Industrial Relations Perspectives and Workplace Change

This essay discusses the four main industrial relations perspectives and their relevance in implementing workplace change. It explores a case study of an organization undergoing major change and the theories applied, such as radicalism, pluralism, unitarism, and feminism. The essay also examines the issues faced by the organization and how they were resolved through a committee. The best-fit theory for the organization is identified, along with the features of other theories that did not apply. Overall, the essay provides insights into the theories and practices of workplace change.

Running head: WORKPLACE CHANGE
WORKPLACE CHANGE
Name of Student
Name of University
Author’s Note

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Introduction
There are four main industrial relations perspectives or orientations, the four of them
areRadicalism, Pluralism, Unitarism and Feminism. All these theories have their own
importance in the field of implementing change in workplace. The essay describes regarding
a specific case study in where the organization goes through a major change. This changes
had been taken place for betterment of the organization (Johnstone and Wilkinson 2018).
Some theories that had been used by this organization include Utilitarian, pluralism,
feminism and Marxism. Among these some better fit the situation of the organization and
some does not. This essay discusses regarding an orientation or perspective that actually fits
better compared to others. It also discusses regarding the issues faced by the organizations
and how they were solved with the help of a committee. It further discusses regarding the
features of the theories that has been applied in the case study. After that the essay relates to
various some features of other theories that does not apply in the case study.
Discussion
Radicalism can be defined as a process with the help of which a group or a specific
individual moves ahead in adopting increasingly extreme social, religious or political ideas as
well as aspirants which aim in rejecting or undermining the contemporary ideas along with
the expressions of the nation (Upchurchand Taylor2016). Usually the outcomes of the
concept of radicalism are formed with the help of the ideas as well as expressions of the
nation. Pluralism can be defined as the holding two or more positions or offices at the same
time, it can also be defined as a state of particular society where members of different racial,
radical, religious or various social groups that develop and maintain their special interest
along with their traditional culture within the confines of the same civilization.

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Unitarism can be defined as managerialist stance that assumes that all the employees
who belong to an organization is a member of a specific team which has a common objective.
The objective is common for all the employees. This term embodies a specific central
concern of Human Resource Management which the people of organization irrespective of
their post must share the similar objective and they work under the same roof with peace and
harmony. From the point of view of the concept of Unitarism objectives that are conflicting
are considered as dysfunctional or negative (Gall2018). Feminism is usually a range of
movements that share a specific goal that is common in nature for every member or
employee. The goal is to define as well as maintain, achieve and establish economic,
political, social and personal equality of different sexes. This deals with the aspect of seeking
to establish professional opportunities for both the genders, men as well as women.
Explanation of the change attempted
Roadside Assistance Call Centre had a great level of turnover as well as difficulties in
functioning with their operating principles. The organization used to face issues like
insufficient communication with employees, sudden turnover of the employees in a chunk.
They were not able to figure out the issues faced by the organization (Tapia, Ibsen and
Kochan 2015). The organization and its management team concentrated on improving their
services and improving their working principles. They undertook measures to improve their
customer satisfaction and improve the performance of the organization. The management
team aimed in making the organizational environment a strict one with a definite working
principles, a definite dress code and many more. Besides these they did not concentrate much
on the issues faced by the employees and they did not have any objective in improving
employee satisfaction. This had resulted in employees feeling less important and the turnover
rate increased. The employees had numerous problems with the working timings, dress code
of the organization (Shaw, McPhailand Ressia2018). The employees had grudges among

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them and they did not work as a team. Along with these there were more issues that the
company faced and the employees found it difficult to exist in the organization.
The partnership if RACV with ASU had solved numerous problems that dealt within
the organisation. There organization had gone through numerous changes, these changes
include deduction in employee turnover along with increase in morale due to the partnership.
The partnership of RACV with ASU has provided employees with great flexibility through
the process of making arrangements in job sharing as well as the introduction of a specific
dress code. Previously the organization had a good relation with ASU which was facilitated
by a specific system of staff elected union delegates, these delegates are informed regarding
issues that affected by the workforce of assistance call centre (Alvesson and Sköldberg2017).
The delegates were informed regarding these on regular basis. The theory that had been
followed in removing these issues include Pluralism which includes in functioning of the
consultancy and committee at the same time. It also follows the theory of Unitarism where all
the employees are considered to be important and as a team.
The organization had introduced a staff consultative committee which was elected for
streaming communication as well as discussion on various operational issues. This has helps
the organisation to take the initiation in resolving the organisational issues (Fryand
Mees2017). The committee had various representatives who were elected by the staffs,
management appointees and supervisors. These representative were invited for a meeting at
least once a month. This has helped the organization in addressing the organizational
problems on regular basis. Two among the union delegates were members of consultative
committee. This had helped the organization in addressing the issues in a better way. This
issue follows the theory of Unitarism because the employees are provided with equal rights in
addressing their issues.

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The organization focusses on its day-to-day operational issues faced by the
employees, these issues include changes in the structure of organization, dress codes and
implementation of new technologies. The ADSU delegates are briefed to the employees so
that they do not face issues in working efficiently (King2016). Regular bulletins are also
distributed to the employees which includes details on the changes that would be undertaken
by the organization. These changes are explained to the employees and their concerns are
noted down, they are also asked to provide various suggestions which they think must be
followed by the organization in improving its overall performance. Not all issues are dealt
with the employees, issues related to workplace conditions, rates of pay and many more
entitlements, the delegates of ASU deals with the management team of RACV. This allows
the management in taking some important decisions with the help of proper guidance (Shaw,
McPhailand Ressia2018). According to an ASU delegate as well as a member of the
consultative committee, the morale of the time staffs with the assistance of call centre had
improved to great extent, this has been possible because of the introduction of committee.
The committee had made staffs realise that the committee is not a group that is driven
by the management department of the organization. They also realized that there concerns
were considered to be very serious and were acted upon. This made them to feel free in
consulting with the committee regarding their concerns about the organization (Berg2018).
This has also helps the employees to work in a tem and they disowned the concept of “them
and us” in the workplace. This particular part deals with the theory of Pluralism because the
management was dealt with in an individual manner, the committee dis nit mix up the issues
of employees with the issues of management, and they acted upon them differently.
Sharing of job has been one more change that has brought about improvement in the
organization. The committee had taken initiatives in implementing the concept of job sharing.
The committee decided in making the most unique and rarely undertaken change in the

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organization. Maintenance of work life and the personal life of the employees. The
organization had provided the opportunity of job sharing to the employees who had been in
parental leaves. This had allowed the employees to maintain a definite balance in their work
life and concentrate on personal problems as well (McDowell2018). This as a result had
increased the job satisfaction of employees. The concept of job sharing also ensured that the
experienced candidates who had been on a parental leave are not actually lost and they can
contribute equally to the overall growth of the organization. The part of sharing job had
followed the theory of feminism, where employees with parental leave are allowed the
privilege of job sharing.
Formalization of dress code has been one more change that took place in the
organization by the consultative committee. Staffs had always been objected in putting
business formals even on weekends, this was strictly followed by some managers whereas
some members of management team were lenient on this matter. The committee had taken
initiative in changing the dress code and they had put forward a new dress code which
included the usage of casual attire on weekends (McPhail2015). The committee also
introduced the concept that business formals would be followed by the people belonging to
day shifts and employees working on night shifts can follow the concept putting casuals
during their shifts. The committee has also helped the organization in using numerous
avenues in order to communicate with the employees and receive inputs from them on several
issues. The fact that few delegates are also members of the committee had helped the
organization in removing the adversarial ‘company vs. union’ mind-set which existed
previously.
The theories that had been followed by the organization have changed its working
principles. And received a positive feedback from the employees as well as the management.
The employees had opened up and shared their issues regarding the workplace and the

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working principles of the organization (Sarup2017). The attempt had a positive outcome and
it had been a success.
The orientation or perspective that is most relevant
The theory that best fits the organization is Unitarism because it had helped the
organization to treat departments in different ways, the committee had helped the
organization in collecting knowledge regarding the issues faced by employees and
management team in an individual way (D’Amours 2015). The features of perspectives that
could not be observed in the mentioned example of organization change include Radicalism.
One more way where the best fit might be a process of deduction includes the fact that the
theory of Pluralism does not fit properly to the organization change because it did not have
much issues regarding the holding of more than one positions at the same time (Hill2016). In
an effective manner. One more theory that does not fit best in this example is feminism
because it did treat all of its employees in an equal manner and there was not much issues
regarding the gender of the employees or the treatment provided by them to employees.
Conclusion
From the above essay, it can be concluded that the four theories of actual industrial relations
perspectives and orientations, these theories include Pluralism, Feminism, non-liberalism or
Unitarism and Marxism. Among these theories some have little impacts or some have more
impacts on specific organisational changes. The theories are applied based on the size as well
field of the organization. Usually the outcomes of the concept of radicalism are formed with
the help of the ideas as well as expressions of the nation. The case study that has been
discussed in this essay also have some theories that have been applied in their organisational
change. Thus essay describes in details regarding the change taken place in the organization
and the theory that is best applied by the organization in making their workplace better. It

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also discusses regarding the issues faced by the organizations and how they were solved with
the help of a committee. The essay also discusses about the features of the theories that have
been implemented by the organisation and the features of other theories that were not
implemented by the organization.

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