An Analysis of Employee Relations in UK and Singapore

AN ANALYSIS OF EMPLOYEE RELATIONS IN UK AND SINGAPORE 1
An analysis of employee relations in UK and Singapore
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AN ANALYSIS OF EMPLOYEE RELATIONS IN UK AND SINGAPORE 2
UK
The law in the UK with regards to employee relations mandates employers not to
discriminate but tackle inequalities exception that is considered reasonable adjustment provision
in legislation regarding the disabled (Bryson, 2011). The compliance with regards to such laws
requires employers to respond in a passive manner that is on request or when challenged.
Employers may be required to take proactive steps that may have an impact that may be
individualized or have collective ramifications (Markey, 2018). The mediating elements that are
the individualized, passive and the private law framework of UK legislation commands robust
mediators to act effectively. In this context, unions are the primary body that can assume this
role; however, their influence has declined dramatically in the UK.
The UK has never depended on employment regulation for social protection (Hardgrove
et al, 2015). Its simplicity and regulations considered to be even assisted in delivering one of
highest turnover rates in the region and this allow both employers and employees to enter into
negotiations with regards to more diverse kind of types and patterns of work on either weekly or
annual basis (Blyton & Turnbull, 2004).Despite exhibiting a competitive and less collectivist
labor market, the UK is still under real wage inflexibility as this is seen in both real and nominal
earnings that go up always. Currently, the growth of nominal wage seems to be more impacted
by demand and less by inflation compared to the past. The real earnings here which constitute
the price of labor do not change in response to variations in the unemployment rate, and there are
only a few occasions when actual earnings fall.
Lord Leitch led a recent review of skills and education in the UK, a government-initiated
review that focused on the necessity of developing the idea of citizenship and social inclusion by
having more individuals being brought on board with regards to the employment relationship.

AN ANALYSIS OF EMPLOYEE RELATIONS IN UK AND SINGAPORE 3
This will be perceived as the ideal type of welfare that will situate that individuals remain in the
labor market to benefit from skill acquisition and attain broader social outcomes (Harvey and
Beaverstock, 2016). This reveals the views that were conveyed by the pioneers of employee
relations in Britain for more than a century where they asserted that the focus has to change from
perceiving workers as a product to be traded in the market to employees as human beings that
have the ability to grow, progress and contribute to the building of the nation.
The decline witnessed in many countries such as the UK in unionization rates has led to
the falling of bargaining coverage simultaneously. Though the collective agreements continue
being the foundation of employee relations, other types of representing labor and voice have
been nurtured (Lansbury, 2009). The European Union, for instance, has been leading the creation
of new organizations, for example, the European Works Councils to create a platform for
workers’ participation in the decision-making process. The EU where the UK is still a member
has established statutory structures to facilitate information and consultation between workers
and their employers (Lansbury, 2009). In a country such as the UK where unions have robust
representation at organizational level and experience with works councils, the unions have been
better positioned to tap on the opportunities provided by EWC.
It is surprising that seven out of ten of the workforces in the UK fail to belong to a trade
union. However, in some departments, some non-members considered to be free riders because
they are non-members but get covered by union-negotiated terms and conditions (Bryson, 2011).
In the private sector, however, recognition of trade union remains a rare phenomenon. However,
in some of these organizations, many employees get paid poorly, encounter health and safety
hazards coupled with unjust and arbitrary disciplinary measures. This means that in such areas
there is a need for collective representation that is adequate as it seems to be a needful matter at