Workplace Mediation: An Underdeveloped Research Area

Abstract

In this article, we review the literature on workplace mediation. To organize the literature in a logical way, we have relied primarily on the model of Margaret Herrman and her colleagues and examine the important influence of culture and feedback loops on the practice of workplace mediation. Workplace mediation has become a frequent practice in the United States, Europe, much of Asia, and Australia. In the literature, we have found various descriptions of this practice as well as long lists of its assumed benefits, but empirical studies examining the effectiveness of workplace mediation have been few; a limited number of studies have investigated which conditions ensure the effectiveness of workplace mediation, and few studies have relied on observations. As such, workplace mediation represents an underdeveloped research area. In this article, we describe the findings from the existing literature and offer suggestions for future research.