How to become a workplace conflict mediator or negotiator
Table of Contents
By: Shelby Campbell, Edited by: Valerie Black
Published: April 21, 2025
Workplace conflict can happen naturally when a team is passionate about their work. Pride can motivate teams to be their best, but it can also cause emotions to run high. These emotions can cloud judgment and make it difficult to proceed. That's where workplace conflict mediators and negotiators can help.
But how do you become a trusted workplace conflict mediator? This edX guide explores how you can master mediation skills and help teams progress.
What do conflict mediators and negotiators do?
Conflict mediators and negotiators are neutral parties who work with businesses during employee conflict. These conflicts generally don't include human resource concerns like harassment. Instead, conflict mediators diffuse personal conflicts that create stagnation in workplace processes and determine a way forward.
Hiring a diverse team ensures varying perspectives, but those perspectives can also result in disagreements about work decisions. And when conflicts slow progress, they can impact employee morale and productivity. Using a neutral workplace conflict mediator or creating a workplace conflict mediation policy can eliminate roadblocks and realign your team's goals.
It's so easy when there's conflict to get lost in that conflict,
said Stephanie Adler, founder of SEA Conflict Consulting. She is a conflict mediator-negotiator with over a decade of experience working with clients like the United Nations and the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights. It's hard to figure out where we're at and what we're feeling.
Conflict mediators and negotiators can help your team connect with their feelings, discover the root causes of tension, and decide how to compromise and proceed.
What skills do negotiators and mediators need?
Workplace conflict mediators should be able to temper immediate judgments and emotions to identify the root causes of a conflict, which requires skills like:
- Active listening
- Empathy
- Problem identification
- Problem-solving
- Objectivity
- Clear communication
- Creativity
- Leadership
However, mediators don't enforce decisions. They may assist in ideating new solutions that disagreeing parties haven't considered, but they're not responsible for advocating for a certain solution. Mediators should encourage objectivity and communication to allow both parties to agree to a decision.
Adler emphasizes the importance of flexibility in conflict management. She believes there is no one-size-fits-all solution.
It's important in all these situations [to] use different strategies depending on the issue,
she said. So, if it's two people, maybe it's a mediation. If just one person needs to sort through some things, maybe it's a conflict coaching session. If it's a whole team, then maybe it's a facilitated group dialogue.
Being able to pivot your strategy depending on the workplace environment, employee personalities, and desired end goals is essential to working as a conflict manager.
Steps to becoming a workplace negotiator or conflict mediator
While some may associate mediation and negotiation with legal professions, conflict mediators work across industries. You can take several paths to land a role as a workplace conflict mediator.
Step 1: Formal education
Conflict mediators and negotiators often start their careers by earning a formal degree. Although there's no formal education requirement for conflict mediation, earning a degree in a subject like law, psychology, communication, or leadership and management can help you develop the necessary skills for a successful career.
Step 2: Mediation training
Many conflict mediators further their credentials by earning professional conflict mediation designations. Several institutions issue these credentials, including professional conflict management organizations like the Association for Conflict Resolution and the National Association of Certified Mediators.
With edX, you can also earn a professional certificate from UCLouvain that explores the psychology of conflict management. You may also benefit from taking leadership Executive Education courses for managers to grow your mediation skills.
Step 3: Gain experience
Getting real-world experience is essential to becoming a successful workplace conflict mediator. Internships, job shadowing, and entry-level positions can help you develop frameworks for various conflict situations.
You may not need a conflict-specific internship to gain experience — you may use mediation tactics in your day-to-day activities as a manager or associate in business settings.
Step 4: Develop a specialty
Conflict mediators often work with businesses in particular industries. They may use niche, insider knowledge to better avoid and mitigate conflict within a specific type of business, such as:
- Law
- Healthcare
- Construction and architecture
- Business, sales, and management
- Education
- Real estate
For example, healthcare conflict mediators may have specific knowledge about the inner workings of hospitals and care facilities. This knowledge can help you empathize and connect with employees to create smoother processes and more well-rounded solutions.
Step 5: Build credibility
As you begin your mediation career, you must establish credibility with potential clients. Workplace conflict often involves sensitive topics and emotions, so your clients must be able to trust your ability to handle these situations.
Networking as a mediator may demonstrate how you navigated a difficult workplace situation and led the parties to a voluntary agreement. You may also discuss your education and why you became a mediator to express your genuine interest in problem-solving.