Summary of the Evaluation of the informal conflict management system

Final Report

This report presents the findings of the Evaluation of the Informal Conflict Management System.

The Canadian Grain Commission was established by the Canada Grain Act in 1912 as the federal government agency mandated to, “in the interests of producers, establish and maintain standards of quality for Canadian grains and regulate grain handling in Canada to ensure a dependable commodity for domestic and export markets”.

About this evaluation

This report presents the results of a program evaluation of the Canadian Grain Commission’s Informal Conflict Management System (ICMS). The goal of this program is the prevention, management and early resolution of conflict at the lowest possible level. The program provides a systematic approach to managing and resolving conflicts in the workplace in a constructive manner using Alternate Dispute Resolution. The evaluation was recommended by the Canadian Grain Commission’s 2019 Employee Survey Working Group to increase accountability and quality assurance of the program.

The evaluation was conducted in accordance with the Treasury Board’s Policy on Results, which requires departments to measure and evaluate performance and use the resulting information to manage and improve programs, policies and services. The evaluation was undertaken by the Audit and Evaluation Services team of the Canadian Grain Commission during the 2022 to 2023 fiscal year, as required by the Canadian Grain Commission’s Risk-Based Audit and Evaluation Plan. The evaluation considered the period between program design and launch in the 2006 to 2007 fiscal year until the end of the 2020 to 2021 fiscal year.

About the program

Federal mandate

The Public Service Labour Relations Act was passed in 2003 to modernize human resource management in the Public Service of Canada and implement new ways of improving labour-management relations.

Section 207 of the act states:

“Subject to any policies established by the employer or any directives issued by it, every Deputy Head in the core public administration must, in consultation with bargaining agents representing employees in the portion of the core public administration for which he or she is deputy head, establish an informal conflict management system and inform the employees in that portion of its availability.”

In response to this legislation, all federal government departments and agencies were mandated to implement an informal conflict management system. Deputy Heads became responsible for establishing an informal conflict management system and ensuring that employees were aware of it and had access to it. The Department of Justice was the first federal department to implement the system and at the time of evaluation, was unaware of any Canadian federal government department without an informal conflict management system in place.

The primary objective of an informal conflict management system is to foster a workplace culture in which staff at all levels and in all roles have the skills and resources to seek early resolution of conflicts in a constructive manner.

Hallmarks of a successful informal conflict management system include the following:

  • Encouraging the resolution of conflict at the lowest level through face-to-face dialogue between conflicting parties
  • Providing managers and employees with conflict management training to handle conflicts in a timely manner
  • Providing employees with multiple access points, allowing them to identify and contact a knowledgeable person for advice about their organization’s Informal Conflict Management System
  • Making available alternatives to formal recourse when resolving conflicts, such as self-resolution, coaching, facilitation, mediation, conflict assessments, and group intervention
  • Providing employees with the option to switch from formal processes to informal recourse options without limiting their right to return to formal processes if they wish
  • Building structures that support training and informal processes, and integrate effective conflict management into the organization’s daily operations

In essence, an informal conflict management system helps foster an environment where employees and managers can interact in a constructive, collaborative manner.Footnote 1

Canadian Grain Commission Program

In 2006, the Canadian Grain Commission established a working group to respond to this new requirement and to design and implement an informal conflict management system specifically for the Canadian Grain Commission. Bargaining agents, divisional representatives, and staff from Human Resources were invited.

The Canadian Grain Commission’s Informal Conflict Management policy was created with stakeholder consultation. The objective of this policy is for the program to be “the preferred approach to resolving workplace disputes.” In 2007, this working group launched the Canadian Grain Commission’s Informal Conflict Management System. The program is accessible to all employees at the Canadian Grain Commission and is heavily based on the federal system outlined above.

The Canadian Grain Commission’s Informal Conflict Management policy stipulates the following:

“The Canadian Grain Commission promotes a workplace that respects core values, builds morale, and encourages a high level of productivity. It is committed to creating an organization where differences are respected and addressed collaboratively in a way that promotes satisfying work relationships, and reinforces the values and operating principles of the Federal Public Service. The Commission recognizes that in order for this to occur, a conflict resolution system must be implemented to both prevent conflicts and to address workplace disputes that will inevitably arise.”Footnote 2

Findings, recommendations and management action plans

The table below summarizes findings and recommendations identified during the program evaluation that require management action plans. Similar recommendations (regarding training plan and collaboration with internal committees and program partners) have been combined to allow for overall MAP response to more than one recommendation. ***

Relevance (0) Observation and findings Potential impact Recommendations Management action plans
4.1.2 Complementarity with other programs and initiatives There may be synergies and opportunities for collaboration with mental health committees and program partners. Missed opportunity to collaborate. See 4.4.1 Increased staff awareness of ICMS at CGC * NA
Performance (3) Observation and findings Potential impact Recommendations Management action plans
4.4.1a Increased staff awareness of ICMS at CGC Focus on program awareness levels has declined over time. There is currently no communications plan in place and only 59% of new employees are made aware of the program. ICMS service delivery impacts. Prepare and execute an ICMS communications plan, including new employee orientation that includes refresher sessions. Management accepts this recommendation. The Executive Director, HR commits to prepare a communication plan, which will include new employee orientation with refresher training Communication plan to be implemented by June 30, 2023, and fully rolled out to the organization by March 31, 2024. New employee orientation and refresher training will be offered on an ongoing basis, starting April 1, 2024.
4.4.1b Increased staff awareness of ICMS at CGC A focus on collaboration and alignment with other internal committees and program partners could benefit the program as there is some intersection of goals and objectives between the groups. Reduced program awareness Combined recommendation: 4.1.2, 4.4.1 and 4.4.3 to collaborate and build partnerships with other internal committees and program partners to increase program awareness and leverage existing resources for service delivery. * Management accepts this recommendation. The Executive Director, HR commits to meet with other internal committees and program partners (as identified in the evaluation) to explore possible synergies, build partnerships and leverage existing resources (for program awareness and service delivery) by June 30, 2023.
4.4.2 Increased staff awareness of tools and ways to manage conflict Training has been successful at the Canadian Grain Commission in the past. ICMS service delivery impacts See 4.4.5 ** NA
4.4.3 Increased engagement of service delivery partners at the CGC The program has not excelled at building partnerships and would benefit from increased engagement with partners to increase program awareness and service delivery. Missed opportunity to collaborate See 4.4.1 Increased staff awareness of ICMS at CGC * NA
4.4.5 Increased levels of conflict management skills amongst staff, managers and teams Resuming conflict management training opportunities for employees and managers would further support increasing levels of conflict management skills at the CGC, a stated program outcome. ICMS service delivery impacts Combined recommendation: 4.4.2 and 4.4.5. Prepare and implement updated training plan with informal conflict management offerings for new employees and begin offering refresher training. Offer ICMS training for managers to ensure peer supporters, staff and managers have the same approach and use the same language regarding conflict management. Also, aids in supporting those managers who struggle with handling conflict. ** Management accepts this recommendation. The Executive Director, HR commits to incorporate this recommendation as part of the new CGC Learning strategy. The Learning strategy will include conflict management training for all employees and managers. The revised CGC learning strategy is currently under review and is targeted to roll out to the organization by June 30th, 2023.
Efficiency (6) Observation and findings Potential impact Recommendations Management action plans
4.5.1 Program efficiency The Canadian Grain Commission’s peer supporter model is somewhat unique within the federal public service and may have unrecognized benefits compared to other models. Diminished ability to accurately assess program benefits and measure efficiency The Executive Director, Human Resources implement (by program activity) program budgeting cost and usage tracking (by program activity) for the ICMS program, with input from Finance regarding program cost tracking. Management accepts this recommendation. The Executive Director, HR commits to work with Finance to establish a project code to track and begin tracking ICMS usage, expenditures and hours by project activity by June 30, 2023.
4.5.2a Program resource adequacy Gaps in peer support coverage have been identified. There have been no recent peer supporter intakes. The evaluator found insufficient data to identify gaps in other areas of the program. Service delivery impacts Starting from the gaps identified in the evaluation, implement a new intake to address these gaps. Management accepts this recommendation but does not commit to a timeline at this time. The Executive Director HR will review pending completion of gaps analysis, linkage to overall learning plan and implementation of oversight procedures in 4.5.3 which are scheduled to be completed by December 31, 2023.
4.5.2b Program resource adequacy Lack of resource tracking and clarity on expectations regarding peer supporter hours. The evaluator found insufficient data to identify resource gaps in other areas of the program. Service delivery impacts Update and enforce peer supporters log usage and clarify expectations (with all parties) regarding peer supporter hours spent. Engage and communicate with managers to ensure peer supporter time spent is reasonable, appropriate and supported by managers. Management accepts this recommendation. The Executive Director. HR commits to update and implement renewed enforcement of tracking of peer supporter time pertaining to the program. Management will review the TOR of the peer supporters to ensure time commitment is reasonable, appropriate and supported by management. All items will be completed by September 30, 2023.
4.5.3a Program oversight The program does not accurately measure and track key metrics. As a result, it is difficult to answer basic questions about the program and its activities, usage and costs. Diminished ability to accurately assess program benefits, measure efficiency and answer basic questions about program including resources, activity, usage and costs Increased risk to the organization / adherence to best practices. Implement tracking of key metrics (costs tracking, activities tracking). See response under 4.5.1 and 4.5.2b.
4.5.3b Program oversight Lack of oversight related to peer supporter selection, performance and client feedback may increase risk to the organization. The evaluator found insufficient data to identify gaps in oversight in other areas of the program. Increased risk to the organization / adherence to best practices. Implement transparent peer supporter intake and selection criteria, peer supporter performance reviews and collection of feedback from clients. Management accepts these recommendations. The Executive Director, HR commits to develop and implement transparent peer supporter intake and selection criteria, peer supporter performance reviews and collection of feedback from clients by December 31, 2023. This will be completed as part of 4.5.2a recommendation with a deadline of December 31, 2023.
4.5.4 Reporting structure Current reporting structure does not comply with Canadian Grain Commission ICMS policy and recommendations from the Federal ICMS. Increased risk to the organization / adherence to best practices. Review current reporting structure and Canadian Grain Commission ICMS policy and update to ensure policies are consistently being followed. Management accepts this recommendation. The Executive Director, HR will review and update the CGC ICMS policy and reporting structure to ensure consistency and best practices by June 30, 2023.

Summary of key findings that do not require a MAP response

Key finding Recommendation
Relevance (5)
4.1.1 There is a reported continued need for the Informal Conflict Management System to support employees and managers experiencing workplace conflict. No recommendation needed.
4.1.2 There was no evidence of duplication by another comparable program that can provide the same level of consistency, quality, anonymity and objectivity. No recommendation needed.
4.1.2 Overall, program partners were supportive of the program. No recommendation needed.
4.2 The Informal Conflict Management System program is aligned with government priorities. No recommendation needed.
4.3 The Informal Conflict Management System directly aligns with federal government roles and responsibilities. No recommendation needed.
Performance (4)
4.4.4 Available data was not sufficient to confirm that the program has achieved this goal (preventing and reducing use of formal conflict management services). Based on supporting evidence, the ICMS program has made progress towards achieving this goal. No recommendation needed.
4.4.5 The evaluation found high reported levels of satisfaction overall with how managers deal with conflict and high perceived levels of manager support for the ICMS program. No recommendation needed.
4.4.5 Some staff choose to reach out to peer supporters when dealing with conflict, but a higher percentage choose to reach out to their manager or another source. Having options available for all staff is valuable. No recommendation needed.
4.4.6 Program has not fully achieved this long-term outcome (a conflict-competent organization). Recommendations for program improvement are included within this evaluation. No recommendation needed.
Efficiency (0)
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