The Ombuds Blog: SHRM Article Touts Effectiveness of Ombuds

February 04, 2022

SHRM Article Touts Effectiveness of Ombuds

An article posted to the Society for Human Resource Management website this week explains that, "Alternative complaint systems can be an effective way for organizations to address and resolve harassment and discrimination disputes without resorting to formal legal channels." The article includes quotes from Elizabeth Schwartz Hill, Associate Director of the Ombuds Office at the University of Colorado Boulder, and Donna Douglass Williams, the new Ombudsperson at Pinterest. (SHRM Employee Relations.)

1 comment:

Unknown2/08/2022 11:23 AM
Excellent article, so helpful. Shared with my clients!
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Organizational Ombuds

Organizational Ombuds serve as a confidential, independent, neutral and informal dispute resolution resource for a specific entity. They are accessible to a defined population and can advocate for fairness. These unique characteristics distinguish Organizational Ombuds from Classical Ombuds, mediators, arbitrators, and other alternative dispute resolution professionals. The term "Ombuds" is shorthand for "Ombudsman," "Ombudsperson" and "Ombuds Officer," which also are used widely.

Some other variants include:

Austria -- Ombudsstelle

Brazil -- Ouvidor

Croatia -- pravobranitelji

France -- médiateur/defénseur

Germany -- Ombudspersonen

Italy -- difensore

Netherlands -- ombudspersoon

Norway -- ombudet

Poland -- Rzecznik

Portugal -- provedor

Russia -- омбудсмен

Spain -- ombudsman organizacional

Sweden -- studentombud

Switzerland -- ombudsmann

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