Survey reveals widespread gaps in workplace mediation skills

According to a new Acas survey, one third of Britain’s workplaces do not have staff with the necessary mediation skills to resolve a workplace conflict.

The Acas survey, carried out by YouGov, found that 33 per cent of workers thought that their organisation did not have people with the necessary mediation skills to resolve a workplace conflict, with the figure rising to 40 per cent for SMEs.

Mediation is a way of mending relationships when there is a disagreement at work, and looks at how people can work together. It is held by an impartial mediator who does not take sides, and is a less formal, flexible and voluntary way of resolving disagreements.

The Employment Rights Act 2025 has introduced significant changes to workers’ rights, and provides an opportunity for employers and workers to work together to help organisations thrive and improve working lives.

Acas is encouraging employers and workers to work together to raise standards of workplace relations and help prevent and manage potential disputes.

Kevin Rowan, Acas Director of Dispute Resolution, said: “Mediation can be great way of preventing and managing disputes informally without the need for potentially expensive formal action.

“It is not about judging who is wrong or who is right; it is about bringing people in a disagreement together to agree on a way of working together.

“Mediation is a valuable skill, but our survey shows that too few workers are confident their organisation has the skills to use it in a disagreement. We encourage employers to make sure their managers have the confidence and skill to mediate successfully.”

Mediation is a voluntary and confidential process and can be used to resolve disagreements around relationships at work. It might be used to resolve personality clashes or relationship breakdowns, or bullying and harassment. It is not generally used to resolve things like pay disputes or issues related to dismissal or serious misconduct.