Description

With over 12,000 academic and professional services staff, the University of Manchester recognised that traditional grievance procedures were no longer fit for purpose. Formal complaints often dragged on for over four months, damaging relationships, lowering morale and consuming significant management time. What was needed was a cultural shift, one where staff felt supported to address conflict early, constructively, and without stigma.

Partnering with CMP, the University launched an internal mediation service that offered fast, informal and empathetic support for colleagues in conflict. CMP trained a representative team of mediators from across departments and job grades through its six-day accredited programme, supported with coaching, roleplay and sector-specific insight. The aim was to build credibility and consistency, ensuring mediators were confident, skilled and trusted by peers.

Since the service launched in 2024, over 55 mediation cases have been handled, with an impressive 82 percent ending in resolution. The average time to reach an outcome through mediation is just 39 days, compared to 125 days via formal grievance routes. In the University’s most recent staff survey, the proportion of people reporting a sense of belonging rose to 70 percent. five percentage points higher than in 2022, and four points above the Russell Group average.

Staff feedback has been consistently positive. Most participants rate the process over 4 out of 5 for effectiveness and preparation. Perhaps most powerfully, 82 percent of those on leave due to conflict said they would return to work following mediation.