Mediation is voluntary. Some issues need a formal investigation instead — the product will say so.
The pattern
Most workplace issues escalate quietly
Unresolved grievances become formal claims
An informal complaint that stalls rarely goes away. It comes back as a grievance, then as a claim.
Performance conversations are handled inconsistently
Different managers, different standards, different wording — and no shared structure behind any of it.
There is often no clean record
When something does go wrong, the evidence is scattered across inboxes, notebooks and memory.
What you get
One place to handle it properly
Early resolution
A structured, impartial process your team can open in minutes — before an issue becomes formal.
PIP & reviews
Performance improvement plans and employee reviews live in the same system, not in scattered documents.
Complete, dated audit trail
Every case produces a clear, timestamped record you can download when you need to evidence process.
Multilingual
Each person can take part in their own language when your teams need it, with one shared outcome.
How it works
Three steps, start to record
Open a private case
HR opens a confidential room for the grievance, performance issue or peer conflict.
Guided, structured conversation
Each party is taken through the issues in turn, one at a time, with the process kept impartial.
Clear outcome and audit trail
Agreed points are written in plain English, signed, and downloadable as a complete record.
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Suitability
When mediation is the right route
Voluntary
Either person can decline or stop at any time. Nobody is required to mediate.
Impartial
The process does not take sides and does not decide who was right.
Confidential
Private conversation stays in the room. The downloadable record is only what both sides have agreed, plus the fact that mediation started, paused or stopped.
Suitability is assessed
Opening a case includes a short check. Sensitive issues are not banned at the door. Cases that are unsafe or need investigation are stopped.
Knowing when to stop
If coercion, threats, assault, a serious safety risk, or a need for formal findings appears, mediation ends and the user is directed to HR, their employer or an appropriate adviser.
GoMediation is a structured online process. It is not Acas, not a solicitor, and not a formal investigation. When is workplace mediation not suitable?
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Questions
Workplace mediation FAQ
What is workplace mediation?+
Workplace mediation is a voluntary, confidential conversation between people in conflict, helped along by an impartial process. It does not decide who was right and it is not a formal investigation — the aim is a practical working arrangement both people accept.
When should HR use mediation rather than a grievance procedure?+
Mediation suits relationship breakdowns, communication problems, team friction and early-stage complaints where both people are willing to talk. A grievance or formal investigation is the right route where a finding of fact is needed, or where there is any question of safety, coercion or potential misconduct.
Is workplace mediation confidential?+
Yes. Private conversations stay in the room. The record that can be downloaded is only what both people have agreed, plus the fact that mediation started, paused or stopped.
Is a workplace mediation agreement legally binding?+
Usually not. A mediated agreement is a written record of commitments between colleagues, not a contract or a settlement agreement. If you need a binding settlement, that is drawn up separately and normally involves legal advice.
Can an employee refuse to take part in mediation?+
Yes. Mediation is voluntary, so either person can decline at the start or stop part way through, and that is never treated as being uncooperative. The case simply moves back to your normal process.
How much does workplace mediation software cost?+
GoMediation.ai is £4 per active employee per month with a £99 monthly minimum on a 12-month term, and there is a free 14-day trial with no card required. An external mediator for a single case typically costs several hundred to a few thousand pounds.
Can we use it for bullying, harassment or discrimination complaints?+
Those labels are not excluded at the door — Acas treats bullying and harassment as issues mediation can help with. Opening a case includes a short suitability check, and cases involving threats, possible criminal conduct, coercion, a safety risk or a need for formal findings are stopped and redirected to HR's formal process.
Watch
See it in action
A two-minute walkthrough of how a case runs, start to record.
Example
What a week can look like
An employee raises a concern about how a colleague speaks to them in front of the team. HR opens a case on Monday morning; both people get an invitation the same day and write their side in their own time. By Wednesday the issues are listed clearly — what happened, and how they want to work together from here.
By Friday they have agreed how they move forward, the record is signed, and HR has a timestamped document showing a fair, structured process ran. Nothing was decided for them, and nobody had to sit in a room together.
An illustrative example of how a case can run — not a customer story.
Built for HR
Your organisation, your control
- An organisation-level account — not a personal login sitting with one manager.
- HR visibility and control over cases, plans and letters across the business.
- Managers can be invited into the cases that concern their own people.
- Designed for companies of roughly 50–500 employees.
Registered with the ICO · UK data residency
Free for 14 days · From £99/month after your trial · No card required
Pricing
Simple and predictable
Free trial
14 days
Full organisation access. No card required, cancel anytime.
After the trial
From £99/month
£4 per active employee per month, with a £99 monthly minimum. 12-month term, billed monthly.
Formal mediated outcomes carry a per-case fee of £299 — reduced to £199 for organisations on an active subscription. One payment per case, never per party. See the full price list.
Start your free 14-day trial
Give your HR team a structured way to resolve issues early — with a proper audit trail.
No card required · Cancel anytime · Built for UK HR teams
Mediation is voluntary. Some issues need a formal investigation instead — the product will say so.
No card required