UK employers turn to mediation as Acas urges action on workplace conflict

Workplace conflict has become a costly issue for employers, yet new research by Acas highlighted by both People Management and Personnel Today has found that a third of workplaces lack the mediation skills needed to resolve disputes effectively. The findings come at a time when workplace conflict remains high – 44% of UK workers reported some form of dispute or disagreement at work in the year to November 2025, the highest figure ever recorded.

The research comes against a backdrop of growing pressure on the employment tribunal system. Ministry of Justice figures published last month show that open single employment tribunal claims have risen sharply over the past year, while reports suggest some hearings are now being listed as far ahead as 2030. As employers look for ways to resolve workplace issues before they escalate into formal grievances or claims, increasing attention is being given to the role mediation can play.

But what exactly is workplace mediation and how does it differ from a formal grievance process? Earlier I spoke to Shabana Ishaq who is an independent mediator with a lot of experience of helping HR teams with conflict resolution and I put that question to her:

Shabana Ishaq: “People often assume mediation is simply another stage of a grievance process when it is actually something very different. A grievance involves a third party, such as HR or a manager, investigating what happened, establishing the facts, and a third party then reaching a formal decision whereas as a mediator my role is very different. I'm not there to decide who is right or wrong, or to make any findings or decisions based on what I've heard. My role as a mediator is to remain completely impartial and to create a safe, confidential space where parties can have an honest conversation that they've perhaps been unable to have by themselves. So the focus of mediation is very much for the parties to listen to each other and to reach some kind of outcome together. So they are the decision makers in the process and they have that level of control and it's very much a forward-facing process. Obviously, we will touch on what's happened in the past, but the focus of the mediation is to move forward and to discuss next steps.”

Joe Glavina: “Our HR clients tell us that a lot of the disputes they see day to day are down to damaged relationships rather than breaches of policy. Is that your experience too?”

Shabana Ishaq: “Absolutely. So, what I found over the years is that workplace disputes are not really about somebody breaching a policy. They tend to focus on two key issues of communication breakdown and trust and what I find when I speak to the parties is there are a lot of misunderstandings which have built over time and mediation is an opportunity for the individuals to speak to each other directly and to understand each other's perspectives and, again, work together to find a practical solution that they can move forward with. So it's very much about preserving the working relationship.”

Joe Glavina: “What kinds of workplace disputes are most suitable for mediation?”

Shabana Ishaq: “The key disputes that I tend to work on is where individuals need to continue that working relationship, so there's a need for them to work together constructively. That could be colleagues in a team, managers and employees, or other members within the organisation. Very often what I find is that there isn't one major incident. It is usually about communication and trust breaking down over a period of time, personality clashes or simple small misunderstandings that haven't been addressed and then they kind of grow legs and they develop and by the time mediation is suggested, it can mean that people are quite entrenched in their positions. So mediation works best where parties aren't necessarily wanting a formal outcome through a grievance process; it's where they just simply want to try and improve the working relationship and my role as the mediator is to help that conversation in a structured manner, moving away from blame and towards what happens next.”

Joe Glavina: “Why are more employers considering mediation as part of their approach to workplace conflict? Is it down to cost?”

Shabana Ishaq: “Absolutely, yes. I think employers are increasingly recognising the cost of unresolved conflict in the workplace and it very rarely involves just the two individuals in dispute. It impacts the wider team, it can result in formal grievances, sickness absences, impact productivity. I’ve been involved in mediations where it's the wider team that's raised the issue, so it impacts team morale and, of course, in some cases it can lead to resignations or employment tribunals. So with mediation, and my role, I help employers give the opportunity to individuals in dispute to deal with the issues much earlier before the relationship deteriorates further and formal processes are engaged so it's a much quicker process and typically mediations last up to a day, and an outcome agreement is drawn up.”

So the key takeaway for employers is that workplace mediation is not simply another stage of a grievance process. Used at the right time, it can help you address concerns earlier, rebuild working relationships and find practical solutions before positions become entrenched and formal disputes arise. If you would like to learn more about workplace mediation or discuss whether it could play a role in your organisation’s approach to conflict resolution, in the first instance please contact our Head of Client Training, Trish Embley – her details are on the screen for you.