Organizational ombudsman
Encyclopedia
An organizational ombudsman
is a designated neutral or impartial dispute resolution practitioner whose major function is to provide independent, impartial, confidential and informal assistance to managers and employees, clients and/or other stakeholders of a corporation
, university
, non-governmental agency, or other entity. As an independent and neutral employee, the organizational ombudsman ideally should have no other role or duties. This is in order to maintain independence and neutrality, and to prevent real or perceived conflicts of interest.
Using an alternative dispute resolution
(ADR) sensibility, an organizational ombudsman provides options for people with concerns, including whistleblower
s, who seek to bring their concerns forward safely and effectively. Additionally, an organizational ombudsman offers coaching on ethics
and other management issues, provides mediation
to facilitate conflict resolution, helps enable safe upward feedback, assists those who feel harassed
and discriminated
against. Overall, the organizational ombudsman helps employees and managers navigate bureaucracy
and deal with concerns and complaints.
The organizational ombudsman role has evolved from at least two sources: a) an evolution from the concept of the 'classical' ombudsman and b) a spontaneous creation and re-invention——of the idea of an internal, neutral conflict resolver——often by senior managers who had never heard of the classical model.
Evolution from the classical model: The classical ombudsman appeared in Sweden
in the early 19th century as an independent high-level public official responsible to the parliament
or legislature and appointed by constitutional or legislative provisions to monitor the administrative activities of government. This model has been copied and also adapted in many ways in many countries and milieus.
The spontaneous creation model: The organizational ombudsman role has also been regularly "re-invented" by employers who did not know of the classical ombudsman but valued the importance of a senior manager who is a neutral, independent, confidential and informal problem-solver and systems change agent. Examples appeared in the 1920s in the US and probably appeared here and there in many cultures. In many organizations the organizational ombudsman is seen as part of a complaint system or link to a complaint system, but the office is intended to function, and to appear to function, independently from all regular line and staff management --- and to report to the CEO or Board of Directors. Many articles on these topics exist: for example, see http://ombuds-blog.blogspot.com/ and http://web.mit.edu/ombud/publications/
The concept has been widely implemented, and has been spread around the globe, with many corporations, universities, government and non-government entities establishing organizational ombudsman programs.
system, or complaint system. Sometimes referred to as the ultimate 'inside-outsider', an organizational Ombudsman adheres to professional standards strictly governing their confidentiality and neutrality. By virtue of their protected and highly placed internal role (e.g., reporting to a board of directors rather than to line or staff management), they can be particularly effective at working long-term with management to help effect change in policies, procedures, systems or structures that are problematic for employees or inefficient for the organization.
Associations and professional standards
The International Ombudsman Institute
supports ombudsmen institutions to cooperate.
The umbrella professional association for organizational ombudsmen is the International Ombudsman Association
, which provides training and establishes standards of practice. Other non-profit think tank
s, such as the Institute for Collaborative Engagement
, have strongly supported the work and growth of the profession,http://collaborative-engagement.org/ as has the American Bar Association
, through its support of standards and guidelines to establish organizational ombudsman offices.
Ombudsman
An ombudsman is a person who acts as a trusted intermediary between an organization and some internal or external constituency while representing not only but mostly the broad scope of constituent interests...
is a designated neutral or impartial dispute resolution practitioner whose major function is to provide independent, impartial, confidential and informal assistance to managers and employees, clients and/or other stakeholders of a corporation
Corporation
A corporation is created under the laws of a state as a separate legal entity that has privileges and liabilities that are distinct from those of its members. There are many different forms of corporations, most of which are used to conduct business. Early corporations were established by charter...
, university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
, non-governmental agency, or other entity. As an independent and neutral employee, the organizational ombudsman ideally should have no other role or duties. This is in order to maintain independence and neutrality, and to prevent real or perceived conflicts of interest.
Using an alternative dispute resolution
Alternative dispute resolution
Alternative Dispute Resolution includes dispute resolution processes and techniques that act as a means for disagreeing parties to come to an agreement short of litigation. ADR basically is an alternative to a formal court hearing or litigation...
(ADR) sensibility, an organizational ombudsman provides options for people with concerns, including whistleblower
Whistleblower
A whistleblower is a person who tells the public or someone in authority about alleged dishonest or illegal activities occurring in a government department, a public or private organization, or a company...
s, who seek to bring their concerns forward safely and effectively. Additionally, an organizational ombudsman offers coaching on ethics
Ethics
Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality—that is, concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime, etc.Major branches of ethics include:...
and other management issues, provides mediation
Mediation
Mediation, as used in law, is a form of alternative dispute resolution , a way of resolving disputes between two or more parties. A third party, the mediator, assists the parties to negotiate their own settlement...
to facilitate conflict resolution, helps enable safe upward feedback, assists those who feel harassed
Harassment
Harassment covers a wide range of behaviors of an offensive nature. It is commonly understood as behaviour intended to disturb or upset, and it is characteristically repetitive. In the legal sense, it is intentional behaviour which is found threatening or disturbing...
and discriminated
Discrimination
Discrimination is the prejudicial treatment of an individual based on their membership in a certain group or category. It involves the actual behaviors towards groups such as excluding or restricting members of one group from opportunities that are available to another group. The term began to be...
against. Overall, the organizational ombudsman helps employees and managers navigate bureaucracy
Bureaucracy
A bureaucracy is an organization of non-elected officials of a governmental or organization who implement the rules, laws, and functions of their institution, and are occasionally characterized by officialism and red tape.-Weberian bureaucracy:...
and deal with concerns and complaints.
The organizational ombudsman role has evolved from at least two sources: a) an evolution from the concept of the 'classical' ombudsman and b) a spontaneous creation and re-invention——of the idea of an internal, neutral conflict resolver——often by senior managers who had never heard of the classical model.
Evolution from the classical model: The classical ombudsman appeared in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
in the early 19th century as an independent high-level public official responsible to the parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
or legislature and appointed by constitutional or legislative provisions to monitor the administrative activities of government. This model has been copied and also adapted in many ways in many countries and milieus.
The spontaneous creation model: The organizational ombudsman role has also been regularly "re-invented" by employers who did not know of the classical ombudsman but valued the importance of a senior manager who is a neutral, independent, confidential and informal problem-solver and systems change agent. Examples appeared in the 1920s in the US and probably appeared here and there in many cultures. In many organizations the organizational ombudsman is seen as part of a complaint system or link to a complaint system, but the office is intended to function, and to appear to function, independently from all regular line and staff management --- and to report to the CEO or Board of Directors. Many articles on these topics exist: for example, see http://ombuds-blog.blogspot.com/ and http://web.mit.edu/ombud/publications/
The concept has been widely implemented, and has been spread around the globe, with many corporations, universities, government and non-government entities establishing organizational ombudsman programs.
Impartial third party role
Currently, the role is considered by some as a hallmark of an ethical organization and a key component of an integrated dispute resolutionDispute resolution
Dispute resolution is the process of resolving disputes between parties.-Methods:Methods of dispute resolution include:* lawsuits * arbitration* collaborative law* mediation* conciliation* many types of negotiation* facilitation...
system, or complaint system. Sometimes referred to as the ultimate 'inside-outsider', an organizational Ombudsman adheres to professional standards strictly governing their confidentiality and neutrality. By virtue of their protected and highly placed internal role (e.g., reporting to a board of directors rather than to line or staff management), they can be particularly effective at working long-term with management to help effect change in policies, procedures, systems or structures that are problematic for employees or inefficient for the organization.
Associations and professional standards
The International Ombudsman Institute
International Ombudsman Institute
The International Ombudsman Institute was established in 1978 as an independent global organisation to help more than 150 independent local, regional and national Ombudsman institutions to cooperate...
supports ombudsmen institutions to cooperate.
The umbrella professional association for organizational ombudsmen is the International Ombudsman Association
International Ombudsman Association
The International Ombudsman Association is an organization founded in 2005 with the purpose of supporting Organizational Ombuds. It was formed after the merger of the University and College Ombuds Association and The Ombudsman Association ....
, which provides training and establishes standards of practice. Other non-profit think tank
Think tank
A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...
s, such as the Institute for Collaborative Engagement
Institute for Collaborative Engagement
The Institute for Collaborative Engagement is an American based internationally focused think-tank formed around the year 2000.It uses collaborative strategies to address social and organizational problems in areas ranging from human rights and international development to conflict resolution and...
, have strongly supported the work and growth of the profession,http://collaborative-engagement.org/ as has the American Bar Association
American Bar Association
The American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
, through its support of standards and guidelines to establish organizational ombudsman offices.
Specific examples
Universities appoint ombudsmen to handle student and staff complaints and grievances.External links
- ABANet.org - 'Section of Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice: Ombuds'
- www.ombudsassociation.org - 'International Ombudsman Association'
- WMich.edu - 'Standards of Practice'
- ombuds-blog.blogspot.com - 'Ombuds Blog (News and Information for Organizational Ombuds)'
- European Ombudsman Institute European Ombudsman Institute