HR practitioners and mediators work very closely together when arranging for mediation to address conflict and disputes. However, rather than viewing mediation purely as a process, I propose that we need to recognise that the analysis of conflict is initially done by HR practitioners. With that in mind, this article shares research findings from workplace mediators in Ireland to inform HR practitioners in their decisions to use workplace mediation effectively. If we are going to develop an effective vision for, and return on investment from, workplace mediation in organisations (Brubaker et al 2014), we need to develop our understanding through research (Bollen and Euwema 2013). This article specifically focuses on the interplay of engagement and decision-making between the two key professional groups who facilitate workplace mediation in organisations.