Ombuds Program Development Services
Align cultures and support organizational wellbeing with an Ombuds Program
Ombuds Programs provide safe, informal, confidential space to find workable solutions in your organization.
We are in challenging times.
The impact of COVID, major layoffs and other factors altered the way employees and employers view each other, leading to tension, burnout and low morale and engagement.
Workplace conflict costs skyrocket to $359 billion per year, according to Global Human Capital Report. Leaders are at a loss for how to turn things around to increase trust, engagement and retention.
Instead of guessing, why not invest in a organizational Ombuds Program that can:
- help employees build trust and connection within your company
- serve as a safe space for employees to discuss their work-related concerns, questions and matters and get information & guidance
- free up an overburdened HR team by addressing conflicts
- share insights and hidden trends to assist leadership in making meaningful decisions.
For every $1 invested in an Ombuds program, returns $22 in savings and cost avoidance!
Are your managers way too busy with employee conflicts? Managers spend 4 hours per week dealing with disputes, according to the Myers-Briggs Conflict at Work Report. Reclaim their time!
An Ombuds Program can handle the disputes and coach managers to be more conflict competent!
What is an Organizational Ombuds Program, you ask?
An Ombuds Program establishes the program parameters and specifics of how your Ombuds interacts with your employees and leadership team. Connection doesn't just happen. You have to intentionally develop it- and that's where I can help you.
There are many kinds of Ombuds. An organizational Ombuds is an alternative dispute resolution expert who is hired by organizations (businesses, in my case) to do two things:
- to assist employees to identify and resolve work-related conflict and issues, increase people skills and share their work experiences
- to provide objective information on trends, insights and concerns to enable senior leadership to understand employee experience and make better decisions
Outsourced means that the Ombuds is an independent contractor, not a salaried employee of the organization, working part-time on an ongoing basis. That differs from full-time, internal Ombuds.
Ombuds adhere to the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practices promulgated by the International Ombuds Association (IOA). Ombuds are:
Independent. Neutral. Informal. Confidential.
Ombuds represent the informal communication channel while HR is the formal channel for employees. Your Ombuds and HR team work on parallel paths to ensure your organizational wellbeing.
OMBUDS PROGRAMS HELP YOU SOLVE...Representative Issues
- Manager- employee interpersonal conflicts
- Workplace bullying
- Harassment
- Conflict coaching for coworkers
- Burnout and low morale
- Executive EQ or communication issues
- Facilitated Discussions (mediation)
- Questions regarding policy or procedures
- Issues from change management
Working together | Ombuds Program Services
There are three (3) ways that we can work together. Let's quickly walk through them, then you can book your Discovery Call for a deeper dive.
Develop & Serve Development Plan
Successful Ombuds programs don't just happen because you hire an Ombuds.
Effective programs are designed to meet the specific needs and goals of your organization.
A Development plan enables you to understand what employees feel & think about your current workplace. You learn what employees need to feel happier and more engaged. You also get a chance to reset your culture to become the caring, thoughtful, inclusive workplace.
Most importantly, you'll know whether an Ombuds program is a good fit and how to get started.
Outsourced Ombuds
An Outsourced Ombuds, also known as Fractional, provides Ombuds service to your company on an ongoing, part-time basis.
Fractional Ombuds programs allow you to create a listening tool to identify & address risk earlier, strengthen employee loyalty & trust, support your HR team by reducing their workload.
You get the benefit of my 23 years of experience and expertise for your organization. I've launched several Ombuds programs in a variety of industries and served communities as small as 8 and as large as 60K.
Your organization gets an Ombuds on an on-demand basis for a monthly retainer.
Develop & Recruit
Organizational Ombuds develop their skills and intuition over time.
You may want to give your Ombuds support if that person has less than 5 years' experience .
We provide Ombuds support that gives your Ombuds a safe, confidential space to get guidance and advice, brainstorm solutions or simply vent.
Maybe your people are using the Ombuds more and you want to increase bandwidth without hiring another full-time employee.
Our outsourced Ombuds service increases the number of people your program can serve and provides a fresh perspective.
Ready to learn more about Ombuds?
The best way to learn more about Ombuds programs and whether they are a good fit for you and your company is to talk it over.
During our 30 minute meeting with you and your team, I'll ask you about your interests and goals, then we'll figure out your next step. (Not every company is ready and I'll tell you if that's the case.)
My aim is to help you make an informed decision, not to sell you. No selling. No pressure, I promise.
Just a brief conversation with a knowledgeable friend to learn about a new way to create & maintain a happier, more engaged workplace.
Book your call and let's get started!