One third of Britain's workplaces do not have staff with the necessary mediation skills to resolve a workplace conflict, according to a new survey.
The Acas survey, carried out by YouGov, found that 33% of workers thought that their organisation did not have people with the necessary mediation skills to resolve a workplace conflict. The figure rises to 40% for small and medium-sized enterprises.
Mediation is a way of mending relationships when there is a disagreement at work, and looks at how people can work together. It is held by an impartial mediator who does not take sides, and is a less formal, flexible and voluntary way of resolving disagreements.
The Employment Rights Act 2025 has introduced significant changes to workers' rights. This provides an opportunity for employers and workers to work together to help organisations thrive and improve working lives.
Acas is encouraging employers and workers to work together to raise the standards of workplace relations and help prevent and manage potential disputes.
Kevin Rowan, Acas Director of Dispute Resolution, said:
"Mediation can be a great way of preventing and managing disputes informally without the need for potentially expensive formal action.
"It is not about judging who is wrong or who is right. It is about bringing people in a disagreement together to agree on a way of working together.
"Mediation is a valuable skill, but our survey shows that too few workers are confident their organisation has the skills to use it in a disagreement. We encourage employers to make sure their managers have the confidence and skill to mediate successfully."
Mediation can be used to resolve disagreements around relationships at work. It might be used to resolve personality clashes or relationship breakdowns, or bullying and harassment. It is not generally used to resolve things like pay disputes or issues related to dismissal or serious misconduct.
It is a voluntary and confidential process, and the mediator will agree with everyone what information can be shared. If you do not reach an agreement, anything that's said is kept confidential.
Mediation can help avoid stress, manage disagreements and avoid formal procedures like an employment tribunal. The outcome is decided by everyone involved and can be flexible.
The UK Mediation Conference, on 30 June 2026 in London, aims to equip managers with the conflict resolution skills, including:
- managing difficult conversations
- preventing escalation
- handling sensitive disputes inclusively and effectively
For more information about the conference, timings, pricing and how to book your place, please visit UK Mediation Conference 2026.
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Background notes
- Acas commissioned YouGov to poll employers in a representative sample of British businesses. The survey was carried out online and the total sample size was 1,000 employees in Great Britain. Fieldwork was undertaken between 5 February and 11 February 2026. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc and have been weighted, and are representative of British business size and region.
Participants were asked: Do you think your organisation has people with the necessary mediation skills to resolve a workplace conflict?
The results were:
- Yes, it does – 44%
- No, it does not – 33%
Don't know – 23%
The UK Mediation Conference will take place on 30 June at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms, London.
Baroness Maggie Jones, Acas Chair, will deliver the keynote address, making the case for a fundamental shift in how workplace conflict is understood and managed.