Mediation is at the heart of the Ombud’s services. The mandate of the Ombud states that the services of an Ombud can help to resolve disputes in a consensual and impartial manner, thus promoting the good functioning of the Organization.

I have dedicated a page on the Ombud’s website to mediation and encourage you to take a look if you would like to understand what mediation is and what it can do for you.

Despite all the communication to promote the Ombud’s services, the possibility to request mediation when dialogue with a colleague has broken down is still largely overlooked and underused. One of the reasons for this apparent lack of interest could be misconceptions about mediation.

With this in mind, here is a first set of questions designed to test your knowledge of this conflict resolution tool and to debunk a few myths about this highly effective process.

True or false? Mediation is just one of many tools available for informal conflict resolution

True:      The Ombud offers many different ways to resolve conflicts, all of them informal. A simple discussion facilitated by a third, independent party can be enough to defuse a conflict. In other cases, when two parties are finding it impossible to speak to one other, the Ombud can offer good offices services. In such cases, the Ombud will deliver messages from one party to the other, ensuring that exchanges remain respectful and constructive. Finally, mediation by the Ombud is a structured process that encourages both parties to discuss their perception of a situation, to clearly state the impact the situation is having on them, to voice their needs and to reach an agreement to restore a good working relationship.

True or false? Mediation is not always necessary, I can resolve my conflicts on my own

Both:     The mandate of the Ombud says that ideally, interpersonal issues between people working at or on behalf of CERN should be resolved between the colleagues concerned. However, the mandate also states that when dialogue is not successful or possible, the services of the Ombud may help. During a conflict with another person, our brain automatically goes into “fight or flight” or “freeze” mode, preventing us from having the necessary perspective and empathy to understand that the same situation can be perceived differently by two parties. A third party, particularly the Ombud, who is a fully independent body trained in informal conflict resolution, can help to re-establish dialogue.

True or false? Mediation is a voluntary process

True:       No-one can force you to use mediation to resolve a conflict. Mediation may be recommended to you by a colleague, a supervisor, your human resources advisor or by the Ombud directly. For mediation to be successful, it is important that the two parties in conflict are fully committed to the process of restoring a calm and productive working relationship. As well as being voluntary, mediation is confidential and non-judgemental and remains under the control of both parties at all times.

True or false? My supervisor or other people can be notified of the outcome of mediation

False:     Mediation by the Ombud is a strictly confidential process. It provides a safe space for the two parties in conflict to discuss the situation that has arisen in the workplace. The Ombud’s role is to structure and facilitate dialogue by encouraging empathy and consideration of the other party’s perspective. The agreement reached by the two parties will be theirs alone. The Ombud will only conduct mediation requested by a supervisor if both parties agree and are fully committed to the process. If a supervisor has recommended mediation, the Ombud will simply notify the supervisor about whether the mediation has taken place and whether the parties have reached an agreement. It should also be noted that both parties are bound by the same confidentiality requirement.

True or false? Mediation services for the CERN community are offered only by the Ombud

False:    Your human resources advisors can also offer support for informal conflict resolution in the workplace. However, the Ombud offers mediation that is strictly confidential, informal and led by an independent, neutral and unbiased third party. These are the guiding principles of the Ombud’s work and what makes it unique compared to all the other support channels offered by the Organization.

True or false? Mediation takes time

True:       Mediation through the Ombud takes time, but much less time than the time that is lost if a conflict drags on. A destructive conflict requires a lot of energy and comes with significant costs: loss of concentration and productivity, stress, a damaged or destroyed working relationship, lower morale, a tarnished reputation, etc. Structured mediation takes roughly six hours of each party’s time: two meetings with the Ombud spread over two days and an afternoon for a meeting with the other party, with of course the Ombud present.

True or false? The earlier the mediation, the better the chance of a successful outcome

True:        If an interpersonal conflict is left to fester, it will not simply resolve itself and will likely escalate. The earlier the mediation, the more likely it is that both parties will be able to resume dialogue and rebuild empathy and mutual respect.

I hope that this quiz has helped to demystify mediation and provided you with clear information. Check out my next article for answers to frequently asked questions about mediation.

Laure Esteveny

I would like to hear your reactions and suggestions – join the CERN Ombud Mattermost team at https://mattermost.web.cern.ch/cern-ombud/.

Find out more about the role of the CERN Ombud and how to contact the Ombud at: https://ombuds.web.cern.ch/