Ombuds Services

The Ombuds Office provides an independent, impartial, informal and confidential space for BCM community members (Visitors) to discuss any workplace concern. This service gives Visitors support to identify options and approaches to address or resolve their concerns. Consultations are usually scheduled for 1 hour. 

A process based on the principles of effective human interaction where the ombuds leads as a neutral and helps the group explore different perspectives. This service can help the group gain clarity of group member differences in communication styles, values, and interests, which can improve overall understanding of one another. Group consultations usually require 2 – 4 weeks lead time for proper conflict analysis, conflict intervention selection and presentation preparation. 

A facilitated dialogue is a comprehensive process based on effective human interactions where the ombuds leads as a neutral and helps the group explore different perspectives. The facilitated dialogue is designed to help the group increase the quality of decisions, increased commitment to decisions, reduce effective implementation time, improve working relationships, improve personal satisfaction in groups, and increase organizational learning. The facilitator (who is substantially neutral and has no substantive decision-making authority) diagnoses a group concern and designs and governs a facilitative process that helps the group improve how it identifies the most important issues, solves problems, and makes decisions to increase the group’s overall effectiveness. This process supports the group in arriving at decisions or outcomes that are acceptable to all members of the group, thereby improving group cohesiveness and positive team dynamics. This process takes 3-5 weeks lead time for proper perspective or data gathering, conflict analysis, conflict intervention selection and presentation preparation. 

Mediation is a process in which the ombuds serves as impartial third party—a mediator—facilitates the resolution of a conflict by promoting voluntary agreement by the parties to the conflict. The ombuds, as a mediator, facilitates communications, promotes understanding, focuses the parties on their mutual interests and seeks creative problem solving to enable the parties to reach their own agreement. These standards give meaning to the definition of mediation. Mediation is a process wherein the parties meet with a trained neutral who assists them in the negotiation of their differences. The time commitment for this process about is usually about 6 hours with individual 1- hour consultations with each of the participants separately (in advance of the mediation) and 4 hours for the actual mediation together as a group. Learn more.

With access to all necessary organizational information, the ombuds may informally inquire about policies, processes, and procedures at will without providing the reason, purpose, or individual for whom ombuds make the inquiry. Through this informal fact finding, the ombuds can provide ombuds visitors relevant information to guide their decisions and actions without fear of negative consequences. Time varies on this process. 

A focus group is a small-group discussion guided by the ombuds. It is used to learn about opinions on a designated topic, and to guide future action. A focus group is a research method that brings together a small group of people to answer questions in a moderated setting. The group is chosen due to predefined demographic traits, and the questions are designed to shed light on a topic of interest. Focus groups are a type of qualitative research that gathers individual perspectives and experiences. Usually 1 – 2 hours is suggested to achieve productive discussion, however time varies depending on circumstances. 

The Listening Session is similar to a focus group and  as it is a type of facilitated discussion with a group of people, aimed at collecting information about their experience. Participants in a listening session are asked to talk about what they know and think and sometimes answer specific questions about a topic. The ombuds will gather themes of the listening sessions preserving the anonymity of participants and protecting the confidentiality of the process. Time allocation depends on circumstances. Groups will be organized to ensure psychological safety and candor.

Conflict coaching is defined as a set of skills and strategies used to support peoples’ ability to engage in, manage, or productively resolve conflict.  In this process, the conflict coach works one-on-one with a coachee experiencing conflict with another person.  Conflict coaching enables the coachee to talk about the conflict with a neutral third party (the conflict coach), consider options for managing the conflict, and design an approach to discuss the conflict with the other person.  (Mediate.com) Conflict styles assessments will be conducted. Coaching sessions are usually concluded in 3 (1 hour) consultation sessions. 

Ombuds help leaders execute effective communication strategies and approaches to improve their influence with their team and others. This may include preparing for a change management announcement, town halls or large-scale changes that has a rippling effect on the work environment.  Coaching sessions are usually limited to a 3 month timeline.

Communications coaching- Ombuds provide 1-on 1 communication coaching to help individuals improve their ability to connect, listen, engage and persuade. This service is usually for anyone who desires to improve their overall effectiveness in communication. Conflict styles assessments are given to support the communication coaching session.  Consultations are usually scheduled for 1 hour and may take two or more visits. 

This process is for crossing the difference divide. Three practices are: 

1. I’ll be unusually interested in others
2. I’ll stay in the room with difference
3. I’ll stop comparing my best with your worst

This process is to assist groups in sharing perspectives in a structured conversation so that members of the group can be seen and heard without interruption.  This process is a conflict intervention method is most applicable for peer-to-peer concerns with the goal to improve understanding and when no decisions need to be made. This process takes 2-3 weeks lead time for ombuds to gain needed perspective of the matter, gather relevant data, conduct conflict analysis and prepare materials.