0333 987 5185

Mediation Nottingham

Pete Colby - Director and Lead Mediator

Welcome to Pragmatism. The services we offer are simple - we help to resolve disputes through mediation (and other means), and prevent them in the first place - we also train others to do the same. Our name describes everything we stand for. Whilst we appreciate the importance of theories, laws and policies they don't resolve issues - people do. A touch of pragmatism is always required.

 

I created the company after three decades of helping resolve thousands of issues - from minor spats in the office, team fallouts, trade union strikes or multi million-pound shareholder disputes. Whatever the issue they all needed proper, honest conversations - and that's exactly what we help people to do.

 

We give every ounce of blood, sweat and tears to help resolve issues. Whether it's mediation, facilitated conversations, or something else - as long as we get to the right solution, we really don't mind how we achieve it - there really is more than one way to skin a cat!

 

If you have any questions at all give the office a call on 0333 987 5185 or drop us an email - we'll happily discuss your situation and the most pragmatic way to resolve whatever the issue is.

The Main Benefits of Mediation and Dispute Resolution

We do what we do because of the devastating impact ongoing disputes and poor employee relations can have on individuals and organisations. Whether it's through mediation, facilitated conversations or any other methodology our job satisfaction comes from helping people to resolve whatever issues they have. The implications of not doing so are far too extensive to list here, but there are three main reasons, each of which we see every day:-

EASING STRESS

Whether it's an argument with a neighbour, a formal grievance at work, or taking somebody to court, anybody who's been through any kind of dispute will recognise the extreme levels of stress involved. 

 

It isn't easy at all - most people lose enormous amounts of sleep, they become incredibly anxious and they can't think of anything else.

Mediation

Not only does this affect the people involved, it impacts friends and family too - we often hear how the issue has affected marriages, partnerships and friendships. We've even seen breakdowns and suicide, which is so very sad.

 

Resolving disputes through mediation or other means as quickly as possible reduces serious mental health implications on people.

REDUCING COST

Reducing cost through mediation

For disputes which go to court the cost implications are reasonably obvious, especially when legal fees start mounting up. We often get involved in cases where costs of litigation are estimated in the tens and hundreds of thousands of pounds.


There are, however, less obvious costs especially for grievances in the workplace - for example reduced productivity, absence, management time spent hearing grievances, etc - before any legal costs come into it you can easily see how the most basic of grievances could cost a business upwards of £20,000 - much more than this in most cases we see. Compare these figures to the cost of mediation.

ELIMINATING WASTED TIME

Mediation saving time

Time is a major factor which also impacts both cost and (in particular) stress the more of it that's wasted. Most cases we get involved with could have been resolved many months (often years) earlier.

 

We often get asked if it's too early to try mediation, or whether it's too soon to try to head-off a potential dispute. The answer is it's never too early. Prevention is definitely the answer wherever possible.

 

Most disputes go on for months and years - mediations between two people normally take just one day, and over 90% are successfully resolved.

How We Can Help 

There are far too many scenarios that we've been involved with to list here, so it's usually best to get in touch to talk through the specific situation you have - a phone call costs nothing and we'll happily talk through the best way of resolving the issues you face. Below are a few examples of the more common situations we deal with:-

WORKPLACE DISPUTES

Individual Grievances

Team Disputes

Bullying & Harassment

Working with Unions / Representatives

Shareholder Disputes

Dispute resolution, mediation, grievances

CIVIL & COMMERCIAL DISPUTES

Landlord / Tenants

Boundary Disputes

Asset Distribution

Faulty Goods and Services

Poor Workmanship

For more details of how mediation works please have a look at the workplace mediation and civil and commercial mediation pages - although the principles of mediation are the same, there are subtle differences in the way we work through to a resolution.

Mediation - Commonly Asked Questions 

What is mediation?
No matter what the nature of the dispute, if all parties are open to exploring alternatives to court or formal processes then a solution can be reached which saves everybody involved a lot of stress and time and, in the case of legal action, avoids thousands of pounds in costs. 


When should I consider mediation?
So many people spend a lot of money and suffer from a lot of stress before considering mediation, and usually they wish they'd done it much earlier in the process - especially when they consider the impact on their health and their pocket when the Solicitor's bill lands on the door mat! Due to the cost and stress that can be avoided the simple answer is the earlier the better.


Is mediation voluntary?
Yes. There needs to be a desire by the parties involved to explore options for a resolution, otherwise mediation will not work. If you're determined to go all the way to court no matter what we'd suggest you save the cost of mediation as you'll need to put it towards your legal
costs for court.
 
The voluntary part of mediation is critical. We'd go so far to say that if you're only attending mediation as a box-ticking exercise please go somewhere else, as there are plenty of mediators who would be happy to take your money, but we work hard in helping people who want help to resolve their issues.


If we can't agree in mediation can I still go to court?
Yes. Mediation is not about compromising your principles. It's a process that can be entered into with no commitment and it does not stop you taking the other party to court (or employment tribunal) should you not reach an agreement in mediation.
 
Importantly, mediation is "without prejudice" which means should you proceed with your originally intended legal action the content of the mediation can't be disclosed and won't influence a Judge. This means that you can tell us anything in mediation and it will not be shared with the other party or anybody else without your permission.


Is mediation expensive?
On average a full day's mediation (including all of the associated administration) will cost in the region of three hours with a Solicitor, so is extremely cost-effective when compared to taking legal action which will cost many thousands of pounds.


Is mediation stressful?
We would never pretend that mediation itself is not without a level of stress, as the reason why you're in dispute in the first place is emotive. Whilst mediation is a formal process, we carry them out in a very informal manner and one of our main aims throughout is to reduce
the anxiety of everybody involved. Talking to us in a relaxed and friendly manner in a conference room with coffee is certainly far easier than being cross-examined by a Solicitor in the dock! 



If you'd like to read more about how the process works please read our questions and answers below:-

Mediation, questions, answers, civil & commercial
Mediation, questions, answers, workplace

The Way We Work 

How mediation works, Pragmatism UK

As a professional service, it's really important to us that we work with our clients in the best possible way. Customer service is our highest priority, and we believe in being completely open and transparent - whether that's about our pricing, what to expect or the processes we follow. The way we get the results is equally as important as the results themselves. You can read more about our ethos by clicking here. 

Mediation, ethos, Pragmatism UK

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WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!

If you'd like to know more about the services we offer, or you have a question, please don't hesitate to call or email us. Alternatively, complete the enquiry form opposite and we'll respond quickly.


  Pragmatism (UK) Ltd

     4 Cross Street

     Beeston

     Nottingham

     NG9 2NX


  0333 987 5185


  admin@pragmatism-uk.co.uk


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Mediation

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Pragmatism is a Private Limited Company. Registered company number 11648918. Director: Peter Colby Registered address: 4 Cross Street, Beeston, Nottingham, England, NG9 2NX

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