A Practical Guide to Organizational Ombuds
How They Help People and Organizations
This book is intended to serve as a practical guide for anyone who has questions about what organizational ombuds programs are and how they operate. Because most of what ombuds do is confidential, many people do not fully understand what these programs are. Senior leaders of an organization often respond to a request to create an ombuds office with concerns over creating yet another overhead expense that does not produce revenue and wonder what value these programs add beyond the common suite of other corporate functions such as management, HR, compliance, hotlines, and whistleblower and antiretaliation policies. They also express skepticism over ombuds confidentiality and how ombuds operate independently when they may also be an employee of the organization.
This book is intended to address those concerns by answering questions directly and by illustrating ombuds work with real examples. The book has two complementary parts. Part I contains the author’s answer to common and difficult questions that organizational leaders have posed to him and ombuds over the years about organizational ombuds programs. The answers are intentionally presented in a direct, short, and conversational manner. Part II approaches the same topic in a completely different way. It consists solely of stories of actual matters handled by organizational ombuds that have been organized into 33 categories. Over 200 pages of the book are devoted to these stories, with digital access to the full compilation of over 600 pages of examples. Telling actual stories of what ombuds do and how they do it makes real what a discussion only reveals in abstract. The illuminating power of these stories helps people understand the unique value of organizational ombuds programs.
What others say about A Practical Guide to Organizational Ombuds
“Given the escalating exposure of workplace culture issues, the need for ombuds has never been greater. Chuck Howard does a masterful job explaining the case for how ombuds can really help an organization, and the real-world examples truly bring the concepts to life.”
“Chuck Howard has been a champion of the organizational ombuds for decades and knows the power of real-life stories to convey their value. The examples he shares in this book can’t help but cause leaders to see the practical and extensive benefits an ombuds offers to the organization. A must-read for all C-suites.”
“Chuck Howard paints a uniquely accurate picture of current ombuds practices in the United States. He insightfully does so by applying a variety of actual colorful examples to the broad canvas of his own considerable experience. In my opinion, this work is a must-read for anyone serious about practicing the ‘art of ombudsing’ in any organization.”
“This book provides the clearest explanation of what an organizational ombuds actually does by sharing real life examples—actual cases taken from ombuds who work in a variety of settings across the globe. If you are considering adding an organizational ombuds office as an additional support resource for people in your organization, this book will convince you to do so.”
“Chuck’s genuine passion for the ombuds profession is readily apparent in this conversational, engaging book. The real case scenarios bring to life the true value the ombuds contributes to an organization. A must-read not only for those just establishing an ombuds office but also for every practicing ombuds.”
The Organizational Ombudsman
Origins, Roles and Operations – A Legal Guide
Anyone involved with an ombudsman office will find this book an invaluable resource that explains why an ombudsman is important for organizations, and strategies for structuring and operating offices to preserve the confidentiality that is critical to their function. The book provides:
- A history of the evolution of the ombudsman concept from its origins in Sweden to the modern organizational ombudsman and a discussion of the principles critical to the work of the organizational ombudsman.
- A rationale for the creation of ombudsman offices, including a review of demographic data and workplace/societal changes in technology and globalization that have influenced how we work and interact in large organizations for the ombudsman.
- Strategies for addressing issues that arise in litigation.
- An analysis of the effectiveness of current best practices, including hotlines and whistleblower laws and policies.
- Topics of interest to ombudsmen, including discovery tools, arbitration and mediation, the federal sentencing guidelines, the Clery Act, constitutional limitations on claims of privilege, and the European Union Data Privacy Directive.
- Numerous actual examples from ombudsmen programs that illustrate how they function in their organizations, and how they are effective in addressing issues that people would not otherwise raise.
What others say about The Organizational Ombudsman
“Doctors have the Physician’s Desk Reference and Stedman’s Medical Dictionary. Psychiatrists have the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual and the Mental Health Desk Reference. Now there is an indispensable reference book for the Organizational Ombudsman – Charles Howard’s wonderfully comprehensive legal guide, The Organizational Ombudsman: origins, roles and operations. Mr. Howard, an attorney in private practice who has consulted with ombudsmen in universities, corporations and other organizations for almost two decades has written a reference book that combines his thorough understanding of legal principles with his first hand familiarity with the day to day activities and dilemmas of the practicing ombudsman. The book is both scholarly and accessible – he manages to make relevant legal matters understandable to readers who lack legal training without oversimplifying important legal principles. But this book is not an abstract discourse about legal principles; the entire book is grounded in a subtle consideration of the historical, social and economic factors that have contributed to the emergence of the ombudsman function. After a chapter that surveys the history of the ombudsman role and identifies its essential characteristics he offers the most thorough discussion of why organizations should create ombudsman programs that I have seen in over 28 years of being an ombuds, including at one of the nation’s largest public universities and in the federal government…”
“Chuck Howard has provided a scholarly and well referenced guide to the ombuds community. He traces the history of the ombudsman from its origin to the current day organizational innovation of ombudsman services. With his deep knowledge of legal issues faced by ombudsman programs in corporate and university settings, Chuck provides the ombuds practitioner with knowledge and tools to handle practice issues such as confidentiality and ombuds privilege. The legal research and organizational approaches make this a ‘must read’ book for organizational leaders who may be contemplating the establishment of an ombuds Office.”
“This book is a comprehensive and seminal work on the organizational ombudsman profession. Chuck Howard’s research is thorough and his analysis profound. The book not only outlines why the ombuds role should be an essential asset for institutions but also how to establish one to ensure its effectiveness. Chuck’s experience and expertise make him eminently qualified to provide insight for decision makers, legal professionals, formal channels and ombudsmen within corporate, academic and public institutions.”
“Superlative—the definitive guide to establishing the ombudsman role, and why every organization needs one.”
“Chuck Howard has written the definitive work on the organizational ombudsman. Chuck’s thorough review of the history, purpose, potential as well as the difficulties in managing an effective ombudsman program makes a compelling case for its establishment. Organizations and corporations, because of Chuck’s work, now have strong evidence that an ombudsman program can foster a sound open communication for all of its stakeholders.”
“The presence of an organizational ombudsman is one of the most powerful governance tools at the disposal of a corporate board today. In The Organizational Ombudsman, Chuck Howard makes it crystal clear why. He has crafted a masterful verbal tapestry that communicates the history, evolution, and nuances of this powerful function. I applaud the ABA for including this fine book among its publications.”
“Charles Howard has written a masterful authoritative work on the organizational ombudsman that should be regarded as the leading source of information on ombuds for many years to come. Early on, Howard makes important distinctions between a ‘classical’ ombuds, an ‘advocate ombuds’ and an ‘organizational ombuds’… ‘The Organizational Ombudsman’ is a terrific resource. It belongs on the shelf of the office of every ombudsperson. Those who want to become ombuds must read it, as should corporate officers and legal counsel, managers and staff who are seeking to establish an ombuds office.”