‘Peace is not the absence of conflict; it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means’ -Ronald Reagan
Employers can now seek Alternative Dispute Resolution(ADR) mechanisms to resolve various conflicts in their organizations such as conflict between employees and employers, with suppliers or clients and among other businesses just to mention a few. This is after 21 staff at Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE) got certified as professional mediators following completing training facilitated Dispute and Conflict Resolution International (DCRI) Kenya led by Judge Lee Muthoga, on 22nd July 2022 at Fairview Hotel.
Litigation, the commonly known dispute resolution action, is adversarial, expensive and leaves parties with a broken relationship. In an effort to avoid this, the Kenyan Constitution 2010, provides for alternative forms of dispute resolution including reconciliation, mediation, arbitration and traditional dispute resolution mechanisms.
The Federation calls upon for employers to embrace mediation in resolving conflict as it will increase the opportunity for harmonious industrial relations and improved productivity at the workplace. Mediation is a process in which a neutral third party (Mediator) helps disputants to arrive at their own solution to their dispute. Mediation has several advantages including:
- The parties make the final decision.
- Mediation is voluntary from the involved parties.
- Mediation helps parties to find a workable solution.
- It preserves relationships, such as family ties.
- Mediation is affordable and saves on time.
- Mediation is not as adversarial as Litigation
- It leads to a win-win solution for all parties
To book professional mediation services or for more information on mediation, kindly contact fkehq@fke-kenya.org.