Introduction
Unit 20 Employee Relation Sample Assignment Help Online
When two parties are at odds with one another over divergent requirements and interests for the outcome, that scenario is called a conflict. They are inevitable at work since different parties or groups have competing interests. For example, the finance department may be in charge of cutting costs, while the marketing planning department may try to maximise publicity and advertising to assure the success of the organization’s product. In order to preserve organisational performance and motivate employee commitment to the overall organisational objectives, which form the cornerstone of any organisational working and structure, the conflict should be addressed successfully. In essence, the study’s goal is to foster understanding of workplace conflicts and the strategies used by the business to effectively resolve them. Before actually planning a solution to the problem, the manager or the employee relations department must develop an understanding of the nature, type, reason for occurrence, and the parties at conflict. Additionally, some conflicts are of a positive nature and yield improved outcomes for the organisation.
LO 2 Undertsand the nature of industrial conflict and its resolution
2.1 Understand the procedures to be followed while dealing with different conflict situations
Conflicts at work are responsible for both good and bad elements since they are bad and harmful to the organisation. Conflicts arise when two or more parties with competing interests are involved in a decision-making process. They can be interpersonal or between individuals, intrapersonal or related to an individual, structural or related to departmental structures in an organisation, or strategic conflicts related to organisational goals. The numerous conflict resolution techniques employed by the company include (a) Avoiding, as conflict causes bad feelings at work and can be prevented by organisational policies and procedures; (b) Mediation; Forcing is when a higher authority or manager decides what the decision would be and forces the parties or individuals to end any conflict directly. Compromise is the process to take a decision where neither party gets exactly what they wanted but someway a median point is reached among the conflicting interests of parties. Resolving or conflict resolution is the process of listening to both parties and coming to an agreement to satisfy both (Jones, 2010). This procedure is difficult and time-consuming, but it also seems to work quite well.
2.2 Evaluate the key features of employee relations in a conflict situation
The culture of open communication and encouraging employees to talk about their problems instead of being stressed out at work are the employee relations department’s most crucial traits. Additionally, quick reaction is necessary to handle any absurd situation brought on by workplace dispute. Additionally, thorough investigation and acknowledgement of the incidents and what is truly happening in the firm are significant concerns for the employee relations function. The employee relations manager must possess the necessary skills to identify and define a conflicting situation, as well as the interests of the parties involved, and determine the extent to which the conflict has affected work performance. They must also be willing to engage in meetings with the parties involved to understand their perspectives. Employee relations must establish a middle ground while favouring no one party in a dispute, doing it objectively, and must consider all potential solutions. In order to prevent further disagreement, the parties must cooperate in finding a solution, and the employee relations manager must follow up once the decision has been implemented. If the conflict persists, the case may be brought to the organization’s problem-solving centre right away to produce impartial and neutral choices regarding such a circumstance (Schiffreres, 2010).
2.3 Evaluate the effectiveness of procedures used in a conflict situation
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The workplace culture, the organization’s human resources rules, the manager’s knowledge and abilities, and other factors all have a role in how well a manager manages conflict resolution. When managing a scenario in which two people are engaged in conflict, the manager must attempt to comprehend the nature of the disagreement, the underlying motives of the parties involved, the necessity for conflict resolution, etc. Therefore, knowing the relevance of the task of handling the conflict as it impacts the working performance in the company is vital in recognising the necessity for conflict resolution. After hearing the allegations of both parties involved in the conflict, the manager must be well-respected and must strive for a constructive and objective judgement in the resolution of the situation.
LO 3 Understand the collective bargaining and negotiation process
3.1 Explain the role of negotiation in collective bargaining
The trade union engages in a process of negotiation between the employer and employee groups with the goal of regulating wages in addition to working conditions for employees. International human rights conventions and the International Labor Organization have both declared that this type of negotiation or freedom of associations is legal (Mathiesen, 2009) As a result, the agreement includes fair wages for the workers as well as incentives like profit sharing and job evaluation. Employees’ interests in working for a company include both monetary and non-monetary advantages, such as training and involvement in suggestion programmes.In order to better the employee’s rewards, pay, and working conditions and to benefit the employer through increased commitment and employee motivation, employee representatives who belong to trade unions are able to negotiate with the employer. They can also get involved in dispute resolution and grievance handling. Thus, in addition to allowing employees to join trade unions and engage in discussions with the corporation, the freedom of associations offers a vehicle for them to voice their concerns. The company also abides by international norms by recognising trade unions and engaging in open dialogue with them. The business must allow its workers to join unions and should handle employee complaints carefully.
3.2 Assess the impact of negotiation strategy in a situation
According to Unilever’s policy, employees are to be treated fairly and without discrimination based on their position within the company, and the company is required to respect employees’ fundamental rights to form associations and engage in collective bargaining. Additionally, all Unilever companies are expected to protect employees’ rights, manage labour relations, and provide for safe working conditions. However, because local regulations vary by country, it is difficult to apply this strategy at the local level. As a result, the company used manager training in 2011 to strengthen its policy on labour relations, and it created an online learning module that was accessible to 80% of its line managers and human resources staff. As a result, the managers’ attitudes toward labour disputes and the ability of trade unions to intervene in issues involving employee rights have changed. Additionally, the organisation uses suggestion programmes to encourage greater staff participation and good reward systems. As a result, the business has been negotiating to increase employability rights and labour relations management.
LO4 Understand the cincept of employee participation and involvement
4.1 Assess the impact of eu on industrial democracy in uk
Industrial democracy refers to the degree to which employees are permitted to participate in decision-making and delegate authority at their places of employment. It means that the extent to which the employees can participate in choices that have an influence on the business and if they should be allowed to do so. Additionally, a lot of activists have been making the case that industrial democracy relates with the use of collective bargaining as a way for workers to influence the organisation; as a result, industrial democracy and collective bargaining go hand in hand. The Bullock study, published in the late 1970s, supported the trade unions’ right to representation at board meetings and participation in decision-making. In the UK, union-based structures predominate over organisational systems that operate independently of trade unions, and this is closely tied to employee involvement and participation in corporate decision-making.
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4.2 Compare the methods use to gain employee participation and involvement in decision making of organization
A variety of techniques are employed by an organisation to increase the level of employee involvement in the organisation. For example, suggestion methods, where employees can send emails or suggestion boxes with their ideas to management, could help the organisation perform more effectively because lower level employees are more closely involved with production, customers, and the general public. Another such strategy used by the company is attitude surveys within the firm, in which workers submit feedback on their jobs, the workplace environment, pay scales, and human resources department policies. and interviews and questionnaires that have been carefully thought out and created are typically used to do this (Wilkinson, 2014). The Quality Circle, a specific team of organisational members engaged in managing employee difficulties including those connected to top-down manner of communication or issues being experienced by the employees at work, is another way that businesses increase employee engagement. The employees feel cared for and their performance is improved because to this strategy. When making tactical decisions or actions that have an impact on the employees’ regular working patterns, the corporation may also ask for the employees’ direct input.
Conclusion
Along with ensuring that workers receive fair wages and opportunities for employment and career advancement inside the organisations, modern trade unions play a critical role in advancing the dignity of workers and collective bargaining. Additionally, the idea of trade unionism as a whole suggests that trade unions have an impact on social and economic policies as well as care for the populace. It has become clear how disagreements are handled at work and how it might help improve an organization’s performance as a result of the study on employee relations at work. Therefore, modern firms prioritise increasing employee participation in tactical and strategic decision-making and practise industrial democracy. Employees are valuable assets in the organisation and should be valued in order to achieve organisational goals, as they are more than just an input resource in economic systems. The business must adhere to international standards, engage in transparent dialogue and bargaining with employee representatives of the unions, and should not ban employee union membership. The trade unions are dedicated to enhancing the social and economic systems’ productivity and work for both employee and employer interests. The majority of contemporary firms believe in collective bargaining, and as employees become more aware of their rights, they become more inclined to join unions.
References
Richards, L. (2015) “What Is Employee Relationship Management?”. Houston Chronicle.pp39-48
ilodeau, K. (2015). “Lives in Limbo: The Challenge of On-Call Work Shifts”. CMSWire. last accessed on 20 June 2016
Unit 20 Employee Relation Sample Assignment Help Online
Jones, P.( 2010) Unionism and Economic Performance. Internet article & statistics. (online) available at:http://www.newunionism.net/library/member%20contributions/news/Unionism%20and%20Economic%20Performance.htm last accessed on 20 June 2016
Schifferes, S. (8 March 2004). “The trade unions’ long decline”. BBC News. (online) available at www.bbcnews.com last accessed on 20 June 2016
Employee Relations (2016) (online) available athttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Employee_relationship_management last accessed on 20 June 2016
Keith, N., Lynn D. and Jeffrey, G. (2015). As the Rich Get Richer, Unions Are Poised for Comeback. Bloomberg.(online) available at www.bloomberg.com last accessed on 20 June 2016
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Phil, D. (2007). State of the Unions: How Labor Can Strengthen the Middle Class, Improve Our Economy, and Regain Political Influence, McGraw-Hill Professional. Pp 255-97
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