How do you evaluate the effectiveness and fairness of mediation for employees?

1 Benefits of mediation

Mediation can provide employees with many advantages, such as saving time and money by avoiding lengthy legal procedures, preserving the working relationship and trust with the employer, and having more control over the outcome and terms of the agreement. Additionally, mediation can reduce stress and emotional impact of the conflict, improve communication and problem-solving skills, and increase satisfaction and motivation at work.

3 Methods of evaluation

There are various methods of evaluation to collect and analyze data on the effectiveness and fairness of mediation for employees. Surveys and questionnaires can measure the parties' perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors before, during, and after the mediation. Interviews and focus groups can explore the parties' experiences, opinions, and recommendations in more depth. Observations and recordings can capture the interactions, dynamics, and outcomes of the mediation sessions. Additionally, case studies and reports can document and summarize the mediation process and results. Finally, statistics and indicators can track and compare the number, type, duration, and cost of mediation cases and grievances.

4 Challenges of evaluation

Evaluating the effectiveness and fairness of mediation for employees can be challenging due to the confidentiality and privacy of the parties and process, the diversity and complexity of cases, the subjectivity and bias of the parties and mediator, external and internal factors that may influence the process, and long-term and indirect effects that may be difficult to measure. Each of these elements can affect the access and disclosure of information, require different approaches and criteria for evaluation, affect responses and judgments, influence the outcome, or be difficult to attribute.

5 Best practices for evaluation

In order to ensure a reliable and valid evaluation of the mediation for employees, you can implement some best practices. This includes setting clear and realistic goals and objectives, selecting appropriate methods and criteria for the evaluation, engaging and informing the parties and mediator about the process, protecting confidentiality and privacy, collecting and analyzing data in an accurate and objective manner, and reporting the findings in a clear, concise, and constructive way.