Employee Passport / HR practice guides
Preparing for voluntary workplace mediation
Voluntary workplace mediation: Clarify consent, roles, confidentiality and access needs before a difficult workplace conversation.
Anonymised practice examples drawn from cases handled by our team.
Voluntary workplace mediation: practical approach
A practical approach should explain the purpose of mediation, what it will not decide and how the person can raise a concern about the process. Preparation should identify any communication or access barrier and agree the support that addresses it. A support person’s role should be clear, particularly if that person may also hold relevant evidence for another process.
What to check and record
Explain what will be recorded and any limits to confidentiality before substantive discussion. Those limits do not give general permission to circulate sensitive accounts. Use private discussions and pauses to check continued consent and suitability; do not assume willingness continues simply because a meeting has begun.
Learning for managers
The lesson is that access and consent are part of the process, not optional additions to it. Attendance alone does not establish informed willingness, and a participant may need a change in arrangement as the discussion develops. The most useful implementation record would show the practical agreement about participation without retaining unnecessary personal detail.
Manager checklist
- Explain the voluntary process
- Agree access and support arrangements
- Clarify roles and confidentiality
- Check willingness again as the discussion develops
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Further reading
General guidance for Great Britain. Use the relevant policy and advice for a live case.
EMPLOYEE PASSPORT / PRACTICAL HR SUPPORT
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