WHAT WE DO

Workplace Mediation

Structured, impartial support to help individuals and teams resolve conflict, rebuild trust, and restore productive working relationships.

What it is.

Workplace mediation is a confidential, voluntary process where a skilled, neutral mediator helps people in conflict work through their differences and reach a resolution they both own.

Unlike a formal investigation or disciplinary process, mediation focuses on the future. What needs to change, how communication can improve, and what both parties need to move forward constructively. It is one of the most effective tools available for resolving workplace conflict before it becomes something much harder to undo.

Mediation is not only for two people in dispute. ClearStory also works with groups, executive teams, and boards where conflict has become collective, where the dynamic has shifted from a disagreement between individuals to something shaping how the whole team functions. The more complex the conflict, the more important it is to have someone who can hold the whole space without losing anyone in it.

A ClearStory clarity tool

What is this conflict really costing you?

Workplace conflict is expensive in ways that rarely show up on a balance sheet: lost hours, quiet stress, good people edging towards the door. It is also a recognised workplace psychosocial hazard, one Australian employers now have a duty to manage. In two minutes, using real Australian research, let's put an honest number on it. No names, nothing saved, no obligation.

Which of these is closest to the situation?

Roughly how many people does it touch?

6 people

Everyone caught up in it, not just the two at the centre.

230+

What's the average salary of those involved?

$95,000

A rough average is fine. Used only to value people's time.

$55k$250k+

How much time each week does it quietly eat, per person?

2.8 hrs / week

Venting, avoiding, re-hashing, lost focus. Australian research puts the average at about 2.8 hours.

0.510+

How long has it been running?

3 months

From when it first started affecting the work.

124+

Is any of this true? (tap the ones that apply)

It's causing stress-related sick daysAdds absenteeism to the estimate
At least one person is thinking of leavingAdds turnover risk, shown separately
It regularly pulls in a manager or HRAdds management time

In a sentence, what's going on? (optional, no names)

Just for your own clarity. Naming it is often the first step. This isn't used in the maths.

The cost of this conflict

If nothing changes, over the next 3 months this is on track to cost your organisation about:

$0

It has likely already cost around $0.

Resolve now+12 months
Where it comes from$0
Plus a looming $0 in turnover risk if someone walks. The Australian HR Institute puts replacing one person at 50% of their salary or more, and it's the cost people miss most.
If this tips into a psychological injury claim, the stakes climb sharply. In Australia the median mental health claim now runs about $67,400 in compensation and 35.7 weeks lost from work (Safe Work Australia, 2025), and conflict is a recognised psychosocial hazard employers are legally required to manage.

This is what the story is costing. It doesn't have to keep costing.

Around 80% of workplace mediations reach a resolution, most in a single sitting. A conversation now is almost always a fraction of the figure above, and the relationships come out the other side. Let's talk it through, no obligation.

Want this to take away, plus some practical tips for moving forward?

We'll email you your result plus a few practical next steps for navigating the conflict, yours to keep. Travis may reach out to talk it through, entirely without pressure.

Thanks, that's on its way. Talk soon.

This is a research-based estimate, not a quote. See how it's calculated below.

Book a free consultation See how mediation works
How we calculate this

A deliberately conservative, research-based estimate. Time lost defaults to about 2.8 hours per person per week, the international CPP Global benchmark, valued on base salary only over a 1,976-hour working year. Absenteeism and management time are counted only if you tick them. Turnover is shown separately as a risk, at 50% of salary, the Australian HR Institute's lower bound, with senior roles running 150 to 200%. Conflict is a recognised psychosocial hazard under Australian WHS law; where it escalates, the median Australian psychological injury claim now runs about $67,400 and 35.7 weeks lost from work (Safe Work Australia, Key WHS Statistics 2025), shown as context and never added to the running total. Mediation resolves around 80% of disputes (Australian Dispute Resolution Advisory Council; Fair Work Ombudsman). Sources: Safe Work Australia (2025), Australian HR Institute, the SafeWork psychosocial hazards framework, PwC and Beyond Blue, ADRAC, Fair Work Ombudsman, and CPP Global.

An estimate for reflection, not a formal quote or financial advice. Nothing you enter is stored unless you choose to email your result.

Two people, a man with glasses and a woman with a ponytail, are sitting at a white table in a room. They are having a conversation. Behind them is a bookshelf with books, decorative items, and a yellow football. A large potted plant is in the foreground. Framed artwork and a poster featuring "Horton Hears a Who!" are hanging on the wall.

Who it’s for.

Workplace mediation works best when:

  • Two or more employees are in ongoing conflict that is affecting their work or wellbeing.

  • A manager and team member have broken down in communication.

  • A team has fractured following a significant change, incident, or leadership transition.

  • HR or senior leadership need a neutral third party before a situation escalates further.

It is particularly effective when the relationship matters and both parties are willing to engage, even if that willingness is tentative at first.

How it works.

1

Initial consultation

Travis meets individually with each party to understand the situation, explain the process, and assess whether mediation is appropriate.

2

Preparation

Each participant has the opportunity to reflect on what they need from the process and what a good outcome looks like for them.

3

Joint session

Travis facilitates a structured conversation between both parties, creating a safe, focused environment for honest dialogue and genuine problem-solving.

4

Agreement

Where appropriate, parties agree on practical steps forward. A written summary can be prepared if required.

5

Follow-up

Travis checks in with participants after the process to support implementation and address anything that comes up along the way.

What you walk away with.

Group of people sitting in a circle, engaging in a discussion in a casual setting.

  • A clear, agreed path forward that both parties own

  • Restored or improved working relationships

  • Practical communication strategies for moving forward

  • Reduced risk of formal grievance or escalation

  • Confidence that the situation has been handled with care and professionalism

Not sure if mediation is right for your situation?

Travis offers a no-obligation initial conversation to help you understand your options and what kind of support would be most appropriate.

Book a free consultation
Travis Fitch

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