Skip to content | Skip to institutional links

Common menu bar links

Institutional links

Informal Conflict Management Systems

ICMS - What is it?

Informal Conflict Management Systems (ICMS) are systems for preventing and resolving workplace conflict. The role of DPRS is to assist other Departments and agencies set up their ICMS and ensure its implementation.

ICMS design and implementation services provided by Dispute Prevention and Resolution Services

DPRS provides a number of support services to other federal government departments and agencies in relation their ICMS Design Project. These services are built around two phases, namely Phase 1 on ICMS Design strictly speaking, and Phase 2 on ICMS Initial Implementation and Communication Strategy. Phase 1 which is longer includes five consecutive steps from initial assessment to the final design.

Phase 1: ICMS Design

Step 1: Initial Assessment, Inquiry and Commitment
- Determine the impetus for change
- Identify internal champions
- Select design team
- Develop a work plan with specific deliverables and timelines
- Obtain engagement of senior management:
  1. Hold information session(s) with senior management
  2. Confirm the legislative requirements and central agency expectations
  3. Ensure that the Deputy Head is clear on accountabilities and success indicators
- Hold information session (s) with unions
Step 2: Research, Analysis and Internal Alignment
- Identify relevant ICMS in other organizations
- dentify relevant best practices in other organizations
- Develop consultation and relationship management strategy, in consultation with key stakeholder groups including bargaining agents
- Liaise with members of the organization’s evaluation unit
Step 3: Stakeholder Diagnostics
- Diagnose current departmental or agency conflict
  1. Utilize existing surveys, e.g. Public Service Survey, and any internal surveys
  2. Identify and map existing conflict management systems (rights-based, interest-based if any, and prevention methods)
  3. Identify who is responsible for conflict management
  4. Assess level of conflict in the organization through “conflict indicators” (# of grievances, harassment complaints and “hidden conflict”, i.e., statistics on use of sick leave/ stress leave, employee turn-over, etc.)
  5. Identify costs associated with conflict
- Conduct employee, management and union through interviews, briefings, or focus group sessions (including senior management and union representatives) to determine :
  1. stakeholders satisfaction (benefits and drawbacks) with current processes (rights-based, interest-based if any, and prevention methods)
  2. stakeholders familiarity with interest-based processes
  3. stakeholders morale with the organization vis-à-vis conflict
  4. potential hurdles or problems foreseen by stakeholders in developing the ICMS
  5. features stakeholders believe are necessary for an improved conflict management system.
- Prepare a compilation and analysis of results
Step 4: System Design
- Develop and conduct a facilitated design workshop:
  1. Bring together the key stakeholders or their delegates in a pilot site(s),
  2. Examine the types of conflict they experience
  3. Present findings from Steps 1 to 3
  4. Inform them about various conflict resolution options and tools
  5. Have them “design” the system that they deem to be appropriate.
Provide a detailed collaborative design work on an ICMS for (department or agency)
1. Facilitate a focus group testing of (department or agency) ICMS design and consultation with key stakeholders to:
2. i. Obtain feedback and buy-in; and
  ii. Ensure that the design is aligned with organizational needs, employee/union/management expectations and culture,
3. Refine the design based on the results of focus group testing
4. Develop Pilot site plan
Identify a location for the ICMS in the organization (HR, Legal Services, stand alone, etc.) and supporting structures (e.g. learning, evaluation)
Draft or assist in the drafting of the ICMS Policy and Guidelines
Develop evaluation plan with key success measures
Present the design to senior management/executive committee for approval (Proposed outline: Backgrounder on ICMS; Implications for senior management; Key success factors)

Phase 2: ICMS Initial Implementation and Communication Strategy

Develop strategic framework for implementation: detailed plan on how the initiative is to be implemented and managed
Develop communications strategy: outline key elements of communications messages and delivery mechanisms with timelines for each component
Finalize evaluation plan
Finalize the training strategy in order to develop capacity within (department and agency) to support the implementation of the ICMS program.

ICMS Background References

ICMS Resource Guide