[Translate to English:] Hände von zwei Menschen im Gespräch

Resolving conflicts in business with facilitative mediation

Resolving conflicts at the workplace

Conflicts at the workplace can be resolved sustainably through business mediation. It doesn’t matter if it is between individual colleagues, managers and employees, within a team perhapsor even across hierarchical and departmental boundaries.

Mediators support you in a structured process to improve your communication and find a suitable solution. Emotions are allowed to have their space so that they can be processed in a sustainable way. The involved parties remain as self-responsible actors with their respective interests.

You and your colleagues know best, which misunderstandings need to be clarified and which solutions need to be found. Thus mediators keep a low profile in terms of content but manage the mediation process in a structured and empathetic manner. As a means, we ensure that everyone involved knows which aspects of a solution are important.

The result? On one side, for your specific conflict distinct solutions are achieved, which are tailored precisely for your company and for your specific situation. On the other side, by improving communication it is possible to have a good long-term cooperation at the workplace. It doesn't matter whether your workplace at your company is in the secretary's office, the management, the warehouse or on the supervisory board, we are there to supportyou.

You can resolve incipient friction as well as hardened and escalated conflicts through business mediation. Everything for a good work atmosphere, a clarification of processes and hierarchies and therefore for sustainable corporate success.

Please feel free to contact us!

Why business mediation?

Mediation is the only procedure through which conflicts can be dealt with comprehensively: 

Conflicts always happen on a factual and a relationship level. That's why in business mediation we work on both levels at the same time, together with all parties involved. 

Which other process could do that?

By working out solutions on the factual level and at the same time clarifying misunderstandings and working through anger on the relationship level, your cooperation will sustainably be improved.

We guide the team members and managers involved, safely and efficiently through the mediation process. This doesn’t just avoid injuries and clears up resentment, but also creates synergies, to create a "win-win" situation and enables sustainable agreements to be reached with teamwork.

Mediation at the workplace has several advantages:

 

  • The specific conflict is resolved; work can continue.
  • Those involved feel more at ease at the workplace and therefore complete their tasks with more ease, as the conflict no longer ties up mental and time resources.
  • The working atmosphere is much more pleasant after a conflict is resolved through business mediation and as a result productivity is higher. Therefore, frictional losses due to conflicts are avoided.
  • Professional communication improves in the long run. The parties involved can talk to each other easier and naturally.
  • Those involved, especially managers, receive further training in business mediation in how to deal with conflicts constructively. This conflict management skill is a permanent asset, even beyond the specific conflict.
  • Conflict-related underperformance, sick days and resignations no longer occur.

 

At the same time, mediation improves the relationship between colleagues and helps to find the best possible solutions.

That's what we stand for.

 

Please feel free to contact us!

Nele Allenberg, Head of Department at the German Institute for Human Rights, 2022

"Mr von Oertzen and Ms Pleban guided my team well and confidently through a challenging workshop in a difficult conflict situation that affected employees emotionally. All complaints had their place and were addressed and reinforced by Mr von Oertzen and Ms Pleban so professionally and emphatically that they were heard.Tensions were named in a way that did not damage anyone, but rather strengthened them. On this base, participants were able to reflect on their own contribution to the conflict. The team went into the weekend exhausted and happy after the two days. Building on this intensive reappraisal process, we were able to put conflicts behind us and establish a different form of cooperation in the following weeks and months with new strength and a different way of dealing with each other. I also learnt a lot personally and was able to leave the process with new ideas and a clearer view of my responsibilities as a manager. This had an impact on our entire organisation - beyond the individual conflict.

I can warmly recommend the mediation service."

What does mediation mean to us?

Our mission is to bring people together. Precisely when it is most difficult: in conflict. When contact breaks down, communication becomes aggressive and fearful and business life often becomes cold and superficial. Genuine communication, which people in conflict especially need at the workplace, no longer occures. Only good communication, as it prevails again in and after mediation, enables productive co-operation and good results, as well as for the employees: sustainable health and loyalty to the company.

We know that all people can co-operate, and even want to co-operate. This is difficult to imagine in conflict. Our task is to make it possible to speak honestly and really listen to one another again, to get to the heart of the matter using tried and tested, humane methods, to make the interests of those involved clear to each other and thus to arrive at creative solutions - co-operatively, of course. In this way, successful co-operation and trust is made possible in mediation, and this co-operation and trust can then continue to have a lasting effect at the workplace.

We would like to contribute to this.

 

Get in touch with us!

How does buisness mediation work?

To begin with, contact us at any stage of a conflict. Regardless of whether it's just "tension", a conflict is very virulent or lawyers are already involved - we will be happy to discuss the possibilities of mediation and the next steps with you as a manager, works council, HR department and all other important parties involved.

We will familiarise ourselves with the situation in a preliminary discussions. In more complex cases, we may also carry out an appropriate conflict analysis. Based on this, we will write you a concrete offer so that you can make an informed decision in favour of mediation in your company, in your team.

For the actual mediation, the parties involved meet with the mediator at your company, in the mediation office or in a conference room and discuss the conflict. Depending on the case, this type of conflict resolution can last between half a day and two days, usually followed by a follow-up session after around six months. Only in special situations are several sessions necessary.

On the basis of a careful clarification of objectives

  • a common view of the conflict is developed,
  • criteria for the solution are developed,
  • agreements are reached.

So your time is always well invested!

We guide you safely through the process, but leave the design of the specific solutions entirely in your hands. Because you know best what works for you.

 

Feel free to call us!

Who commissions mediation for conflicts at the workplace?

Business mediation for workplace conflicts is usually commissioned by the responsible manager or the HR department. Would you like to suggest mediation but are not sure how to convince your manager, employees or colleagues? We will be happy to advise you!

Feel free to get in touch!

Finding a solution to a conflict together: Everyone involved is responsible for this. However, it is up to the manager to guide and organise conflict management. You can use mediation as an instrument for this and commission external mediators to carry it out. In our counselling sessions, you will also learn how to motivate those involved in the conflict in your team to participate constructively. Ultimately, even during a conflict at the workplace, all colleagues want to find solutions for dealing with each other and for factual issues. This is also in the interests of the company, and the company can also demand this.

How do I find the right business mediator?

Not all mediators have the same specialisation and qualifications. When it comes to conflicts at the workplace, the following points can help you choose a suitable business mediator:

  • Legal certification should be the bare minimum when engaging; all our team members are certified under the Mediation Act and offer business mediation.
  • Licensing by the largest European mediation association (BM e.V.) or specialised associations sets higher requirements than the law. To find out which of our team members have which licences, please refer to the individual mediators.
  • Experience with conflicts at the workplace can be very helpful. Our senior business mediators Jürgen von Oertzen and Claudia Funke have several hundred cases of experience. We will be happy to provide you with references.

You will also find various specialised mediators in our team, e.g. for non-profit organisations (Claudia Funke), groups (Johanna Pleban), agile teams (Thomas Link) or agricultural businesses (Thilo Mauch).

Personal contact is also important. Trust your own intuition: you know the conflict in your company and the people involved best. A telephone conversation with one or more mediators can be a suitable way to proceed. You will be able to recognise whether the mediator listens attentively, is able to categorise the conflict well and can provide useful tips for the next steps.

We are happy to arrange a non-binding initial consultation.

Please feel free to contact us!

Christoph Besemer

"Jürgen von Oertzen is able to present topics in a versatile and compact way. His didactic approach includes his own introductions, active participation of the participants, exercises and role plays. His seminars thus create a varied and pleasant space for learning."

* Mediator BM, trainer for mediation BM