Introduction
The term employee relation describes the relationship that exists between employees at the work place. It involves aspects of trade union and union practices with the aim of looking after the welfare and conditions of employees at the work place. Employee relations may be defined as those policies and practices which are concerned with the management and regulation of relationships between the organization, the individual, staff members, and groups of staff within the working environment. It involves the induction programs that make the new employees understand what they are supposed to do in relation with other employees of the organization. It involves team work, group processes and team leader training. There is a general policy of transparency and accountability in that all matters that affect the employees what they are and what they entail should be known by the stake holders. The impact this policy this policy will make on their employment and practices. It also talks about communication policies, grievance handling procedures. The researcher is analyzing employee relations based on the organization called Virus research institute as follows:
The individual has a social responsibility both at the work place and in the public arena
Employee relations look at an individual as some one who should uphold ethics and professional conduct. This is in tandem with his social responsibility where by rules of procedure and regulations should not be taken for granted. All workers whether from top management or middle management should behave responsibly that uphold the image of the organization. There should be a high level of integrity, honesty, trust and so on. Ensuring this criterion means that public order is guaranteed and productivity is not compromised. This also means that there are less cases of conflict of interest. This principle is good for the organization because it keeps all the workers disciplined and therefore productivity is improved.
A good work environment
Employee relations is a facet that puts into perspective the safe and pleasant atmosphere for workers. Each worker is supposed to have respect for other workers so as to live in peace and improve the work environment. This enables a good working environment envisaged by this organization to foster good working relations between members of staff which necessitates a better customer care that results into high quality and value for society.
Training personnel for better services and quality is also a very important factor as far as employee relations are concerned. This value should be taken very seriously and for that matter the organization deals with highly professional and competent workers.
Labour unions and union practices
Workers should be part of labour unions so that they can be able to improve their relations with employers if they go sore. The principle of labour unions is known and understood by the members as follows:
This means the continuing and permanent democratic organizations voluntarily founded by workers to protect themselves at their work places; through collective bargaining; to secure their natural rights as to express their views on the problems of society.(The National organization of Trade Unions Vol 1: 2)
Employee relations are very much in tandem with the activities of labour unions under the umbrella organization of trade unions. A body set by law. All trade unions are required to affiliate to it. The main objective of the National Organization of Trade Unions (NOTU) is to advocate for, promote and protect the interest of workers at work.
NOTU is also a member of the labour Advisory Board of the Labour law Review Committee. It is also a member of the steering committee for child Labour and Social sector Transition Group a body that is transforming the social security system in Uganda.
NOTU in particular has focus on occupational safety and health. It developed a policy and action plan on the subject in 1997. it has encouraged its members to integrate occupational safety and health concerns into their collective agreements. Particularly active is the National Union of Plantation and agriculture workers in the area of child labour and safety in the use of chemicals in agriculture.
In this, they have carried out a survey in the child labour in agriculture and succeeded in taking children out of work and placed them into school. They have also carried a wide sensitization programme on the chemical safety among rank and file. Amalgamated Transport and General Workers Union has carried out massive sensitization work among its rank and file in HIV/AIDS and work.
(Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development 2002/2003 report on safety and health).
Quality of the labour
Employee relations also put in perspective the quality of the labour force. This goes a long way in creating professional and hard working employees who do everything in their power to create a conducive atmosphere for work and improve on productivity. A systematic procedure is put in place trough which the employees are sieved. This creates a good and competent work relationship between different employees because every one understands what they are doing.
Health and safety policies
These are concerned with protecting employees at the work place against hazards that may affect them in the course of their work.
The organization should have polices in place for creating a healthy work environment and a good relationship between different employees and employers.
There should be provision for hospitals at the work place, working gear like gloves, boots, and head gear, to mention but a few.
In case these are not in place, employees can get sick and therefore productivity is affected adversely. The employees affected can take the organization to courts of law in order to seek for redress.
Trust
There is also the aspect of trust as far as employee relations are concerned. Trust is defined as a firm belief that a person may be relied on. Trust is also the belief that those on whom we depend will meet our expectations on them. They expectations are dependant on our assessment of another's responsibility to meet our needs. In employee relations, an organization that trusts its employees is more likely to produce better results at the work place than in one wheretrust is not taken seriously.
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Admission by top management that it has paid insufficient attention in the past to employees diverse needs, it figures out how they can carry out certain processes differently from what has caused the distrust.
Physical and psychological factors.
Physical conditions, psychological factors of work situations are paramount aspects as far as employee relations are concerned. Employees are treated well at the place of work so that productivity can be enhanced where by the individual at the work place is put at the centre of production. These programs are intertwine with health and safety policies of the work place where by the organization takes care of the health of the workers because it is these workers who make the organization what it is and without them the organization is no more.
Health and safety policies are concerned with protecting employees and other people affected by what the company produces and does-against the hazards arising from their employment or their links with the company. According to Michael, Armstrong (2003:821)…occupational health programs deal with the prevention of ill-health arising from working conditions.
Employee motivation
Employee relations in Virus Research Institute are concerned about the aspect of employee motivation, the organizational environment and productivity. Issues concerning employee motivation are very important to the organization in that they make the employee work harder. The organization puts in place procedures for motivation purposes.
People need to be simple thank you and a tap at the back is enough motivation for workers and therefore employees are encouraged to work harder. The organizational environment is about the behavior of individuals, the work structures which help the individual to know his or her job prescription and responsibility.
Group dynamics
Employee relations put into perspective the phenomenon of group dynamics.
This is an important aspect of organizational development which makes weaker employees improve on their skills since they can easily get help from the employees who are more enlightened. This kind of arrangement creates cohesion which I the force that binds a group together as they work improve on the effectiveness and efficiency of organizational goals and objectives. Efficiency in itself is maximizing value outputs based on value in puts.
Communication skills
There is no way one can talk about employee relations in Virus Research Institute without focusing on the aspect of communication skills. Employees are trained on how to communicate with each other and the outside world as they exchange enterprising views about how they are going to improve on their work ethics.
Communication can be both verbal and non verbal. Though some organizations take this for granted, research has shown that organizations which give workers a chance to air their views and grievances in a democratic and fair manner have been successful in implementing their programs. When employees are given a chance to be listened to, they will feel valued something which brings about co-existence within the spheres of the organization.
Leadership in tandem with employee relations
There is an emphasis on leadership in modern management styles.
Employee relations are taking this issue very seriously. Leadership is about involving people one leads in an organization in the leader's plans in order to accommodate their views. It is about influence but again decisions taken are for the betterment not for the detriment of employees and society. Leadership is a dynamic process and organizations that have taken it up have greatly succeeded.
The organization in point has taken this up very seriously and therefore work has always gone on smoothly with management because employees know what management expects of them.
Induction programs
Employee relations involve induction programmes that make new employees understand what they are supposed to do in conjunction with other employees and even employers of the organization. It involves team work, group processes and team leader training.
Induction programs are about communicating to new starters the organization's personnel policy and procedures and its core values indicating to them the standards of performance expected in such areas lie quality and customer service and spelling out requirements for flexibility.
This is paramount in that it governs much of what the organization needs to be aware of in developing and applying human resource processes, policies and procedures.
The organization enhances induction programmes by:
Issuing and updating employee hand books that reinforce the messages delivered in induction programmes.
Encouraging the developments of performance management processes that ensure that performance expectations are agreed and reviewed regularly.
Encouraging the use of personnel development plans that spell out how continuous improvement of performance can be improved mainly by self managed learning.
Using training and management development programmes to underpin core values and define performance expectations.
Ensuring through managers and team leader training that managers and team leaders understand their role in managing the employee relationship through such processes as performance.
Encouraging the maximum amount of contact between managers and team leaders and their team members to achieve mutual understanding of expectations and to provide a means develop two way communications.
By adopting a general policy of transparency and accountability that is ensuring that in all matters that affect them, employees know why it is happening, which is happening and the impact it will make on their employment development and prospects.
Developing personnel procedures covering grievance handling, discipline, equal opportunities, promotion and redundancy and ensuring that they are implemented fairly and consistently.
Developing and communicating personnel policies covering the major areas of employment, development, reward and employee relations.
Ensuring that the reward system is developed and managed to achieve equity, fairness and consistency in all aspects of pay and benefit.
Negative aspects of employee relations at the workplace
Over working
When the employees of are over worked and this in most cases is not commensurate with their pay. This causes of stress and negatively affects productivity which in the long run brings about loss in the in put of the organization. This could bring about unemployment as some employees might leave work with a hope of getting employed some where else.
But some might end up unemployed because getting a new job itself is not an easy task.
According to Herbert G. Heneman111 (1996:57) unemployed persons can be job losers (lay off), leavers,(voluntary quits), reentrant (out of the job for more than two weeks but are now looking for a new job)…
Time for leave.
Little attention is paid to the employees' rights to leave. Even if these employees are part of labour unions, these issues are sometimes not discussed or they are discussed but never implemented and therefore the rights of employees are infringed upon.
Problem of remuneration
Some of the very hard working employees are given little money and yet they put a lot of effort in what they are doing for the organization. This makes them lose morale and this in the end affects the productivity negatively for the employees.
Some employees who do not do a lot of work are paid too much something that bring about an imbalance and causes discrimination among staf
The other part of this analysis calls for the researcher to give suggestions on how a good leader should relate to those under him as follows:
Participatory decision making
A leader should give a chance to those under him in order him to air their views and grievances openly so that he can understand their needs and therefore be able to solve the problems at hand. Treat people as adults, treat them as partners; treat them with dignity; treat them with dignity; treat them—not capital spending and automation—as the primary source of productivity…Thomas S. Peters and Robert H. Waterman (1984).
Be committed and dedicated to his cause
A good leader should be committed and dedicated all the time to the needs of those under him because they are looking at him as an exemplary figure that will help them solve any problem that comes their way. He should endeavor to attend meetings which will help him know peoples problems and be able to assist them.
Giuliani (2004:28-49)
Develop a clear communication channel
This means that a good leader should create a two way communication channel where by he can easily get information from any where. Not to be taken for granted because a good leader should be knowledgeable. He should not be seen to be ignorant about things that matter. In other words he should keep his ear to the ground, but all the same he should be able to verify this information.
Good negotiation skills
A good leader should have good negotiation skills in order to be able to accommodate every one. He can use these skills in conflict situations and be able to use them in winning business deals for the organization. A good leader should make sure that he is objective enough in whatever he is doing.
Conclusion
In order for us as leaders to bring about better employee relations, the employers should involve all stake holders and they should put in perspective the idea of nurturing people who are good at negotiating an barraging in order to bring about a better work environment. According to Alan Price (1997:649-651)
There are several models of the bargaining process which are: initial positioning where by both parties set out their positions and requirements in affirm way.
Testing: probing of the other side's demands, testing out which are really un movable and which might bend in the right…
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