Frequently Asked Questions

Why do great workplaces do better? See –

Why should I create a Winning Workplace?

"Aside from the obvious societal benefits of creating an employee-friendly workplace, there is a growing body of evidence which suggests a strong correlation between business performance and sound people practices. For example, between 1997 and 2003, the stock of the companies identified in Fortune Magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work for in America” list outperformed that of the Standard and Poor’s 500 by over 430 percent. Other studies have revealed that investments in people yielded higher productivity gains than investments in capital equipment and a strong correlation between employee satisfaction and customer satisfaction."
 www.winningworkplaces.org/aboutus/faqs.php#why

and –

What Makes a Great Place to Work^®?

"Our approach is based on the major findings of 20 years of research - that trust between managers and employees is the primary defining characteristic of the very best workplaces."
www.greatplacetowork.com/great/index.php

What's the difference between –

mediation and arbitration? Both are resources to the negotiation and dispute resolution processes and both involve independent third parties. A mediator actively assists the parties in their negotiations or other interactions, but has no decision-making powers. An arbitrator, on the other hand, is empowered (by the parties, in the case of voluntary arbitration and by statute, in the case of compulsory arbitration) to make final and binding decisions. Whereas mediators have to persuade stakeholders; stakeholders have to persuade arbitrators.

facilitation and mediation? Facilitation is a more general process, used to describe the role of an independent party in helping stakeholders work their way towards an objective or solution. A facilitator will normally work with all the stakeholders at the same time and in the same venue - an intensive and extended chairing role. Mediation usually comes into play where the parties are in dispute or anticipating disputes, and the mediator will often play a very active part in trying to broker a resolution, meeting with the parties both jointly and separately. Self-determination by the parties is a key principal that should govern both facilitation and mediation. The neutral party guides the process, but the parties control the outcome.

mediation and conciliation? Not much, actually, and indeed very often the terms are used interchangeably. Neither mediators nor conciliators have decision-making powers. Conciliation is often a process obliged by statute, and may not involve separate meetings with the parties, although there are no overarching rules in this regard.