Mediation in the workplace makes good business sense

Workplace conflict is becoming increasingly costly to businesses nationwide. Some of the costs are obvious, like quality problems that arise when employees act on their anger instead of acting cooperatively. There are other costs that are hidden, such as employee sabotage and the impact of conflict on decision-making.

Fortunately, there is a solution to this widespread problem. Simple mediation techniques enable employees to resolve conflicts themselves.

"There's nothing new about mediation per se," says Mr. James Mangerere international partnerships of the Mediation Training Institute East Africa, a company specializing in mediation skills for the workplace. "What is new is that employees and managers alike can learn simple mediation techniques in a single day that effectively resolve and even prevent most workplace conflicts."

Training in two techniques ­ "Managerial Mediation" and "Self Mediation" ­ is available for customized on-site presentation by Certified Trainers located throughout the United States and all over the world . James Mang'erere, who is a Certified Trainer based in Nairobi Kenya, has a webpage at www.mtieastafrica.org where his qualifications may be viewed.

Examples abound. "When an employee slammed a computer board down on his desk during an argument with his supervisor last month, it cost the company kshs 120,000/. Since then one of our Certified Trainers has trained him and 15 co-workers in mediation techniques.

A free on-line cost-of-conflict calculator is available at www.mtieastafrica.org/tools

For full information, contact James Mang'erere Advocate at [email protected] or [email protected] .

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