We’ve mentioned in previous articles how mediation can help in relation to specific issues, such as anti-social behaviour and housing possessions. Now we will look at the key benefits of mediation in general, regardless of the type of situation you need to resolve.
1) Win-win outcomes
Mediation facilitates discussions so that all parties can reach a mutually beneficial conclusion. It’s not the mediator’s role to dictate an outcome but to guide the conversation in a way that achieves a positive result for all involved.
2) Prevention and cure
Mediation isn’t just a powerful tool to resolves disputes, it can also prevent them in the future.
Firstly, if mediation can help to create that win-win outcome and all parties are happy to proceed as planned, it’s likely the dispute won’t resurface again. Individuals are also more likely to be more understanding of each other in the future which will prevent new, unrelated issues.
Secondly, mediation is even more effective if you implement it early – even before a conflict develops. For housing associations for example, it pays to have processes in place ahead of time to deal with disputes as and when they do arise. This will prevent escalations and help you handle any problems quickly. Proactive is always better than reactive when it comes to mediation.
Related article: Is it Time to Review How You’re Using Mediation?
3) Third party management
There’s a lot of benefit in using third party mediators. An outsider can help to bring a different perspective which can calm the situation and remove any pre-conceptions. This makes for a fair, purposeful and effective discussion which may be hard to achieve without third party involvement.
4) Save time, money and stress
Mediation can help avoid the need for lengthy court proceedings which makes dealing with escalating situations much easier for all involved.
5) Implement at any time
Following on from that, regardless of how far a case has progressed, it’s never too late to implement mediation. Whether it’s at the start of a conflict or it’s a case waiting to go to court, mediation can help.
It may seem like there’s no alternative to formal legal proceedings in some cases but we’ve seen the power mediation has to resolve disputes during the latter stages time and time again. It should be your first port of call before you take any case to court.
6) Mediation can help on a broad scale
Mediation can help with a wide range of issues. In housing for example, it can help both landlords and tenants overcome situations such as:
- Rent arrears
- Breach of tenancy terms
- Anti-social behaviour
- Tenant disputes
- Refusing access
Mediation is a powerful tool to tackle both minor and the more serious instances that could otherwise lead to a landlord pursuing eviction.
It’s a similar story in the workplace. Mediation can help both employers and employees for their mutual benefit regardless of the type of grievance.
How can we help?
Do you want to find out more about how mediation could help you?
Talk to the ADR Mediation team today. We can help with our mediation services and more.
Call us today on 01772 954602. We’re also currently offering free 1-hour mediation consultations to help you further understand the benefits of mediation and how you could use it effectively. Request a booking now by emailing info@adrmediation.org.uk.
