Effective Human Relation

Issues On Industrial Relation

Duties of IR Workplace,Awards
Responsibility Of IR Officer
designing new policies;
establishing and maintaining good relationships between
employers and employees;
acting as a consultant to line managers on the implementation
of policies;
assisting in the resolution of specific disciplinary or grievance
cases, including acting as an arbiter between the employee and
line manager;
carrying out formal consultation procedures on a variety of
issues as required by law;
providing accurate advice on issues arising from employment
contracts and legislation;
negotiating with trade unions on issues relating to pay and
working conditions
by IR officer
preparing staff handbooks to ensure that the workforce is
aware of company policies;
ensuring that grievance handling and disciplinary
proceedings are carried out in line with company policy and
national legislation
 Personal Qualities and Skills
 To be an Employee Relations officer, you must have excellent
communication skills. You must have strong listening skills, and the
ability to appreciate other people's points of view. You need to be able
to handle difficult situations sensitively, and gain the trust and respect
of both parties.

 You will encounter challenging situations, so you must patient and

able to stay calm under pressure. It is important to remain fair and
objective when dealing with disputes, although you also need to be
firm if someone's demands are seen as unreasonable. Strong
negotiating and mediating skills are essential. Industrial relations
officers need tact and diplomacy, and must be approachable.

 You must be capable of leading discussions, and focusing on the key

elements of a problem.
A respect for confidentiality is essential, as you will be dealing with
sensitive and confidential issues
Aspects of Work
Central aspects

Secondary Aspects

Other Aspects
 Central Aspects

Being aware of, and taking into account the feelings,

views or behaviour of others

Making agreements through negotiating and bargaining

Influencing the actions or decisions of others

 Secondary Aspects

Presenting ideas and information in writing

Dealing with paperwork such as letters, forms and records

Problem solving by seeking new ideas

Explaining ideas and information to people

Interviewing people
 Other Aspects

Understanding how businesses and organizations work

Using statistical methods to obtain, interpret and present
information
Work involving teamwork and co-operation
Speaking in front of groups of people
Coping with awkward or difficult people
Providing advice
 Work Activities
The work involves informing both sides(the employee &
employers) about relevant issues and sorting out problems.

Employee Relations Officers are involved in all discussions

and negotiations about work practices, salaries, holidays,
hours and any other working condition.

Handling issues related to employment requires a lot of

preparation, planning and consultation. Officers also have a
part to play in disciplinary matters and grievances, both for
individuals and groups, such as unfair dismissal or
discrimination.
 Human Resources Versus
Industrial Relations
With strong growth predicted in the human resource management field,
an industrial relations officer who has training in both areas of expertise
will be a very desirable employee.

Most industrial relations officers begin their career as research officers

and take on more responsibility after gaining familiarity with the
workplace. It is advisable to gain as much practical work experience as
possible in a variety of industries to further your understanding of
workplace practices.
Hours can be long and demanding, especially in times of industrial
activity or if there is a case to prepare for court.
To become an industrial relations officer you usually
need to complete a bachelor degree with a major in
industrial relations.
Also;
Persons who wish to become Employee Relations Officers
may take a Degree course in Human Resource
Management. In several of the Bachelor of Commerce
and Bachelor of Business Studies degree courses, Human
Resource Management is an option.