Employee Relations

 

The concept 'employee relations' relates to an organization's efforts to establish relationships between employers and employees. An organization with a powerful employee relations program offers equal and consistent care to all employees so that they are committed to their jobs and loyal to the company.

Unitarist perspectives as effective frames of reference in understanding employee relationships

To talk of a unitary frame of reference is to refer to a way of thinking: a mind-set of the assumptions, attitudes, values and actions of management and organizational involvement. In several (unitary) management strategies, a central concept is that management and staff, actually all representatives of the organization, have the same goals, objectives and purposes. Therefore, we work together naturally and should work towards shared, collective objectives, hand-in-hand, as one.

Advantages and Problems

l The emphasis is on consensus and harmony

l Individuals are socialized into a team culture

l Respect for the employee – their integrity and dignity – is emphasized

l It is management’s job to integrate hard and soft, technical and social decisions / activities within the firm.

Pluralist perspectives as effective frames of reference in understanding employee relationships

Pluralism assumes that achievement of consensus and long-term stability in Employment/worker relations is the best way to balance the demands of competing groups. Mechanisms and channels must be designed and introduced so that the frustration and anger associated with conflict can be vented and given relief rather than harmfully repressed. Management should thus adopt policies and agree to procedures and codes which recognize that conflicting interests exist. They should be willing to negotiate compromises. In the mid-1960s the recommended procedures to channel conflict and reduce its harmful potential included eg:

Union recognition agreements.

Joint-consultation and negotiation committees.

Collective agreements reached at the most appropriate level for workers interests – this is likely to be a “shop” level.

Discipline and grievance procedures.

Arrangements for arbitration, mediation and settlement etc.

Problems With Pluralist Approach

Compromise between all the parties in a dispute may stabilize the local situation – but company performance is evaluated in a global international way. The compromise may be a lowest common denominator, too safe and incremental, insufficiently radical. Stakeholder theory does not adequately deal with fast moving situations in which radical change is often needed.

Reference

UKEssays. November 2018. Definition Of Employee Relation Management Essay. [online]. Available from: https://www.ukessays.com/essays/management/definition-of-employee-relation-management-essay.php?vref=1 [Accessed 13 December 2020].