Frequently Asked Questions about The Workplace Ombudsman

Doesn’t this conflict with the HR Department’s job?

Experience has shown that workplace ombudsmen actually enhance the role and reputation of the Human Resource Department. There are a number of reasons for this.  

• An independent and neutral investigation into an employee’s concerns (for example, about workplace issues like promotions, lay-offs, and assignment of overtime and vacation) that results in a positive report, can result in an employee’s having more confidence in the HR Department itself.
• The Workplace Ombudsman can be brought in by the HR Department where an employee has concerns about the HR Department’s neutrality (complaints again supervisors, for instance).
• The Workplace Ombudsman is often defined as being a last resort. Therefore The Workplace Ombudsman can act as a simple referrer to the HR Department itself for conflict resolution and be in a position to confirm the importance of the HR Department.

What other businesses use this concept?

Most major banks and most large universities in Canada and the United States, and corporations like American Express, Exxon, Shell, Deloitte Consulting, United Technologies Corporation, Lockheed, IKON Office Solutions, and Coca-Cola, all have internal Ombudsman offices.

I can always get good employees. Why do I need this?

• The cost of training employees can be very high; good employees are an investment and should be treated that way.
• Workplace conflicts create poor morale. Poor morale affects productivity and creativity.
• Having a person independent of the employer available to assist in creative conflict resolution shows employees that you do care. A well-run business would not use The Workplace Ombudsman that often. Since the cost depends on the use, the benefit of providing the service far outweighs the cost of providing the service.

Won’t this create unreasonable expectations?

Certainly expectations have to be made clear.  If the terms of the appointment limits the use of The Workplace Ombudsman only when other reasonable means of resolving issues have been attempted, that has to be made clear to employees.  It must always be clear that he can only make recommendations. The role of The Workplace Ombudsman must therefore be carefully defined and explained. On the other hand, reasonable expectations are good and can assist in morale building. Employees are reassured to know that there is a person independent of the employer to whom they can turn.

How can I control the cost of this?

The Workplace Ombudsman will keep clear records of time expended and can review them with you at any time. The retainer agreement can be negotiated every three or six months to make certain that the costs reflect usage, and that usage reflects some utility to the organization.

Do I have to buy the whole package?

In order to show employees that you are committed to the process, there has to be a clear appointment of The Workplace Ombudsman. Aside from that, however, the exact nature of issues that The Workplace Ombudsman deals with can be limited only to those issues that are important to you and are not otherwise dealt with within your organization (sexual harassment, reasonable accommodation, excessive sick leaves, discrimination allegations).