EMPLOYEE RELATIONS

Session 1
12/03/2013

Introduction
Among the most fundamental aspects of employee relations are job design and related position descriptions. Well designed jobs provide employee satisfaction and optimise productivity. Jobs need to be designed with the understanding that: they are required by the organisation; they have relevance and meaning; they provide opportunities for professional growth; they reflect good management practices; they reflect a positive attitude towards employees through an adequately resourced working environment; and they provide job satisfaction and remuneration

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TRADE UNION
A group of workers joined together to protect their own interests and to be more powerful when negotiating with their employers.

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HISTORY OF TRADE UNIONS

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AIMS OF TRADE UNIONS

To improve the pay. To improve working conditions To support training and development To ensure that their members interests are considered during decision making.

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TYPES OF TRADE UNIONS

General Union: skilled and unskilled workers performing different jobs in different industries. Industrial Unions: different workers in the same industry. Craft Unions: small unions for skilled workers, performing the same or similar work in different industries. White collar Unions: professionals who perform the same or similar tasks in different industries.
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Pay Bargaining
Negotiating with the employers of a business on behalf of their members over issues of pay. It is an example of collective bargaining.

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List of employer associations

Confederation of British Industry Federation of Small Businesses Institute of Directors.

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Trade Union Congress

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is a national trade union centre, a federation of trade unions in the United Kingdom, representing the majority of trade unions. There are fifty-eight affiliated unions with a total of about 6.5 million members. TUC policy is made at its annual Congress, which meets for four days each year during September. Affiliated unions can send delegates to Congress, with the number of delegates they can send proportionate to their size.
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Theoretical perspectives
Pluralist Unitarist Radical ( Marxist )

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UNIT 2 Session 2
13/03/2013

CONFLICT AND DISPUTE

Conflict: (a) A state of open, often prolonged fighting; a battle or war. (b) A state of disharmony between incompatible or antithetical persons, ideas, or interests; a clash. (c) In Psychology, it is a psychic struggle, often unconscious, resulting from the opposition or simultaneous functioning of mutually exclusive impulses, desires, or tendencies. (d) Opposition between characters or forces in a work of drama or fiction, especially opposition that motivates or shapes the action of the plot. Dispute: (1) To argue about; debate. (2)To question the truth or validity of; doubt: Her friends disputed her intentions. (3) To strive to win (a prize, for example); contest for: Our team disputed the visitors' claim to the championship. (4) To strive against; resist: disputed the actions of his competitors.

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What is conflict ?
Any opposition or difference of wishes, needs, statements, arguments, actions or principles between two or more staff members, or between staff members and the Organization.

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 Deal with conflicts and grievances in a timely manner Costs of conflicts :

Direct costs for handling formal cases Hidden costs of conflicts ( wasted time, loss of skilled staff, low morale/productivity, health costs)

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Formal and informal channels

Informal Ombudsman Self-help/help of colleagues, friends, supervisors, Human Resource officers, Executive Office, etc.

Formal Administrative review Joint Appeals Board Specialized resource procedures Administrative Tribunal
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Informal Early resolution Proactive/Preventive Win-win solution Before conflict escalation No administrative decisions are required No record keeping

Formal Time consuming Reactive Judgments/decisions Win-lose solution After conflict occurrence

Administrative decisions required Record keeping

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The role of the Ombudsman

As a facilitator of conflict resolution: by providing advice on resources available, informal mediation, informal fact finding, referral, etc. As an agent for change (systemic issues): by making recommendations for change on policies and procedures

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ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION

Negotiation
Back and forth communication between parties. It is voluntary, private and confidential Quick and inexpensive Informal and unstructured No third party is involved Negotiated agreements can be enforceable Can result in a win-win solution
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If negotiation is unsuccessful, then

Mediation
A voluntary process in which an impartial person helps in communication and promotes reconciliation. The mediator is a facilitator and do not make decisions or force agreements (agreements can be creative in nature). They can give suggestions. Can go in for joint or separate caucusing. Mediations are held in the office of the mediator or other agreed locations.
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Mediated agreement can become a contract and be enforceable.
Can result in a win-win solution

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 Arbitration
Submission of a disputed matter to an impartial person for decision. It is an out of court method for resolving disputes. The arbitrator will control the process , listen to the situation and make the decision. Like a trial only one side will prevail. Unlike trials appeal rights are limited. There can me one or more than one arbitrator (mostly 3).
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The results can be binding if all parties have previously agreed to be bound by the decision. In that case an arbitrators awards can be reduced to judgment in a court and thus be enforceable. In non-binding arbitration, a decision can become final if all parties agree to accept it or it may serve to help you evaluate the case and start a settlement talk. You will usually be represented by an attorney during arbitration.

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CONFLICT RESOLUTION
Session 3
Date : 02 April 2013

Steps for Conflict resolution

What are the signs of conflict? Who is in conflict? What is causing conflict? How do you manage conflict? Do you need help? How can you prevent conflict in future?

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General response to conflict

Fight : shouting or loosing your temper. Try to subdue the conflict Flight: turn your back on what is going on. By ignoring the problem you hope it will go away. Freeze : not knowing how to react you become passive. You might begin to deal with the issue but things drift or become drawn out through indecision.
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What are the signs of conflict?

Witness a heated exchange. A meeting turns into a stand off. Motivation drops- fewer people volunteer to take up new tasks and there is little employee input at team meetings and briefings. Behaviour changes- people make derogatory remarks. Productivity falls- there will be more queries and complaints due to lack of cooperation. Sickness absence increase unhappiness leads to depression or stress. Responses to staff attitude or surveys indicate underlying dissatisfaction
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Who is in conflict?
Conflict between individuals involving:
Colleagues Employees and their managers.

Conflict between groups involving:

Teams Large group of employees and the management

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Conflict between individuals- reasons

Colleagues
Clash of personalities Strong difference of opinion over work An overspill from personal issues outside work.

An employee and their manager

Your management style is too authoritarian You favor other colleagues when assigning tasks.

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Conflict between groups- reasons

Teams
Rivalry between colleagues. Disagreement over a teams goals or shared values. Resentment that one team is not pulling its weight.

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 Groups of employees and management

( it is often created by the classic us and them mentality) - a general resentment towards senior management. - Poor moral and low level of motivation. - It can be focused on specific issues like health and safety, rates of pay, redundancies, lack of proper consultation.
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What is causing conflict?

Poor management Unfair treatment Unclear job roles inadequate training Poor communication Poor work environment Lack of equal opportunities Bullying and harassment
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Conflict can also be sparked off by:

The personalities involved ( personality mix can be affected when a new member joins) Our changing needs and expectations. Ignoring common values ( ignoring natural justice) Unresolved problems from the past. Increase in work load.
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How to manage a conflict?

Develop a strategy:
How to prevent the conflict. How to manage the conflict. When and how to seek outside help like mediation and conciliation. When a dispute may be referred to higher authority.

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Managing conflict between individuals

Have quite word talking and listening to employees, giving them time and space to express their feelings and concerns often help to clear the air. Investigate informally- take the time to gather relevant information about those involved. Use the internal procedures if the conflict has moved to a more formal stage. Upgrade your soft skills since a manager needs a great deal of sensitivity and empathy. Consider getting a third part help like mediation
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Managing conflict between groups

Improve the way you communicate and consult with employees.
Ensure that the communication is timely relevant and concise. Check whether consulting with employees is legally approved. Use dispute resolution procedures. Promote joint decision making. Use problem solving cycle.
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 Form representative structures like

working groups to deal with specific issues like absence level, work patterns etc. Permanent consultative groups. Collective bargaining. Where employers negotiate terms and conditions of employment with trade union representatives.

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 Use problem solving cycles.

1.Name the problem & set goals.

8. Evaluate the plan PROBLEM SOLVED

7. Create action plan.

2 Analyze the problem

3. Collect data

6. Analyze solutions

4. Analyze the data

5. Search for solutions
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 Use dispute resolution procedures. Consider outside help.

What is the difference between MEDIATION AND CONCILIATION?

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How to prevent future conflicts?

Put the system and procedures in place.
Establish formal procedures Explain plans Listen Reward fairly Work safely

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 Develop relationships.
Value employees Treat Fairly Encourage initiatives Balance personal and business needs. Develop new skills

Work together.
Build trust between employees representatives and management.
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COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AND NEGOTIATION

Session 4
03 April 2013

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Collective bargaining
It is an industrial relations mechanism or tools and is an aspect of negotiation between employers and a group of employees aimed at reaching agreements that regulate working conditions.

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The collective bargaining process comprises of five core steps

Prepare: This phase involves composition of a negotiation team. The negotiation team should consist of representatives of both the parties with adequate knowledge and skills for negotiation. Discuss: Here, the parties decide the ground rules that will guide the negotiations.

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 Propose: This phase involves the initial opening statements and the possible options that exist to resolve them. Bargain: negotiations are easy if a problem solving attitude is adopted. This stage comprises the time when what ifs and supposals are set forth and the drafting of agreements take place.
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THANK YOU

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 Settlement: Once the parties are through with the bargaining process, a consensual agreement is reached upon wherein both the parties agree to a common decision regarding the problem or the issue. This stage is described as consisting of effective joint implementation of the agreement through shared visions, strategic planning and negotiated change.
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