Organisational Ombuds – their role in staff wellbeing

All over the world, Organisational Ombuds [OO] programmes create better workplaces where employee satisfaction leads to higher morale and retention, by addressing issues early. An OO offers a safe place for staff to discuss concerns and create options to address unwelcome behaviour. By enabling people to find solutions, their concerns can be addressed at a pace that suits them. Also, the OO will provide the senior leadership with an early warning system of inappropriate behaviour, emerging policy violations or ineffective leadership. This function maintains anonymity so reducing the possibility of retaliation against those raising important issues.

Best practice principles

OOs follow the ethical standards set out by the International Ombuds Association. 

Independent

While OO is resourced by the organisation, its purpose is to give staff independent guidance on handling challenging behaviour in the workplace.  OO email, phones and website are all stand-alone and sit outside the organisation’s systems.

Impartial

The OO will help to enable people to overcome challenges, big and small.  They can help people talk through a situation and support the decision-making process. The OO will advise on the organisational policy and processes to allow them to choose how to address concerns. The OO does not provide legal advice and they do not make binding decisions for the staff or the organisations. 

Confidential

What you say to the OO is strictly private. They may keep a temporary record of the services provided for the purpose of anonymised reporting of patterns and trends across the organisation. Personal information will not be passed to the organisation. This also means the OO is not a 'service of formal notice', in that they don't receive formal complaints or notice of grievance.  However, the OO won't keep it secret if a visitor discloses, they are so distressed that they may harm themselves or someone else. The OO's duty is to make them safe and may report the situation to someone that can help keep people from harm. Where possible the OO will raise their concern with the visitor first, but in certain situations, they may have to act immediately.

Informal

The OO is all about, resolving conflict, restoring relationships and building team communication capability. They are not an office that receives complaints or notices on behalf of the organisation.