediation cont.
  2. Mediator competencies
  3. Practice role-play one - before the day of the mediation
    1. Meeting the referrer
    2. Setting up private meetings with parties
    3. Meeting parties for initial private meetings
    4. Group discussion
    5. Individual feedback to mediators A and B
  4. Practice role-play two - on the day of the mediation
    1. Preliminary private meetings
    2. Opening joint meeting – opening and early exploration
    3. Group discussion
    4. Individual feedback to mediators A and B
  5. Practice role-play three
    1. Exploration, generating options, choosing options for agreement and concluding the mediation
    2. Group discussion and feedback to the mediators
    3. Closing plenary, including: 
  6. Post-course work  
    1. Drafting an Agreement to Mediate 
    2. Drafting a Memorandum of Agreement or Action Plan, these being the typical ways in which the outcomes of workplace mediation are captured
    3. Reflective assignment
  7. Closing remarks and farewell 

Participants are required to complete a post-course assignment which is assessed and which contributes to their certificate. The assignment comprises the following:

  • Drafting an Agreement to Mediate which the organisation and parties would sign before the commencement of the mediation.
  • Drafting a Memorandum of Agreement or Action Plan, these being the typical ways in which the outcomes of workplace mediation are captured.
  • Submitting a written assignment in which they address the following:
    • Discuss what you have learnt about yourself from this course, and what you will do differently in future when managing conflict. 
    • Discuss what practical steps you can take to promote the use of mediation in your work. 

Dates and Locations

If you cannot find a suitable date please send us an enquiry.

6, 7, 8 May 2025
SANDTON
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06
May

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