UCL’s Mediation Service: supporting staff to informally resolve workplace issues

26 June 2024

UCL will be encouraging more colleagues to engage in mediation as an alternative to raising grievances or formal complaints, where it is appropriate to do so. It is important that leaders and managers are aware of this service and how it can benefit you and your teams.

UCL provides external mediation services for staff – an essential resource aimed at facilitating resolution and fostering collaboration to deal with workplace disagreements. In partnership with CiC, a leader in conflict management and workplace mediation, we are dedicated to promoting an environment of open dialogue and constructive problem solving.

UCL will be encouraging more colleagues to engage in mediation as an alternative to raising grievances or formal complaints, where it is appropriate to do so. We believe that this can lead to better outcomes that can support improved ongoing working relationships. It is important that leaders and managers are aware of this service and how it can benefit you and your teams.

Recognising the shared responsibility for effective conflict management, we are providing training for managers and leaders on ‘Mediation Awareness’ and on how you can become an ‘Ambassador to Mediation’.

What is mediation?

Mediation is a voluntary and confidential process where a neutral third party helps the individuals involved in a disagreement to communicate, understand each other’s perspectives, and reach mutually acceptable agreements. Our mediation provider, CiC, has advanced skills to facilitate mediation without causing harm, and so increasing the likelihood of a successful and sustainable outcomes. UCL has worked with CiC over the past 10 years and has seen really positive outcomes in the majority of cases they have supported.

Mediation services offered by CiC can also be used to facilitate better working relationships within teams. Group facilitation allows employees to take responsibility for the outcomes they want, be honest in the communication, talk about the real issues and trust in each other to take risks and try out new ideas and ways of approaching things.

Training available

Ambassadors to Mediation training is aimed at staff who have leadership or management responsibilities. Through interactive modules (a mixture of presentation, discussion, and experiential learning), managers and leaders will explore the intricacies of conflict, appreciate the transformative potential of mediation and develop proficiency in identifying opportune moments for intervention. This is a half a day in-person programme.

Mediation Awareness sessions can be attended by any member of staff. These sessions will delve into the root causes of conflict, the impact of conflict on individuals and the organisation and outline the mediation process and how it can be accessed.

These online sessions will be 30 minutes long and will run on the following Wednesdays between 10:00-10:30 am:

10 and 24 July
7 and 21 August
4 and 18 September
2, 16 and 30 October

Contact information

Please contact Rebecca Edwards if you would like to attend the Ambassadors to Mediation training.

If you would like the Mediation Awareness session to be run for your team, or to book one of the following sessions, please book using the links below (VPN connection required):

For more information, please visit UCL Mediation Service webpage.

If you are interested in going through mediation but are not sure who to approach, please contact your HR Business Partner or Dignity at Work Advisor.