The sessions are not tape-recorded or transcribed. At the conclusion of the mediation, mediators destroy any notes they took during the mediation session. When parties want to get on with their business and their lives, mediation may be desirable as a means of producing rapid results. The majority of mediations are completed in one or two sessions. Parties who negotiate their own settlements have more control over the outcome of their dispute.
Parties have an equal say in the process.
There is no determination of fault, but rather, the parties reach a mutually agreeable resolution to their conflict. Many disputes occur in the context of ongoing work relationships. Mediation can also make the termination of a work relationship more amicable. Parties are generally more satisfied with solutions that have been mutually agreed upon, as opposed to solutions that are imposed by a third party decision-maker. Mediated agreements often help resolve procedural and interpersonal issues that are not necessarily susceptible to legal determination.