Conflict and Mediation Services and all about Organisational Ombuds
Organisational Ombuds . . .
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 for 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.
and their role in staff wellbeing and high performance engagement
Conflict and Mediation Services . . .
Relationships.
Relationships are at the core of everything we do. We are happiest when our interactions with others are safe, trusted, and respectful. At the same time, our unhappiest moments come from interactions with others that we regret. We are often quick to blame others for the conflict. Whatever the circumstance Wayne can help you reset the discussion, and create the opportunity to have challenging discussions that are safe and progressively positive. He can assist you to have a conversation that generates empathy and guide you through the conflict. Situations Wayne can assist with:
Coaching you to have a challenging conversation with a colleague, loved one, or ex-partner.
Facilitating and mediating with you and others to engage safely and competently to achieve a relationship reformation.
Child access agreements and commitments.
Setting the rules of engagement for people agreeing to separate.
Asset allocation. Whom-gets-what after a split.
Wayne says that people can move forward after a breach of trust in a relationship. They can do this together or apart. “I can help you set priorities and develop skills that will bring out the best person you can be, safely, respectfully and get the same from the person you’re fighting with”.
Conflict coaching and professional supervision.
We all deserve a positive work environment a place where we can enjoy our work for a job well done. When handled constructively, conflict is a normal and useful part of life. If left unresolved people may not feel their workplace is positive. It will lead to low morale and you may even notice that productivity is lost. In extreme cases, people may have health problems associated with conflict. Many organisations have a formal conflict management system in place and encourage staff to use the process if they get into workplace conflict. As with many formal processes staff can be reluctant to engage due to fear of issues such as retaliation, loss of relationships or other consequences.
How does coaching happen?
Conversations between coach and client are a one to one process so you can increase confidence to manage you interpersonal conflict or dispute. It is a future oriented and voluntary process that focuses on the client’s conflict management goals. Conflict coaching is not counselling or therapy. The coach will not provide advice or act as your agent or representative. Usually there will be several sessions, the first used to reach agreement about the boundaries of coaching and client relationship. The coach offers to be available face to face, by phone, and by audio-visual link, and can agree to meet with you privately away from the workplace.
What situations can I discuss with a coach?
My supervisor is grumpy with me all the time. I don’t understand why.
The foreman seems to have favourites, and I’m not one of them.
The person I work with goes too slow and ignores my plea to work harder.
I think I’m being treated differently than other people because I’m from another country.
My marriage is falling apart and I’m afraid leaving will affect my children.
I’m feeling bullied by the others. There is so much gossip where I work.
How can a coach help me?
Strengthen your ability and confidence to take steps to resolve issues.
Assist with negotiations between people. Listen and help you develop options to address issues and assess the consequences of these options.
Provide information and clarification on company procedures and practices.
Identify other avenues of help outside the workplace.
Give the organisation valuable insight into the issues facing staff so they can address systemic problems (via anonymous reporting with consent).
Professional Conflict Coaching.
Restorative justice.
Healing of grief and loss can begin when harm is acknowledged and justice done. Restorative justice is available for people harmed and those that harmed them, relatives, whanau, friends, and members of your community. It provides opportunities for reconciliation for the people involved and the communities they live in.
Restorative practices
people harmed by crime can be given a voice and their questions answered.
apologies can be given and received.
the people that have harmed are encouraged to take responsibility for the impact of their actions on others.
the damage done by criminal or anti-social acts can be lessened.
practical and helpful resolutions can be found.
peace and healing can be promoted where people want to show compassion and forgiveness.
We will help you by...
contacting the parties to establish willingness and suitability for a conference.
arranging and facilitating a conference in a safe and neutral place.
creating an environment where all parties are given a hearing, solutions are explored and agreements can be reached.
helping people arrange support systems.
assisting with follow-up arrangements as necessary.
Conflict analysis.
Providing teams and organisations with an independent look at structure and function.
As a result, your staff will develop new skills and competencies that emphasise self-awareness, team-building, conflict analysis and assessment, communication, implementation of change, strategies for intervention in interpersonal disputes and transformation of conflict.
Fleetwood's analytical approach utilises 'lenses', giving insight into aspects of conflict such as power, environment, stakeholder engagement, system mapping and workflow. Our reports offer practical advice and solutions on how the transformation of conflict can improve organisational culture.
Mediation and facilitation.
Mediated and facilitated solutions rely on understanding the importance of taking responsibility.
Too often I hear from people who don't want a mediated solution because "it might mean I'm in the wrong". These folk are often quick to lay blame everywhere. (Arrgh!!)
Fleetwood's approach to resolving open conflict is to work with parties to find agreed, sustainable outcomes on what happened, the impact of the event(s), and plans and actions to remedy the problem. It focuses upon the accountability of harm and the responsibilities that can be shared to repair that harm. We work alongside people in a process that builds trust and confidence in the team/group.
High performance engagement.
High-performance engagement utilises a truly transformational practitioner. With independence as a key principle, this service is akin to the Organisational Ombuds role found in large organisations throughout Asia, the United States, and Europe. The Organisational Ombuds is available to staff as a neutral and confidential practitioner that provides coaching services to all levels of the organisation. Their role increases engagement and communication, by ensuring people work in collaborative ways that strengthen culture.
High-performance engagement also acts as an early warning mechanism of potentially catastrophic events and is an effective preventative measure in the identification and remediation of inappropriate workplace behaviour (too often called bullying).