Jr. As an HR professional, you are currently facing a number of controversial issues that can cost your organization thousands, if not millions, of dollars in legal fees and damages. A loss of time as top executives are deposed and a number of man-hours are spent on producing certain records for court. Adverse publicity that can negatively affect the attitudes of your stockholders, customers, and potential job applicants. The good news is that these costs are not inevitable.
Mediation is an increasingly popular alternative to litigation.
It involves bringing in a neutral third party who can help the disputants reach a mutually acceptable resolution of the dispute. Unlike in arbitration, a mediator does not make any decisions about the outcome. The actual resolution of the problem comes directly from the parties, and each side is free to accept or reject a particular solution. The benefits of bringing a dispute to mediation are substantial. For example, it is far less expensive than going to court.