finale employee relations 1
TRANSCRIPT
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1.Introduction
The term employee relations refer to the competitive & cooperative relationships that arise out of the employment of labor by an enterprise. Each party tries to achieve several goals in the process
of their interaction in a work situation. The employer wants to use each worker to maximize the
efficiency, prestige, profitability of the organization, the worker attempts to achieve job security
higher income, & self satisfaction from the job.
An employee relations system includes all the individuals & institutions that interact at
the workplace. It describes & explains how these individuals & institutions relate to one another,
how the terms of employment are determined & how labor problems handled. Prof. John Dunlop
first introduced the conceptual framework of an industrial relations system in late 50s. Since then
it has been used extensively to analyze the similarities & differences that exist in industrial
relations practice in particular firms, industries & countries & to focus on interrelations between
components.
Employee relations system exists at many different levels. Regardless of the level at which
the system operates an industrial
relations system can viewed as having
three components
A set of individual & institutionsthat interact.
A context within which theinteraction takes place
An output that serves to governthe future relations of the parties.
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People in organizations interact with each other during work, formally and officially as well
as socially and informally. During the course of interaction, relationships develop, which are
invisible connecting links, colored by emotions of love, hate, repulsion, respect, fear, anxiety and
so on. These are usually mutual but not necessarily reciprocal. If A hates B, it does not follow
that B hates A. It is possible that B loves and sympathizes with thoughts of A.
Relationships imply feelings for each other. They may be positive (friendly, wanting to be
close) or negative (unfriendly, wanting to be distant). Relationships always exist between
interacting persons. There is no neutral point. Indifference is not neutral. Indifference tends to be
negative. Relationships influence behaviors at work. Expectations of each other, perceptions of
the intentions of either, distributions of assignments, readiness to conform or to rebel, enthusiasm
to contribute, etc., are to some extent outcomes of these relationships. Attitudes and motivations
influence, and sare influenced by, the nature of these
relationships.
Employees are among an organi zation' s most important
audi ences with the potential to be it s most effective
ambassadors.
Employee Relations are practices or initiatives for ensuring that Employees are happy
and are productive. Employee Relations offers assistance in a variety of ways including
employee recognition, policy development and interpretation, and all types of problem solving
and dispute resolution. Once there was a time when "Employee Relations" meant labor relations
everywhere around the world. HR professionals helped negotiate, Orchestrate and Dictate
collective bargaining agreements. The provisions of that contract defined the relationship between management, unions, and workers.
Today, Employee Relations is a much broader concept. It involves maintaining a work
environment that satisfies the needs of individual employees and management. Improving
employee morale, building company culture, conveying expectations etc. Employees in such
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organizations develop attitudes very different from those in another organization that does not
make any such distinction and is more secular in its policies. These different attitudes will be
reflected in their behaviors outside the organization and will either strengthen or weaken the
social fabric. An organization, in which authority is highly centralized and does not allow its
people enough discretion, will develop among its people tendencies for dependency and inability
to take responsibility.
These tendencies are handicaps in their roles as parents or citizens. The extent of concern
shown for the effect of working conditions on employees health has an impact on the society,
not merely in terms of general health and costs on medical care, but also in terms of the kind of
activities that the members of the society participate in.
When an organization is sensitive to its impact on society, and responds to the soci etys
concerns, it is said to be socially responsive. On the contrary, if it is concerned only with its own
purposes and ignores the impact that it has on society, it is said to be socially not responsive.
Relationships also contribute to stress and conflicts at work, which in turn, affect quality of work
life of individuals as well as the quality of organizational outputs, measured in terms of customer
satisfaction, competitive advantage, innovation, and so on.
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1.2Classification of Employee Relations
Employee Relations can be classified in 3 types, with HRM intervening:
1. Downward communications flow from employer to the employees,
2. Upward Communications flow from employees to employer, and
3. Horizontal communication flow amongst the employees.
Downward communication :-
Training and Induction:-
Every new employee needs a company orientation, but most supervisors forget that
employees also need to be orientated to the company's VISION in addition to learning their coworkers' names, company policies, history, philosophy, procedure and rules. The company's
vision statement tells the employee where the company is going, what their role will be, and how
success and achievement will be measured.
Achieving great performance in the company is a journey, not a destination. For any
business to succeed one must first recognize that the people are the greatest asset, and service is
the most valuable product. Continuous improvement by training and developing employees iscritical for business survival.
Recent U.S. workforce demographics provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics
make a compelling case for businesses of all sizes to begin planning for ongoing training of
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employees. Experts project that 60% of new jobs in the early 21st century will require
skills poss essed by only 20% of todays workforce.
Technology is raising the skill level requirements for the best and fastest growing jobs,
but schools and adult learning programs are not keeping pace. The likely result is that demandfor highly skilled workers will outstrip the supply of qualified workers in the coming years.
These statistics would seem to move training and employee development to the list of services in
high demand.
Benefits
Benefits often have a higher impact on employee recruitment and retention than
compensation. Employees who know their needs are met are also more likely to contribute to a
positive morale.
Besides the customary Allowance,
For Workers:- Attendance bonus, Over Time Allowance which is double the Basic,
House Rent Allowance, Education Allowance, Conveyance Allowance which is fixed as
per 6 scales of the workers, and Leave Travel Allowance amongst others.
For Staff:- Basic, Attendance Bonus, Production Incentive, House Rent Allowance,
Education, Leave Travel Allowance, and Annual Bonus amongst others.
Companies also provide Monetary Benefits to the workforce like Sodexho Meal Vouchers,
medical reimbursement
Safety:-
Health and safety risks may arise from physically dangerous work, such as work with
hazardous machinery or relate to less immediately visible factors such as exposure to pollution.
Accidents and ill health may ruin or seriously impair the lives of employees and their
dependents. Precautions should be taken by the organization and training should be provided for
the same to the employee. Also, policies against sexual harassment or misbehavior form a part of
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safety. An employee free from worries about health and safety will work productively and
efficiently.
Career Development and job opportunities:-
Career Paths determine the optimum movement and utilization of people in the
organization. Therefore, due care should be given to various elements of the position including
job analysis and the competency requirements at each stage.
Stress management and Recreation facilities:-
Working Hours and Holidays need to reflect an adequate balance of the quality of work
life of all employees. It is recognized that for certain categories of employees business related
work may transcend the routine office timings; whilst for other categories business may be
purely confined to the work hours and timings. The quotation all work and no play can make
jack a dull boy is apt for the company to understand the importance of recreation facilities.
Collective problem solving:-
It is the duty of the HR to find ways of resolving issues between employees on one hand
and employees and Management on the other. As long as there are human beings at the work
place there would always be need for arbitration amongst them.
It is at this time that HR should use the "grape vine channel" to its advantage and call
officers to a round table for reconciliation and if it is between workers and Management shouldways of brokering peace. Although the trade unions are expected to only deal with matters
concerning workers, it can be argued that everything that happens within a company, including
product development and business strategies, affects workers one way or other and trade unions
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Employees may also reduce turnover and absences when they begin to feel that working
conditions are satisfactory and that they are becoming more successful in their jobs. They
identify themselves with the work and this leads to an improved performance.
Rewards and Recognition:-
The purpose of an employee recognition and reward program is to express the employers
appreciation for a job well done. Employee recognition and rewards can take many forms, from a
simple thank you note to cash to an extravagant awards ceremony, just to name a few.
Generally, recognition and rewards can be distinguished in two categories . At all these
companies, recognition is distinguished as a pat on the back or a word of praise, growth
prospects and competent supervision amongst others. Alternative monetary rewards include
incentives, bonuses, and commissions. In addition, employees put a great value on benefits such
as life insurance, disability insurance, health and/or retirement benefits, and perks.
Top performing companies have begun documenting "best practices" which show a
direct relationship between employee morale and productivity, profitability, turnover and
retention, thus measuring the value of human resources.
Upward Communi cation: -
Feedback:-
It is the job of the supervisor to guide the employee into understanding which of their
ideas for change will be helpful in meeting the company's goals. A good supervisor also guides
each of their employees differently because similar to Pokmon, each employee offers unique
talents and will evolve into different forms of advanced employees
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Performance appraisal:-
Most managers say they want to pay for performance, but few sit down and conduct a
performance review with an employee. Raises, Career paths, training plans, and departmental
productivity are impacted by an employees performance.
In addition, a well-designed, effectively implemented appraisal system can provide solid
documentation of performance accomplishments or problems that the supervisor can use to
justify or defend a wide range of personnel actions or decisions.
H orizontal Relation Communication: -
Annual events and magazines:-
Annual events are a way of getting to know the employee on a personal level. It is also a
team building exercise and is common in all companies
In-house magazines too are common. They tell the employee about the company and
articles encourage employee participation.
Welfare activities:-
The objective of providing welfare facilities is to ensure that employee attention is notdiverted from work to maintenance activities. It also aims to provide a caring environment that
enhances the satisfaction of the employee with working conditions
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1.3Status of Employer Employee relationship Paradigm
Employees promise to: Employers promise to provid
Work hard Pay commensurate with performance
Uphold company reputation Opportunities for training and development
Maintain high levels of attendance and
Punctuality
Opportunities for promotion
Show loyalty to the organization Recognition for innovation or new idea
Work extra hours when required Feedback on performance
Develop new skills and update old ones Interesting tasks
Be flexible An attractive benefits package
Be courteous to clients and colleagues Respectful treatment
Be honest Reasonable job security
Come up with new ideas A pleasant and safe working environment
Table 1 - Empl oyer Employee relati onship Paradigm
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1.4 Benefits of Good Employee Relations
The Gallup Or ganization publ ished research proved that a more engaged employee is
also a more productive employee . The research also proved, that a more engaged employee isalso a more profitable employee, a more customer-focused employee, a safer employee, and an
employee who is more likely to withstand temptations to jump ship and in turn it is also true that
the longer employees stay with an organization, the less engaged they become.
1. Reduced Absenteeism:-
One reason, outside of illness, that employees are absent is stress, and the number one
reason employees are stressed has to do with their relationship with their manager/supervisor.
Management styles that are too authoritarian tend to promote high levels of absenteeism among
employees also increase turnover, job burnout, and employee health problems such as backaches
and headaches. Employees may also reduce turnover and absences when they begin to feel that
working conditions are satisfactory and that they are becoming more successful in their jobs.
In addition, these programs help reduce turnover thereby reducing your training,
recruiting, and administrative human resource expenses.
2. Improved Morale & Motivation.:-
The secret of creating a motivating employee review lies in the relationship between
expectations of the employee & the actual. The right combination provides with a highly
motivated employee. Maintaining good Employee Relations creates an environment of trust and
increases morale. This improves the motivation of the employee. A motivated employees
behavior is contagiou s and beneficial for the growth of the company
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3. Harmony in the organization :-
Increase in the level of job satisfaction has a direct relation with the smooth workflow.
There will be lesser arguments and more discussions. Employees will be ready to share
information and help each other out. A good relation with the employee also inculcatesdiscipline. Thus harmony is maintained.
4. Lesser attrition - reduced cost on training, less cost of retention :-
A reduced attrition rate will reduce the cost of training and induction. No new employees
will need to start afresh. The company can save on getting to know new employees.
GPI spends around Rs.5 Lakhs on training every year with the attrition rate being less
than 2 %. For TAJ, There is a bloodbath in Mumbai today, with seven hotels cheek-by-jowl near
the airport. Retention of talent is the chief challenge. Staff is routinely poached by not just
industry competitors but also banks, call centers & others. On the upside, they are the biggest &
the most profitable chain and apparently enjoy an attrition rate which is lowest in the industry.
5. Attract good talent :-
Attracting the most qualified employees and matching them to the jobs for which they are
best suited is important for the success of any organization. A good company with good
Employee Relations will be talked about. For example, there are companies like TATA, HLL,
Birlas, or Infosys where people would be glad to work. TAJ wants to create an image where, if
10 employees are interviewed and 1 gets selected, then th e rest shoul d feel sorry, not for being
unemployed but for losing a wonderf ul opportuni ty to work for TAJ .
Knowledge about satisfying work places with comfortable working conditions and
friendly work culture and transparency in the organization are always passed through the
grapevine and thus attract employees. Later its the job of the recruitment cell to hire employees
as per the requirements.
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6. Responsible for increase in productivity.-
As the saying goes, a happy worker is a productive worker . Thus a satisfied worker will
take lesser breaks, spend lesser time in the canteen gossiping and more time working for thecompany. There will be Greater commitment which means quality output.
There will be loyalty and less wastage of company resources. The employee will seek for
opportunities for intensifying the business and look out for new chances of expanding the
company. They identify themselves with the work and this leads to an improved performance.
Finally, the act of participation in itself establishes better communication, as people mutually
discuss work problems.
7. Open to organizational / hierarchical changes (flexibility)
The workers self -esteem, job satisfaction, and cooperative with the
management are improved. The results often are reduced conflict
and stress, more commitment to goals, and better acceptance of a
change.
8. Shared learning and Continuous improvement.
A satisfied employee will look for ways of continuous improvement. They will
participate in programs such as kaizen and try for the better of the company. Employees in a
good employee relation management will share their new learnings and wisdom with his
colleagues.
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1.5 Why Employee Relationship Management?
Human Resource vendors as well as Customer Relationship Management Vendors are
trying to offer solutions for Employee Relationship Management. Employee Relationship
Management is a science as old as business itself. One of the first technologies to improve
employee relationship was the telephone and later the fax. So what is Employee relationship
management all about?
Defining employee relationship management is more difficult than defining something
like Customer Relationship management. The nature of the relationship between a company and
employee is far more complex than the relationship with customers. Customers simply go off to
competitors when the relationship is not working while unhappy employees can remain for long
periods in the company. Customers only experience the company at some key points of truth
while employees are daily experiencing a relationship with their employer. The employee
experience the relationship with the employer from the moment the employee enters into a
workspace. Their moments of truth are overshadowed by a total experience over a period of
time.
The question is however: "Why do we need Employee Relationship Management?
Before answering this question we need to reflect on what constitutes a relationship.
We have a relationship between two parties when;
- They feel close to each other,
- They have report with each other,
- They communicate,
- They are sympathetic to each other
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- They are responsive,
- They feel empathy with each other.
A good relationship is a relationship where there is a reciprocal exchange of value
between two parties. Both parties must want to be part of that relationship and contribute to the
relationship to work. We believe that Employee Relationship Management will improve
productivity by improving:
- Employee morale
- Employee loyalty
- Employee turnaround
- Employee communication
- Employee change readiness
The problem with a relationship is that it is much like an iceberg. The visible part of therelationship is only the tip of the iceberg that is visible above the water level. Most of the factors
that determine the quality of a relationship is beneath the water. All these are done with the aim
of improving productivity rather than interacting with employees.
The question is: Can Technology help improve employee relationships especially if
such a large part of the relationship is based on hidden element?
Technology has already contributed to improving employee relationships: -
- Companies already employ HR systems to ensure that employees get paid out the correct
salaries on time
- HR system allows employees to manage training as well as their leave.
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- Advance companies have performance measurement systems that assist with the monitoring
and feedback of performance by linking it to bonus schemes.
- Work flow systems help to manage and coordinate the flow of work to and from employees.
- Organizational structure diagramming helped to make reporting lines and responsibilities clear.
- Business information management technologies provide employees with up to date
information.
- Knowledge management technologies help employees to share knowledge of what is happening
in the company.
- Email, company portals and electronic calendars are already tools in use in most companies.
- Chief Executives have use blogging as a means to directly communicate with employees.
- Online self training courses help employees to stay up to date with the latest developments in
the industry
These technologies improved efficiencies rather than relationships. The question is: "Can
these technologies really help to improve employee relationships?" I think they can if these
technologies are integrated and shaped around the needs of each employee.
A company will benefit only from Employee Relationship Management technologies if
there are clear guidelines and rules of how these technologies should be used. A culture that
values the employee must pervade the organization before these technologies can begin to make
a positive contribution.
Without a clear management adoption of employee centered values these technologies
can become a destructive force which spread a negative morale rather than a positive one.
Employee relationship management tools breaks down the dependency on hierarchical command
and control systems and introduces more and more a self organizing culture of employees that
are networked to collaborate on points of need. Technology can definitely assist but old style
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interpersonal skills and conflict resolution techniques are still forming the baseline requirements
for effective Employee Relationship Management
1.6 Problems of Employee Relations
Stress at WORK:-
Stress at work is a relatively new phenomenon of modern lifestyles. The nature of work
has gone through drastic changes over the last century and it is still changing at whirlwind speed.
They have touched almost all professions, starting from an artist to a surgeon, or a commercial
pilot to a sales executive. With change comes stress, inevitably. Professional stress or job stress
poses a threat to physical health. Work related stress in the life of organized workers,
consequently, affects the health of organizations.
WHAT'S IT?
Job stress is a chronic disease caused by conditions in the workplace that negatively
affect an individual's performance and/or overall well-being of his body and mind. One or more
of a host of physical and mental illnesses manifests job stress. In some cases, job stress can be
disabling. In chronic cases a psychiatric consultation is usually
required to validate the reason and degree of work related stress.
Working on a project on stress at work, Andy Ellis, Ruskin College,
Oxford, UK, has shown in a chart how stress can adversely affect an
employee's performance. In the early stages job stress can 'rev up'
the body and enhance performance in the workplace, thus the term 'I
perform better under pressure'.
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However, if this condition is allowed to go unchecked and the body is revved up further,
the performance ultimately declines and the person's health degenerates.
SYMPTOMS:-
The signs of job stress vary from person to person, depending on the particular situation,
how long the individual has been subjected to the stressors, and the intensity of the stress itself.
Typical symptoms of job stress can be:
Insomnia
Loss of mental concentration
Conflict
Anxiety, stress
Absenteeism
Depression,
Substance abuse,
Extreme anger and frustration,
Family
Physical illness
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Workers working with heavy machinery are under constant stress to remain alert. In this case
both the worker and their family members live under constant mental stress. There is also the
constant pressure to keep up with technological breakthroughs and improvisations, forcing
employees to learn new software all the times.
4. WORKPLACE CULTURE
Adjusting to the workplace culture, whether in a new company or not, can be intensely
stressful. Making oneself adapt to the various aspects of workplace culture such as
communication patterns, hierarchy, dress code if any, workspace and most importantly working
and behavioral patterns of the boss as well as the co-workers, can be a lesson of life.
Maladjustment to workplace cultures may lead to subtle conflicts with colleagues or even with
superiors. In many cases office politics or gossips can be major stress inducers.
5.PERSONAL OR FAMILY PROBLEMS:-
Employees going through personal or family problems tend to carry their worries and
anxieties to the workplace. When one is in a depressed mood, his unfocused attention or lack of
motivation affects his ability to carry out job responsibilities.
5. JOB STRESS AND WOMEN
Women may suffer from mental and physical harassment at workplaces, apart from the
common job stress. Sexual harassment in workplace has been a major source of worry for
women, since long. Women may suffer from tremendous stress such as 'hostile work
environment harassment', which is defined in legal terms as 'offensive or intimidating behavior
in the workplace'. This can consist of unwelcome verbal or physical conduct. These can be a
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constant source of tension for women in job sectors. Also, subtle discriminations at workplaces,
family pressure and societal demands add to these stress factors.
6. THE SURVIVAL SUTRAS:-
Because change is constant in life, stress is an integral part of it. Since we don't want to perish
under it, we have to adhere to the bottom line for
survival adapt.
FOLLOWING ARE SOME OF THE LONG-TERM
TIPS TO SURVIVE STRESS:-
Even if we feel secured in a habituated life, the truth
remains that changing with the times makes one's position
more secure. In today's business climate, you must continually be prepared for changes to avoid
stress and survive in the competitive world.
Find and protect whatever time you get to refresh, re-energize and re-motivate
yourself. Spend quality time with your family. This can be an excellent source of
emotional and moral support.
Avoid giving in to alcohol, smoking and other substance abuses while under constant stress.
Develop positive attitudes towards stressful situations in life. Give up negative mental traits
such as fear, anger and revengeful attitudes, which actually germinate stress. Try to revert toholistic relaxation and personal growth techniques such as meditation, breathing and exercises, to
remodel your lifestyles.
In case of chronic stress consult a health professional .
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Reduce workplace stress by celebrating yours or your colleagues' accomplishments.
Adapting to demands of stress also means changing your personality. Improve your line of
communication, efficiency and learn from other's experiences.
Don't be complacent. Be prepared for any change physically, emotionally and financially.
BUT, WHEN YOU ARE UNDER STRESS AT WORK, SOME SIMPLE PRACTICES
CAN HELP:
Sit straight and comfortably on your seat, and try breathing exercises. It will relax your nerves
and muscles.
Relax and count backwards (20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15.)
Try creative visualization
GRIEVANCEGrievance procedure is a formal communication between an employee and the management
designed for the settlement of a grievance. The grievance procedures differ from organization toorganization.
1. Open door policy
2. Step-ladder policy
Open door policy: Under this policy, the aggrieved employee is free to meet the top executives
of the organization and get his grievances redressed. Such a policy works well only in small
organizations. However, in bigger organizations, top management executives are usually busywith other concerned matters of the company. Moreover, it is believed that open door policy is
suitable for executives; operational employees may feel shy to go to top management.
Step ladder policy: Under this policy, the aggrieved employee has to follow a step by step
procedure for getting his grievance redressed. In this procedure, whenever an employee is
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confronted with a grievance, he presents his problem to his immediate supervisor. If the
employee is not satisfied with superiors decision, then he discusses his grievance with the
departmental head.
The departmental head discusses the problem with joint grievance committees to find a solution.However, if the committee also fails to redress the grievance, then it may be referred to chief
executive. If the chief executive also fails to redress the grievance, then such a grievance is
referred to voluntary arbitration where the award of arbitrator is binding on both the parties.
2.1 GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE IN INDIAN INDUSTRY
The 15th session of Indian Labor Conference held in 1957 emphasized the need of an
established grievance procedure for the country which would be acceptable to unions as well as
to management.
In the 16th session of Indian Labor Conference, a model for grievance procedure was drawn
up.
This model helps in creation of grievance machinery. According to it, workers representatives
are to be elected for a department or their union is to nominate them.
Management has to specify the persons in each department who are to be approached first and
the departmental heads who are supposed to be approached in the second step.
The Model Grievance Procedure specifies the details of all the steps that are to be followed
while redressing grievances.
STEPS:-
STEP 1: In the first step the grievance is to be submitted to departmental representative, who is
a representative of management. He has to give his answer within 48 hours.
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STEP 2: If the departmental representative fails to provide a solution, the aggrieved employee
can take his grievance to head of the department, who has to give his decision within 3 days.
STEP 3: If the aggrieved employee is not satisfied with the decision of departmental head, hecan take the grievance to Grievance Committee. The Grievance Committee makes its
recommendations to the manager within 7 days in the form of a report. The final decision of the
management on the report of Grievance Committee must be communicated to the aggrieved
employee within three days of the receipt of report. An appeal for revision of final decision can
be made by the worker if he is not satisfied with it. The management must communicate its
decision to the worker within 7 days.
TRADE UNION Influence
HRM has been accused of being an individualist and anti-union philosophy Guest (1989)outlines three different strategies which have been associated with the development of HRM:
i. Aggressively anti-union companies have been withdrawal recognition from existingunions.
ii. Some companies have offered generous pay increases through individual pay deals,making unions appears unnecessary.
iii. Others have neutralized or controlled union power by means of single-union agreementsand no-strike clauses.
OBJECTIVES OF TRADE UNIONS
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Trade unions are formed to protect and promote the interests of their members. Their primary
function is to protect the interests of workers against discrimination and unfair labor practices.
Trade unions are formed to achieve the following objectives:
i. Representation:-
Trade unions represent individual workers when they have a problem at work. If an
employee feels he is being unfairly treated, he can ask the union representative to help sort out
the difficulty with the manager or employer. Unions also offer their members legal
representation. Normally this is to help people get financial compensation for work-related
injuries or to assist people who have to take their employer to court.
ii. Negotiation:-
Negotiation is where union representatives, discuss with management, the issues which
affect people working in an organization. There may be a difference of opinion between
management and union members. Trade unions negotiate with the employers to find out a
solution to these differences. Pay, working hours, holidays and changes to working practices
are the sorts of issues that are negotiated. In many workplaces there is a formal agreement
between the union and the company which states that the union has the right to negotiate with
the employer. In these organizations, unions are said to be recognized for collective
bargaining purposes.
iii. Voice in decisions affecting workers:-
The economic security of employees is determined not only by the level of wages and
duration of their employment, but also by the managements personal policies which include
selection of employees for layoffs, retrenchment, promotion and transfer. These policies directly
affect workers. The evaluation criteria for such decisions may not be fair. So, the intervention of
unions in such decision making is a way through which workers can have their say in the
decision making to safeguard their interests.
iv. Member services:-
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During the last few years, trade unions have increased the range of services they offer
their members. These include:
o Education and training - Most unions run training courses for their members onemployment rights, health and safety and other issues. Some unions also help
members who have left school with little education by offering courses on basic
skills and courses leading to professional qualifications.
o Legal assistance - As well as offering legal advice on employment issues, someunions give help with personal matters, like housing, wills and debt.
o Financial discounts - People can get discounts on mortgages, insurance and loansfrom unions.
o Welfare benefits - One of the earliest functions of trade unions was to look after members who hit hard times. Some of the older unions offer financial help to their
members when they are sick or unemployed.
CONFLICTS
Conflict is a state of discord caused by the actual or perceived opposition of needs, values andinterests. A conflict can be internal (within oneself) or external (between two or more
individuals). Conflict as a concept can help explain many aspects of social life such as social
disagreement, conflicts of interests, and fights between individuals, groups, or organizations. In
political terms, "conflict" can refer to wars, revolutions or other struggles, which may involve the
use of force as in the term armed conflict. Without proper social arrangement or resolution,
conflicts in social settings can result in stress or tensions among stakeholders.
Conflict as taught for graduate and professional work in conflict resolution (which can be win-win, where both parties get what they want, win-lose where one
party gets what they want, or lose-lose where both parties don't
get what they want) commonly has the definition: "when two or
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more parties, with perceived incompatible goals, seek to undermine each other's goal-seeking
capability".
One should not confuse the distinction between the presence and absence of conflict with the
difference between competition and co-operation. In competitive situations, the two or moreindividuals or parties each have mutually inconsistent goals; either party tries to reach their goal
it will undermine the attempts of the other to reach theirs. Therefore, competitive situations will,
by their nature, cause conflict. However, conflict can also occur in cooperative situations, in
which two or more individuals or parties have consistent goals, because the manner in which one
party tries to reach their goal can still undermine the other individual or party.
A clash of interests, values, actions or directions often sparks a conflict. Conflicts refer to the
existence of that clash. Psychologically, a conflict exists when the reduction of one motivating
stimulus involves an increase in another, so that a new adjustment is demanded. The word is
applicable from the instant that the clash occurs. Even when we say that there is a potential
conflict we are implying that there is already a conflict of direction even though a clash may not
yet have occurred.
TYPES AND MODES
A conceptual conflict can escalate into a verbal exchange and/or result in fighting.
Conflict can exist at a variety of levels of analysis:
community conflict diplomatic conflict economic conflict emotional conflict environmental resources conflict group conflict ideological conflict international conflict interpersonal conflict
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intersocietal conflict intra-state conflict (for example: civil wars, election campaigns) intrapersonal conflict (though this usually just gets delegated out to psychology) organizational conflict intra-societal conflict military conflict
Religious-based conflict (for example: Center For Reduction of Religious-Based Conflict
WORKPLACE CONFLICT
Conflicts in these levels may appear "nested" in conflicts residing at larger levels of analysis.For example, conflict within a work team may play out the dynamics of a broader conflict in the
organization as a whole. (See Marie Dugan' s article on Nested Conflict. John Paul Lederach has
also written on this.) Theorists have claimed that parties can conceptualize responses to conflict
according to a two-dimensional scheme; concern for one's own outcomes and concern for the
outcomes of the other party. This scheme leads to the following hypotheses:
High concern for both one's own and the other party's outcomes leads to attempts to find
mutually beneficial solutions. High concern for one's own outcomes only leads to attempts to "win" the conflict. High concern for the other party's outcomes only leads to allowing the other to "win" the
conflict.
No concern for either side's outcomes leads to attempts to avoid the conflict.
In Western society, practitioners usually suggest that attempts to find mutually beneficial
solutions lead to the most satisfactory outcomes, but this may not hold true for many Asian
societies. Several theorists detect successive phases in the development of conflicts.
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Personalities Skills and abilities Values and Ethics
The assertion that "conflict is emotionally defined and driven," and "does not exist in the
absence of emotion" is challenged by Economics, for example, "the science which studies human
behavior as a relationship between ends and scarce means wh ich have alternative uses. In this
context, scarcity means that available resources are insufficient to satisfy all wants and needs.
The subject of conflict as a purely rational, strategic decision is specifically addressed by Game
Theory, a branch of Economics.
Where applicable, there are many components to the emotions that are intertwined with
conflict. There is a behavioral, physiological, cognitive component.
Behavioral- The way emotional experience gets expressed which can be verbal or non-
verbal and intentional or un-intentional.
Physiological- The bodily experience of emotion. The way emotions make us feel in
comparison to our identity.
Cognitive- The idea that we assess or appraise an event to reveal its relevancy to
ourselves.
These three components collectively advise that the meanings of emotional experience and
expression are determined by cultural values, beliefs, and practices.
THERE ARE SEVERAL PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICT AND EMOTION:
1. Conflict is emotionally defined- conflict involves emotion because something triggers
it. The conflict is with the parties involved and how they decide to resolve it events
that trigger conflict are events that elicit emotion.
2. Conflict is emotionally valence emotion levels during conflict can be intense or less
intense. The intensity levels may be indicative of the importance and meaning of the
conflict issues for eac h party.
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3. Conflict Invokes a moral stance when an event occurs it can be interpreted as moral or
immoral. The judging of this morality influences ones orientation to the conflict,
relationship to the parties involved, and the conflict issues .
4. Conflict is identity based Emotions and Identity are a part of conflict. When a person
knows their values, beliefs, and morals they are able to determine whether the conflict is
personal, relevant, and moral. Identity related conflicts are potentially more destructive.
5. Conflict is relational conflict is relational in the sense that emotional communication
conveys relational definitions that impact conflict. Key relational elements are power
and social status.
Emotions are acceptable in the workplace as long as they can be controlled and utilized for
productive organizational outcomes.
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WAYS OF ADDRESSING CONFLICT
Five basic ways of addressing conflict were identified by Thomas and Kilman in 1976:
o Accommodation surrender one's own needs and wishes to accommodate the other
party.
o Avoidance avoid or postpone conflict by ignoring it, changing the subject, etc.
Avoidance can be useful as a temporary measure to buy time or as an expedient means of
dealing with very minor, non-recurring conflicts. In more severe cases, conflict avoidance
can involve severing a relationship or leaving a group.
o Collaboration work together to find a mutually beneficial solution. While the Thomas
Kilman grid views collaboration as the only win-win solution to conflict, collaborationcan also be time-intensive and inappropriate when there is not enough trust, respect or
communication among participants for collaboration to occur.
o Compromise find a middle ground in which each party is partially satisfied.o Competition assert one's viewpoint at the potential expense of another. It can be useful
when achieving one's objectives outweighs one's concern for the relationship.
The Thomas Kilman Instrument can be used to assess one's dominant style for addressing
conflict.
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2.2Elucidation of Employee Relations
1. Managing Your Boss:-An Important but most disregarded aspect of leadership is your
relationship with the boss, as she/he would determine your
success/failure as a leader. Effective managers take time & effort to
manage not only their relationships with their subordinates but also
those with their bosses. Managing your team as a leader is as important as managing your boss.
MISREADING THE BOSS SUBORDINATE RELATIONSHIP
Some people behave as if their bosses are not very dependent on them. They fail to see
how much the boss needs their help and cooperation to do his/her job effectively. These people
refuse to acknowledge that the boss can be severely hurt by their actions and needs cooperation,
dependability and honestly from them. A managers immediate boss can play a critical role in
linking the manager to the rest of the organization, making sure that the managers priorities are
consistent with organizational needs and in securing the resources the managers needs to perform
well.
Yet some managers see themselves as self sufficient, not needing the critical information
and resources the boss can supply. It seems that managing a situation of mutual dependence
among fallible human beings requires the following:
That you have a good understanding of the other person and yourself especially regarding
strengths, weaknesses, work styles and needs.
This information is used to develop and manage a healthy working relationship one that is
compatible with both peoples work styles and assets, is characterized by mutual expectations
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and meets the most critical needs of the person. This combination is essentially what highly
effective managers are found doing.
UNDERSTANDING THE BOSS:-
Managing the boss requires that you gain an understanding of the boss and his/ her own
context, as well as your own situation. At a minimum you need to appreciate your boss's goals
and pressures as well as his or her strengths and weaknesses. Such as what are the boss's
organizational and personal goals and objectives? What are the pressures? What are your boss's
long suits and blind spots? What is his preferred style of working? Does s/he like to get
information through memos, formal meetings or phone calls? Does s/he thrive on conflict or try
to minimize it?
Without this information, a manager is flying blind when dealing with the boss and
unnecessary conflicts, misunderstandings and problems are inevitable.
UNDERSTANDING YOURSELF:-
The boss is only one half of the relationship. You are the other half, as well as the part
you have more direct control over. Developing an effective working relationship requires that
you know your own strengths, weaknesses and personal style. One cannot change the basic
personality of oneself or one's boss. But one can become more aware of what it is about you that
impedes or facilitates working with your boss and take actions to be more effective. Gaining self-
awareness about oneself and acting on it are difficult but not impossible, but this could be
managed by reflecting on past experiences.
Although a superior subordinate relationship is one of mutual dependence, it is also one
in which the subordinate is typically more dependent on the boss than the other way round.
Counter-dependence (when the subordinate acts on his or her negative feelings, in subtle or
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nonverbal ways, the boss sometimes does become the enemy) & over-dependence (managers
who swallow their own anger and behave in a very compliant fashion when the boss makes what
they know is a poor decision) lead managers to hold unrealistic views of what a boss is.
DEVELOPING AND MANAGING A RELATIONSHIP:-
With a clear understanding of your boss and yourself, you can usually establish a way of
working together that fits both of you that is characterized by unambiguous mutual expectations.
COMPATIBLE WORK STYLES:-
A good working relationship with a boss accommodates differences in work style.
Subordinates can adjust their styles in response to their bosses' preferred method of receiving
information. Peter Drucker divides bosses into "listeners" and "readers". Some bosses like to get
information in a report so that they can study it others like it better when information is presented
to them so they can ask questions. So the implications are obvious (says Drucker) if your boss is
a listener you brief him/ her in person then follow up with a memo. If your boss is a reader you
convert important items in a memo and then discuss them.
Other adjustments can be made according to a boss's decision-making style. Some bosses
prefer to be involved in decisions and problems as they arise; these are high involvement
managers who like to keep their hands on the pulse of the operations. Usually their needs are best
satisfied if you touch base with them on an ongoing basis. Other bosses prefer to delegate - they
do not want to be involved. They expect you to come to them with major problems and inform
them about any important changes.
Creating a compatible relationship also involves drawing on each other's strengths and
making up for each other's weaknesses.
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MUTUAL EXPECTATIONS:-
The subordinate who passively assumes that s/he knows what the boss expects is in for
trouble. Some superiors spell out their expectations very explicitly but most do not. And though
many organizations have systems that provide a basis for communicating expectations these
systems never work perfectly. Also between these formal reviews expectations invariably
change.
Ultimately the burden falls on the subordinate to find out what the boss's expectations
are. They can be both broad (what problems the boss wishes to be briefed about and when) as
well as very specific when a particular project should be completed and what kind of information
the boss needs in the interim).
If a boss is vague and not explicit it may be difficult to get information out of him but
effective managers find ways to do that. Some managers will draft a detailed memo and follow
up with a face-to-face discussion. Others will deal with an inexplicit boss by initiating an
ongoing series of informal discussions about "good management" and "our objectives". Still
others find useful information more 6indirectly through those who used to work for the boss and
through formal planning systems in which the boss makes commitments to his or own superior.
Which approach you choose would depend on your understanding of your boss's style?
Developing a workable set of mutual expectations also requires you to communicate your
own expectations to the boss, find out if they are realistic and influence the boss to accept the
ones that are important to you. Being able to influence the boss to value your expectations can be
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particularly important if the boss is an over achiever. Such a boss will often set unrealistically
high standards that need to be brought into line with reality.
FLOW OF INFORMATION:-
How much information a boss needs about what a subordinate is doing will varysignificantly depending on the boss's style, the situation he or she is in and the confidence the
boss has in the subordinate. But it is not uncommon for a boss to need more information than the
subordinate would naturally supply. Effective managers recognize that they probably
underestimate what their bosses need to know and make sure they find ways to keep them
informed through processes that fit their styles.
Managing the flow of information upward is particularly difficult if the boss does not like
to hear about problems. Nevertheless for the good of the organization the boss and the
subordinate, a superior needs to hear about failures as well as successes. Some subordinates deal
with the good-news-only boss by finding indirect ways such as a management information
system. Others see to it that potential problems are communicated immediately.
DEPENDABILITY AND HONESTY :-
Few things are more disabling to a boss than a subordinate on whom he cannot depend,
whose work he cannot trust. No one is intentionally undependable. A commitment to an
optimistic delivery date may please a superior in the short term but become a source of
displeasure if not honored. It's difficult for a boss to rely on a subordinate who frequently misses
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deadlines. Dishonestly is another issue. It's almost impossible for bosses to work effectively if
they cannot rely on a fairly accurate reading from their subordinates. Because it undermines
credibility, dishonestly is perhaps the most troubling trait a subordinate can have. Without a
basic level of trust a boss feels compelled to check all of subordinates decisions, which makes it
difficult to delegate.
Collective Bargaining:-
Collective bargaining is a formalized process by which employers and independent trade
unions negotiate terms and conditions of employment and the ways in which certain
employment-related issues are to be regulated at national, organizational and workplace levels.
Collective bargaining is a process in the sense that it consists of a number of steps. It begins
with the presentation of the charter of demands and ends with reaching an agreement, which
would serve as the basic law governing labor management relationsover a period of time in an enterprise. Moreover, it is flexible
process and not fixed or static. Mutual trust and understanding serve
as the byproducts of harmonious relations between the two parties.
It is a group process, wherein one group, representing the
employers, and the other, representing the employees, sit together to negotiate terms of
employment.
Negotiations form an important aspect of the process of collective bargaining i.e., there is
considerable scope for discussion, compromise or mutual give and take in collective bargaining.
It a bipartite process. This means there are always two parties involved in the process of
collective bargaining. The negotiations generally take place between the employees and the
management. It is a form of participation.
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Collective bargaining is a complementary process i.e. each party needs something that the
other party has; labor can increase productivity and management can pay better for their efforts.
Collective bargaining tends to improve the relations between workers and the union on the one
hand and the employer on the other. Collective Bargaining is continuous process. It enables
industrial democracy to be effective. It uses cooperation and consensus for settling disputes
rather than conflict and confrontation. Collective bargaining takes into account day to day
changes, policies, potentialities, capacities and interests. It is a political activity frequently
undertaken by professional negotiators.
IMPORTANCE OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
Collective bargaining includes not only negotiations between the employers and unions but also
includes the process of resolving labor-management conflicts. Thus, collective bargaining is,
essentially, a recognized way of creating a system of industrial jurisprudence. It acts as a method
of introducing civil rights in the industry, that is, the management should be conducted by rules
rather than arbitrary decision making. It establishes rules which define and restrict the traditional
authority exercised by the management.
Importance to employees:-
Collective bargaining develops a sense of self respect and responsibility among theemployees.
It increases the strength of the workforce, thereby, increasing their bargaining capacity asa group.
Collective bargaining increases the morale and productivity of employees.
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It restricts manag ements freedom for arbitrary action against the employees. Moreover,unilateral actions by the employer are also discouraged.
Effective collective bargaining machinery strengthens the trade unions movement.
The workers feel motivated as they can approach the management on various matters and bargain for higher benefits.
It helps in securing a prompt and fair settlement of grievances. It provides a flexiblemeans for the adjustment of wages and employment conditions to economic and
technological changes in the industry, as a result of which the chances for conflicts are
reduced.
Importance to employers:-
i. It becomes easier for the management to resolve issues at the bargaining level rather
than taking up complaints of individual workers.
ii. Collective bargaining tends to promote a sense of job security among employees and
thereby tends to reduce the cost of labor turnover to management.
iii. Collective bargaining opens up the channel of communication between the workers
and the management and increases worker participation in decision making.
iv. Collective bargaining plays a vital role in settling and preventing industrial disputes.
Importance to society:-
i. Collective bargaining leads to industrial peace in the country
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ii. It results in establishment of a harmonious industrial climate which supports which
helps the pace of a nations effo rts towards economic and social development since
the obstacles to such a development can be reduced considerably.
iii. The discrimination and exploitation of workers is constantly being checked.
iv. It provides a method or the regulation of the conditions of employment of those who
are directly concerned about them.
LEVELS OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
Collective bargaining operates at three levels:
1. National level
2. Sector or industry level
3. Company/enterprise level
Economy-wide (national) bargaining is a bipartite or tripartite form of negotiation between
union confederations, central employer associations and government agencies. It aims at
providing a floor for lower-level bargaining on the terms of employment, often taking into
account macroeconomic goals.
Sectoral bargaining, which aims at the standardization of the terms of employment in one
industry, includes a range of bargaining patterns. Bargaining may be either broadly or narrowly
defined in terms of the industrial activities covered and may be either split up according to
territorial subunits or conducted nationally.
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The third bargaining level involves the company and/or establishment. As a supplementary type
of bargaining, it emphasizes the point that bargaining levels need not be mutually exclusive
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COLLECTIVE BARGAINING PROCESS:-
Collective bargaining generally includes negotiations between the two parties
(employees representatives and employers representatives). Collective bargaining consists of
negotiations between an employer and a group of employees that determine the conditions of
employment. Often employees are represented in the bargaining by a union or other labor
organization. The result of collective bargaining procedure is called the collective bargaining
agreement (CBA). Collective agreements may be in the form of procedural agreements or
substantive agreements. Procedural agreements deal with the relationship between workers and
management and the procedures to be adopted for resolving individual or group disputes.
This will normally include procedures in respect of individual grievances, disputes anddiscipline. Frequently, procedural agreements are put into the company rule book which provides
information on the overall terms and conditions of employment and codes of behavior. A
substantive agreement deals with specific issues, such as basic pay, overtime premiums, bonus
arrangements, holiday entitlements, hours of work, etc. In many companies, agreements have a
fixed time scale and a collective bargaining process will review the procedural agreement when
negotiations take place on pay and conditions of employment.
The collective bargaining process comprises of five core steps:
1. Prepare: This phase involves composition of a negotiation team. The negotiation teamshould consist of representatives of both the parties with adequate knowledge and skills
for negotiation. In this phase both the employers representatives and the union examine
their own situation in order to develop the issues that they believe will be most important.The first thing to be done is to determine whether there is actually any reason to negotiate
at all. A correct understanding of the main issues to be covered and intimate knowledge
of operations, working conditions, production norms and other relevant conditions is
required.
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2. Discuss : Here, the parties decide the ground rules that will guide the negotiations. A process well begun is half done and this is no less true in case of collective bargaining.
An environment of mutual trust and understanding is also created so that the collective
bargaining agreement would be reached.
3. Propose : This phase involves the initial opening statements and the possible optionsthat exist to resolve them. In a word, this phase could be described as brainstorming.
The exchange of messages takes place and opinion of both the parties is sought.
4. Bargain : negotiations are easy if a problem solving attitude is adopted. This stagecompri ses the time when what ifs and supposals are set forth and the drafting of
agreements take place.
5. Settlement: Once the parties are through with the bargaining process, a consensualagreement 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
negotiateSd change.
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3. COUNSELLINGCounseling is a recent concept in the field of employee welfare
which progressive managements are increasingly accepting. Counseling
services for employee originate from the basic acceptance of the idea
that an employee is not just an 8-hour responsibility of the management.
His mental and physical well being has an important role to play in his
working life. His social and family life has a strong influence on his
level of productivity, attendance, his behavior at work and accident too.
If there is a problem, experience bears out that is better to solve it rather than ignore it hoping
it will solve itself, or pretend that it does not exist. Problem faced by individual employees or
their families can be solved by well meaning friends, union and management personnel, but a
specialist touch works better in combination with their.
If every management takes the responsibility of looking after the welfare of the employee
and their families, this will make for closer interpersonal relationship and a stronger feeling of
belonging. Such initiative place less strain of the social institutions in society which the
industrial community supports eventually. The professionally trained counselor helps in various
concerts problematic areas like absenteeism, mental disorder, alcoholism, medical problem,
indebtedness, interpersonal problems faced by people at the work place.
The counselor can also work in the wider field of family planning, social education,
employee development, hold social and educational programmes for the families of the
employees enriching the life of both.
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4 . Rehabilitation of alcoholics
Although alcoholism is an age old problem in the industry, its
conception as a disease, rather than a moral problem, is of
recent origin. It is roughly estimated that any industry has
about 4% to 6% alcoholics in its pay-rolls. Alcoholism has
been found to be a primary cause to several other problems
faced by industry, such as absenteeism, poor performance on
the job, low productivity, proneness to accidents and low morale.
With the increasing realization that alcoholism is an illness and not moral problem. Managers are
realizing their special role and responsibility towards alcoholism. Whereas the traditional
approach has been either dismiss the alcoholic or to tolerate him. Professionals and forward
looking managements today are emphasizing the rehabilitation of alcoholics on the job itself.
This approach serves various purposes. An employee is hired with a view to establish a
long term relationship in the company. The management invests in the employee by way of
money, time and training. Dismiss of the alcoholic employee involves considerable personnel
cost, as once again procedure of recruiting and training goes on for a new recruit.
Further there is no guarantee that the new comer may not develop the same problem.
Secondly, the rehabilitation of the alcoholics without dismiss saves the society and additional
burden of unemployment. The rehabilitation programmes can be a mutually enriching experience
for management and the employee.
The employees would appreciate the management approach of maintaining the dignity of the
individual and his job. This would enhance employer employee relations. Before commencing a
program or rehabilitation, the management has to adopt certain attitudes towards alcoholism.
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Buying a life insurance policy:-
New customer
If you dont have an existing policy from ICICI Prudential Life Insurance, you can find out
detailed information in this section about:
The Company profile
The ICICI Prudential Life edge
Various product options available to suit your needs
Our Fund performance
Range of convenient premium payment options offered
Awards & Accolades received by us Customer Service touch-points
And much, much more!
Existing customer :-
If you already have an existing policy, you can find out detailed information in this section
about:
The ICICI Prudential Life edge
Tax benefits & their explanations
Asset Allocation
Your Fund performance
Policy features like ATS
Awards & Accolades received by us
Customer Service touch-points
And much, much more!
http://www.iciciprulife.com/public/Why-Us/Choosing-right-provider.htmhttp://www.iciciprulife.com/public/Why-Us/Choosing-right-provider.htmhttp://www.iciciprulife.com/public/Why-Us/Earlier-policy-bought-from-us.htmhttp://www.iciciprulife.com/public/Why-Us/Earlier-policy-bought-from-us.htmhttp://www.iciciprulife.com/public/Why-Us/Earlier-policy-bought-from-us.htmhttp://www.iciciprulife.com/public/Why-Us/Choosing-right-provider.htm -
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The ICICI Prudential Edge:-
The ICICI Prudential edge comes from our commitment to our customers, in all that we do - be it
product development, distribution, the sales process or servicing. Here's a peek into what makes
us leaders.
1. Our products have been developed after a clear and thorough understanding of customers'
needs. It is this research that helps us develop Education plans that offer the ideal way to truly
guarantee your child's education, Retirement solutions that are a hedge against inflation and yet
promise a fixed income after you retire, or Health insurance that arms you with the funds you
might need to recover from a dreaded disease.
2. Having the right products is the first step, but it's equally important to ensure that our
customers can access them easily and quickly. To this end, ICICI Prudential has an advisor base
across the length and breadth of the country, and also partners with leading banks, corporate
agents and brokers to distribute our products .
3. Robust risk management and underwriting practices form the core of our business. With clear
guidelines in place, we ensure equitable costing of risks, and thereby ensure a smooth and hassle-
free claims process.
4. Entrusted with helping our customers meet their long-term goals, we adopt an investment
philosophy that aims to achieve risk adjusted returns over the long-term.
5. Last but definitely not the least, our team is given the opportunity to learn and grow, every day
in a multitude of ways. We believe this keeps them engaged and enthusiastic, so that they can
deliver on our promise to cover you, at every step in life.
Vision & Values:-
Our vision:
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To be the dominant Life, Health and Pensions player built on trust by world-class people and
service.
This we hope to achieve by:
Understanding the needs of customers and offering them superior products and service
Leveraging technology to service customers quickly, efficiently and conveniently
Developing and implementing superior risk management and investment strategies to offer
sustainable and stable returns to our policyholders
Providing an enabling environment to foster growth and learning for our employees
And above all, building transparency in all our dealings
The success of the company will be founded in its unflinching commitment to 5 core values --
Integrity, Customer First, Boundaryless, Ownership and Passion. Each of the values describe what
the company stands for, the qualities of our people and the way we work.
We do believe that we are on the threshold of an exciting new opportunity, where we can play a
significant role in redefining and reshaping the sector. Given the quality of our parentage and the
commitment of our team, there are no limits to our growth.
Our values :
Every member of the ICICI Prudential team is committed to 5 core values: Integrity, Customer
First, Boundaryless, Ownership, and Passion. These values shine forth in all we do, and have
become the keystones of our success.
Promoters
ICICI Bank
ICICI Bank Limited (NYSE:IBN) is India's largest private sector bank and the second largest
bank in the country with consolidated total assets of about US$ 95 billion as of March 31, 2009.
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of Rs 2,128 crores and has underwritten over 10 million policies since inception. The company
has assets held over Rs. 53,000 crores as on December 31, 2009.
For the past nine years, ICICI Prudential Life has retained its leadership position in the life
insurance industry with a wide range of flexible products that meet the needs of the Indian
customer at every step in life.
Distribution:-
ICICI Prudential Life has one of the largest distribution networks amongst private life insurers
in India. It has a strong presence across India with 1,960 branches (including 1,096 micro-
offices) and an advisor base of over 230,000 (as on December 31, 2009).
The company has 6 bancassurance partners having tie-ups with ICICI Bank, Jalgaon Peoples
Co-op Bank, Ratanagiri District Central Co-op Bank, Ballia Kshetriya Co-operative Bank,
Renuka Nagrik Sahakari Bank, Bhandara Urban Co-operative Bank.
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Employee Relationship Management At
ICICI PRUDENTIAL
ICICI PRUDENTIAL has a well organized structure to deal with employee management. It has
developed few models to manage these processes, which include, EPM, BPO, SaaS, Employee
Contact Centre, etc.
Talent Management
ICICI PRUDENTIAL typically offers flexible Employee Performance Management (EPM)
solutions delivered in either a Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) or Software as Service
(SaaS) model that makes assessment and development easy, more accurate and economical for
our clients HR function. The EPM proce ss includes goal management, performance appraisals,
multi-rater/360 feedback, workforce & succession planning, development planning and training,
etc.
Talent Management service spectrum covers the following aspects:
Learning Technology Solutions
Technology Consulting
Product Implementation and Development
Architecture
Integration, Maintenance and Production support services
Content Development
Product, Process, Domain and Technology Training Solutions
Behavioral, Soft Skills, Sales, Safety, Compliance
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ERP and Non ERP Application Training Rollout
Rapid Content Development Solutions
Assessment and Certification
Consulting
Performance Consulting
Learning Interventions
Training Needs Analysis
Training Strategy Definition
Curriculum Design
Change Management
Documentation Services
Technical Writing
Technical Editing
Production
Publishing
End user documentation
ICICI PRUDENTIAL s Internal Talent Transformation Team
The Training & Learning arm of ICICI PRUDENTIAL Technologies catering to
learning needs of over 63,000 employees
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Winner of American Society for Training and Development BEST award for four
consecutive years 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007
Dale Carnegie Leadership Award in the year 2007
Golden Partnership
ICICI PRUDENTIAL is a Global Partner of SABA
Global Service Level Agreement on integration and support of SABA LMS
Access to SABA knowledge base and technical support team for troubleshooting
Access to SABA authorized training for faster ramp up of technical support team
Employee Helpdesk
The Employee Contact Centre for ICICI PRUDENTIAL HR has extended hours, and takes
care of all kinds of input channels, phone, fax, e-mail, white-mail and external 3rd party agency
mails etc. ICICI PRUDENTIAL provides integrated case management, voice recording for
quality, call measurements, knowledge base maintenance and language support. ICICI
PRUDENTIAL HRO team has vast experience in setting up a tiered HR service delivery model
which includes:
Tier 0: Self-Service
Tier-1: Voice and E-mail based Help Desk
Tier-2: Advanced query handling Help Desk, Back-office transaction processing
Tier-3: Client HR staff
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Conclusion Employee Relations is necessary in an organization as salt to food. As one cant
imagine eating food without salt, a company cannot run without maintaining Employee Relations.
I noticed that internal recruitment plays a very important role in employee relations.
Internal recruitment is when the company recruits someone from within the organization to fill
the vacancies, as opposed to external recruiting i.e. recruiting from the open market. Internal
recruitment helps with the industrial relations since external recruitment can be seen as depriving
the workforce of opportunity.
ICICI PRUDENTIAL is strong follower of Natural succession. It strongly believes
in internal recruitment. If the company is looking at improving Employee Relations, then
internal resources should be the first considerations when planning for recruitment.
Also Organization Citizenship Behavior is known for promoting employee relations.
OCB is individual helping behaviors and gestures that are organizationally beneficial, but are not
formally required. A recent focus of organization behavior and management theory explains thatthis behavior is called organization citizenship, or the "good soldier syndrome" and, although the
definition of organization citizenship is debated, most definitions of being a "good soldier"
include pro-social behaviors, helping others, innovating, volunteering and the lack of undesirable
behavior.
Also, assisting newcomers to the organization, not abusing the rights of co-workers, not
taking extra breaks, attending elective company meetings, and enduring minor impositions that
occur when working with others are examples of OCB that help in coping with various
organizational uncertainties.
Traditionally Employee Relations programs were centered around labor union relations.
Today, Employee Relations does not necessarily involve unions. However, it does involve
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cultivating the leadership style and workplace practices that help make union organizing
activities a less attractive option for employees. Effective Employee Relation