Employee Relations and Trade Unions
Introduction
Employees’ relations can be described as the various processes laid down by a given company in order to make sure that there is good working environment for employees. Employees must be committed to their jobs. Employers should also respect rights of employees. This is done in order to avoid conflicts in the organizations as a way of promoting unity and good interaction between employees and employers. There are initiates used in order to promote good management standards in various organizations. There are many employees relations initiates that have come up currently especially in prominent organizations based in the UK. The human resource management department has come up with use of two perspectives in employees’ relations as away of promoting good working conditions for both employees and their employers. The two perspectives include unitary and pluralist perspectives which are of use in management of employee relations.
Task 1
Explain what is meant by the unitary and pluralistic perspectives taken in regard to employee relations?
Unitary perspective is an example of an employee relation skill. According to the unitary theory, the overall management and authority comes from the human resource management team. There are no oppositions who give employees authority or guidelines on how to perform their duties. The managers have the duty of controlling employees and making sure that employees perform their duties accordingly. The managers have a duty of giving guidelines to employees and showing them how to perform the duties in diligent and successful manners as a way of maintaining success in that organization (Harrison & Hoek, 2007, p.234). In this perspective the managers and employees must work together by avoiding disagreement which causes failure in the organization. Employees and employers work together in order to achieve the set goals and objectives in that organization. This encourages unity in the organization resulting to success in that particular business. Conflicts in the organization are avoided in this perspective. Conflicts results to failure of the business and must be avoided by employees and employers.
Advantages and disadvantages of unitary perspective in organizations
Unitary perspective has a key advantage in that it promotes unity between employees and their employers. The views and decisions of employees are respected before the employers make a complete conclusion on matters affecting the organization. This makes sure that respect between employers and employee is maintained at all times. Employees are the key factors in a given organization and should always be motivated which enable them remain committed in their work since they are key stakeholders in organizations (Singh & Kumar, 2011, p.12). Managers are also the key leaders in the organization. They should portray good leadership skills and qualities to enhance good employee relation. This will reduce the participation of trade unions in matters relating employee relations in various organizations. Employees and employers work in order to achieve common objectives. Unitary perspective is best used in individual programs instead of trade unions. Thus trade unions are not encouraged in this type of perspective if success is to be maintained in the organizations (Nickson, 2007, p.122).
The main disadvantage experienced in unitary perspective is the fact that it assumes the issue that there is power difference between employees and employers. This difference leads to disagreements in organizations as employers perceive themselves superior than an employee which is true. This unitary theory shows that employees submit to decisions made by managers most times unquestioned since they perceive themselves as minors while the managers are the superiors. In unitary theory conflicts are regarded as harmful to the organizations and are viewed as dangerous in the organizations. Some conflicts in the organizations are useful to enhance growth and development in organizations (Nickson, 2007, p.124). There are different conflicts and some are positive and useful in organizations. For example conflict A is useful in making employees effective and conflict C is useful in promoting team work in organizations. In addition the unitary theory does not outline how human resource management should divide given roles and responsibilities which can at last cause more conflicts. It does not cater for interests of the whole organization but focuses only on the individual conflicts.
Pluralistic perspectives
According to the pluralistic theory, given working environments consist of different workers of different beliefs, culture, skills, attitudes and knowledge. Unlike in unitary theory, pluralistic theory maintains that opposing leadership must be present in a given working environment. Conflicts must be present since interests of people are diverse and some of them are actually helpful to the organization and can even be restricted. Managers are supposed to control interests of people in the organization (Farnham & Farnham, 2010, p.156). This theory encourages trade unions which enables employee make right and informed decisions and thus managers should not violate their rights. Trade unions unlike in unitary theory are encouraged to cater for welfare of employees. The process of collective bargaining according to this theory maintains stability of the employee relation. Both managers and employees should agree and solve conflicts if success is to be maintained in organizations.
Advantages and disadvantages of pluralistic theory
This theory unlike unitary theory shows how trade unions can cater for employees and organizations interests. A section of the trade unions is used to manage conflicts thus equality and justice can be maintained in organizations. Unlike in unitary theory, conflicts in this theory are handled appropriately through involving both employees and employers in organizations (Katz et al 2014, p.16). This theory provides for strategies on how to solve conflicts and comes up with solutions which maintain good employee relation in organizations. The human resource department has the role of identifying conflicts and coming up with effective methods of controlling and handling conflicts which eventually promotes effective employees relation. The major disadvantage of this theory is the fact that though guidelines and policies on how to solve conflicts are provided; the guidelines cannot be applied in different organizations. Collective bargaining process should always remain stable.
What are the ‘key’ ingredients of effective collective bargaining arrangements?
Collective bargaining is a skill used in negotiation processes between employees and employers. Trade unions are the key factors involved in process of collective bargaining. Interests of the employees are treated first in the process of collective bargaining. The process of negotiation is regarded different from the process of collective bargaining (Hsieh et al 2012, p.36). The conditions of the employment must be followed where employees rights must be followed as per given negotiation processes. Trade unions as the key ingredients of collective bargaining process make sure that employees enjoy healthy and protected working environments and that their interests are maintained at all times. Collective bargaining process ensures that employees as the key stakeholders in organizations live in improved life conditions. In collective bargaining trade unions sell the conditions for which employees are to be subjected to and thus employers and managers bargain with trade unions for their interests to be also considered. After the process of bargaining a universal agreement is reached which is referred to as collective agreement which is followed by employers and managers.
Employees and employers must enhance good relation thereby encouraging the issue of collective bargaining. For an effective employee relation to be maintained the process of collective bargaining should always remain stable and collective agreements followed. The government is also involved in the process of collective bargaining. This is a well discussed issue which has captured the government to come in and share its views on employee relations (Burris, 2012, p.851). There are various laws and policies given by the government on how to maintain stable working environments for both employees and employers. The trade unions as the key compositions in the process of collective bargaining have improved the working conditions for various employees thereby attracting the government to join in.
Partnership, engagement, employee voice are some of the more contemporary attempts to promote effective employee relations in an organization. Discuss the merits / demerits of these approaches and explain the reasons why these approaches have emerged.
Employees and employers must stick to the commitments and agreement involved during these approaches. The approaches enhance and maintain healthy competition for organizations therefore enhancing success especially when using the partnership approach. High and qualified staffs are acquired through use of these approaches thereby encouraging more skills and knowledge in the organizations (Godard & Frege, 2013, p.66). Many organizations employ these approaches as one way of avoiding conflicts therefore maintaining effective employee relations. The procession of decision making is made possible by using the partnership approach which means that both employees and employers share ideas until comprehensive and suitable decisions for organizations are made. The organization benefits from partnership approach especially with trade unions since the organization gets ideas and learns policies enacted by governments. This will reduce conflicts in various organizations and thus promote good interaction and communication strategy within the business environment. The voice of employees approach is advantageous since employees are able to lay out their complaints and problems in the right time and place. Trade unions in most cases air out the grievances of employees and give guidelines to employers on how to maintain good working environments for both employers and employees (Godard & Frege, 2013, p.66). Organizations benefit from employees voice approach since they are able to know problems of employees in time and look for solutions through the process of collective bargaining. Engaging as an approach is of benefit to organizations. Many employees are engaged in key decision making processes in the organizations. This motivates employees and maintains good employees-employer relationships thereby encouraging and promoting success (Godard & Frege, 2013, p.66).
Disadvantages are also seen in use of the partnership, engagement and employee voice approaches. Disadvantages also arise when using these approaches. Trade unions do not consider the interests of businesses but mostly are interested in employee interests which cause disadvantages to employers. It is expensive to partner with trade unions as they charge high premiums from employers (Timming, 2012 p.23). Most conflicts are related to the approach of partnership since employers will consider their views and interests first before considering interests of employees. Opinions may differ when partnering thus causing more disagreements in the businesses instead of promoting harmony. Interests of one partner cannot be considered when the other partner is absent thus it is not convenient approach since success of one partner can be hindered by the other. This causes non effective employees relation which can lead to failure of the business. Voice employees approach also causes harmful effects to the organization if used inappropriately. Trade unions at times cause disadvantages to organizations especially when interests of employers are totally ignored. Organizations belong to employers and thus their interests must come first which trade unions seem to overlook (Wilkinson & Fay, 2011, p.65). Engagement approach is disadvantageous when dealing with all employees in organizations because the views and ideas are many thus employers are forced to make their own decisions instead of considering many different opinions and ideas. Many ideas and opinions can lead to confusion thus causing ineffective employees relation. This can lead to failure of organizations and should be avoided.
Task 2
Using your understanding of dispute resolution processes research an organization with which you are familiar and evaluate their approach to handling disciplinary issues.
Tesco Company is one of the largest retail markets based in the United Kingdom. The report from the trade union complained that Tesco Company does not give equal salaries to its employees which. This made the company face criticism from the independent union of retail workers. The union suggested that cashiers in that company receive little salaries as compared to other cashiers of other companies. The company director argued that the cashiers are not efficient and qualified in order to receive better salaries which are not a valid excuse. Thus during the year 2010 the company received various complains from the given union which criticized it. Tesco has had several cases of dismissing its employees without earlier notice which makes it face trouble with the given trade unions (Laud, 2014, p.25).
Tesco is seen to solve these duties by following policies of different trade associations. For example in the case of low salaries for cashiers Tesco management teams says that the policies of Hungarian Trade Association suggests that cashiers are not among the group of qualified labor group. When solving the disputes in Tesco company the management employees some guidelines. First it handles the dispute quickly. The company takes quick action in making sure that the given problem is solved by the right people considering the right time thus. Time saves the dispute from being bigger. Secondly, the disputes are solved in a fair and just manner. This is done by listening to both views of the disputing parties and coming up with a valid conclusion and decision. Tesco uses this guideline thus solving the disputes in time and accordingly. In addition, Tesco solves its disputes in a confidential manner. This makes sure that all the rights of the given parties are not violated and that matters are handled responsibly. For example in the dispute that Tesco was involved in to suggesting that it dismisses people without any prior notice (Hayter, 2011, p.136). Tesco handled the dispute responsibly by showing the valid reasons of taking such a huge step. This shows that Tesco employs good dispute solving measures which enables it to remain successful.
Lastly, Tesco makes sure that the procedure followed when solving the disputes remains understandable and transparent. This makes Tesco to gain trust from the public, its employees and the government. This maintains and promotes good image to Tesco thus making its dispute solving process easy, transparent and reliable. Conflicts which take place between employees and employers in the company are solved at the right time as a way of maintaining good interaction in the company. In order to maintain effective employee relation it is therefore important that companies follow the correct methods of solving disputes (Hayter, 2011, p.136). Tesco gives room for employees to air out their grievances thus enabling it solve those problems at the right time since employees are given freedom to give complaints. This enables the company remain successful.
Conclusions
From the above discussion it is true to say that employee relations should be maintained. Through participation of the trade unions, the interests of the organization and managers can be overlooked since pluralistic theory is concerned with the interests of employees thereby making the collective bargaining process unbalanced. In order to manage the employee relation in a justice manner, the collective bargaining process should always remain stable. Employees tend to follow the rules given to them by managers even though they are oppressive. The human resource department is advocating for the use of unitary and pluralistic perspectives as a way of promoting good relationships in the working places which will result to success of the organization. The appropriate methods of solving disputes should be put in place thereby making organizations successful.
References
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