A mediator is a neutral third party who facilitates a conversation between two or more parties in a conflict. A mediator uses his or her skills to bring the parties to a settlement. However, the mediator does not decide what the settlement might be, which remains within the parties’ control. Unlike a judge, a mediator does not provide his or her opinion on the merits of the conflict.
As a small business owner or manager, there are times that it may seem like you are the parent in the office. Even if that’s the case, you can’t use corporal punishment, call for a timeout, force your employees to “hug it out,” or send them to their rooms to — “think about it.”
What you likely need to do in situations involving battling employees is to employ conflict resolution strategies and techniques to keep the workplace calm and productive.
