Informality, the Fourth Standard of Practice
Name
Rowe_JN_2012_Informality-Fourth-Practice.pdf
Description
Article
Size
320.94 KB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
3bb4d45b904152c02a02663e922a5120
Author(s)
Rowe, Mary
Date Issued
2012
Publisher
Journal of the International Ombudsman Association
Citation
Mary Rowe, “Informality, the Fourth Standard of Practice,” Journal of the International Ombudsman Association Vol. 5, No. 1 (Winter 2012): 8-17.
Abstract
In the 1970s and early 1980s, organizational ombuds recognized three basic pillars of their profession: independence,
confidentiality and neutrality (impartiality). Informality was recognized as a fourth principle, or pillar of practice, somewhat later. This happened relatively slowly, over at least fifteen years, after the first three pillars were widely adopted. This article briefly describes that process. The article asserts that informality is an essential principle for the profession as practiced today—as essential as independence, confidentiality and neutrality. Without informality, the other three principles of OO practice could not function in today’s legal climate, and many managers would find OOs to be interfering with their authority. Informality permits OOs to offer a very wide variety of informal options, to all cohorts, and across all organizational boundaries.
Subjects
zero-barrier office, informality, standard of practice, organizational ombudsman, interest-based option, mandatory reporting, conflict management system
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