Transformative Mediation: Resolving a Dispute Between Two Employees
Our Transformative Mediation service provides a safe, structured forum for two individuals to clear up disputes by aligning on behavioural expectations moving forward.
When poor communication or problematic behaviours between two individuals lead to a dysfunctional working relationship, a targeted intervention is needed to get things back on track. Our Transformative Mediation service is designed to do just that.
This process is not about assigning blame for past events, but about providing a structured forum for dialogue to determine how to best move forward together. We guide the two participants through our proprietary 6-step STRAIGHT TALK® conversation model, which focuses on exploring specific actions, sharing the impact on each person, and making a clear request for a change in behaviour.
If trust between the people involved has broken down, or more than two people are affected, Restorative Conferencing is usually the better fit. Transformative Mediation is built for a bounded dispute, a disagreement over a decision, a resource, or how to interpret a policy, where trust between the parties is still intact.
Our methodology includes:
Preparing Participants: We work separately with each person to ensure they feel equipped and supported, sharing our framework and hearing their perspective before the joint conversation.
The Direct Conversation: We bring the two individuals together for a safe, facilitated conversation designed to get clarity on what is needed to move forward productively based on what has happened.
Documenting Outcomes: At the end of the process, we support the participants in reporting the results to managers and provide a documented record of the process for the organization.
Key Benefits
Provides a safe, facilitated space for direct conversation between two individuals.
Helps participants get clarity on what happened and how they have each been affected.
Focuses on a requested change in behaviour moving forward, rather than dwelling on the past.
A forward-looking process that does not apportion blame for past incidents.
Provides a documented record of the process and outcomes for the organization.
TARGET AUDIENCE
This service is designed for organizations seeking to resolve dysfunctional dynamics that result from poor communication or problematic behaviours between two specific individuals. It is ideal for HR professionals and managers who need a structured, forward-looking process to help two employees repair their working relationship and move forward productively.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is this different from Restorative Conferencing?
Transformative Mediation is for a specific, bounded dispute, a disagreement over a decision, a resource, or how to interpret a policy, where trust between the two people involved is still intact. Restorative Conferencing is built for a different situation: when trust itself has broken down and people have come to doubt each other's motives, not just disagree on an issue. If you're not sure which situation you're in, our Conflict or Dispute diagnostic can help clarify that before you choose a process.
Does this assign blame or fault?
No. The process is forward-looking. It's about resolving the specific disagreement and aligning on expectations going forward, not establishing who was right in a past incident.
How long does the process take?
Most Transformative Mediation engagements run over a few weeks, covering separate preparation with each participant followed by the joint conversation and a documented outcome.
Who needs to be involved?
Just the two individuals with the specific dispute to resolve, plus the manager or HR contact who initiates the referral. Unlike Restorative Conferencing, this isn't a whole-team process.
If you have a specific, unresolved disagreement with a colleague, and the working relationship itself is still intact, book a call to talk through whether Transformative Mediation is the right next step.
If a specific, unresolved disagreement between colleagues is standing in the way of getting the work done, book a call to talk through whether Transformative Mediation is the right next step.
Don't smooth it over, sort it out.