Employee Relations for Business Success: A Comprehensive Report

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of employee relations, focusing on how they contribute to business success, using ALDI as a case study. It begins by exploring the unitary and pluralistic frames of reference in employee relations, examining their impact on the workplace. The report then delves into the changes in trade unionism and their effects on employee relations, followed by an overview of the roles of key players in these relations. It further examines conflict resolution procedures, the characteristics of employee relations, and the effectiveness of dispute resolution processes. The report also covers the duty of negotiation in collective bargaining and the influence of negotiation strategies. It concludes by discussing the influence of the EU on industrial democracy in the UK, comparing techniques for employee involvement, and analyzing the impact of human resource management on employee relations, providing valuable insights into fostering positive and productive workplace environments.

Employee Relations for
Business Success

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Unitary and pluralistic frames of reference...........................................................................1
1.2 Changes in trade unionism have affected employee relations..............................................2
1.3 Role of main players in employee relations..........................................................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................5
2.1 Procedure organisation should precede while dealing conflict situations............................5
2.2 Characteristic of ER..............................................................................................................6
2.3 Effectiveness of process utilized in disputes.........................................................................7
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................7
3.1 Duty of negotiation in collective Bargaining........................................................................7
3.2 Impact of negotiation strategy...............................................................................................9
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................10
4.1 Influence of EU on industrial democracy in UK................................................................10
4.2 Compare techniques to gain employee involvement in decision making process..............11
4.3 Effect of human resource management on employee relations..........................................12
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................13
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................14

INTRODUCTION
Employee relation refer to controlling and maintaining relation between employee and
employers (Ngo and O'cass, 2013). It provide fair treatment to labours and help in resolving
problems and issues within organisation and inspire them to commit for long and hardcore
relationship with enterprise. In order to negotiate with employee and maintain better relationship
with them, organisation manage Human resource Dept. who discuss company policies with them
and interact with workers in regard to organisation by designing and coordinating several
activities such as seminars, conferences, meeting, team work practices in order to build a
comfortable workforce. HR of company coordinate such activities to avoid future conflicts and
crisis situations as well as help in increasing benefits and revenues of company by creating a
positive environment and produce value added products and services.
ALDI is largest supermarket chain located in UK which has deployed its market in more
17 countries owning approx 10,1900 stores worldwide. The company supply various exotic deals
and offer and toys, groceries and wide varieties of products. This report studies federal and
pluralistic frames of an enterprises. Also, it examines the vary in ALDI unison. This also analyse
duties of HRM practices and its procedures in employee relation.
TASK 1
1.1 Unitary and pluralistic frames of reference
This features argues that the employee relations can be detected in two way which are
pluralistic and unitary frame. In these frames, both pluralistic and unitary frames contain a
different and unique way of management of employee relation in British market. Here are some
brief of these frames in reference :
Unitary frames that begin from beliefs and perceptions argued that personnel issues is not
anticipated act or connection between worker and the employer. Issues begins from enactment or
happenings that realised influence upon fellow worker to commit upcoming conflicts. This
believes that in the hand of one employee which is part of administration has power of building
important decisions (Naseem, Sheikh and Malik, 2011). Briefly it says that manger and
employers who are in top rank of an organisation has power to make decision for personal
benefit or company benefit. The leaders of ALDI have duty to represent and promote their
company in public as well as employees. Moreover, this frame argues that organisation
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performance and achievement is the sum of employee as well as employer performance and hard
work. This considers that role of Trade Unions are nil in management of ER in ALDI or other
companies as they do not assist them while the conflict is taking place. It also states that the
conflicts in workplace are not created or rose due to various interests and difference of
perception. Therefore, these issues decrease organisation performance as well as lead a worse
satisfaction level to consumers.
Pluralistic Frame eliminate organisation into different Sub strata which are trade unions
and management. Every strata contains respect and dedication of their manager or
representative. To defines a better ER, this frame is more suitable and perfect representation.
This frame argues that Workforce of Organisation like ALDI is build of various attributes,
beliefs, behaviours and values. Organisation are the mediator in which there is an important role
of trade unions because they represent them and assist that participation in decision making
process should also provide to employee of company as they represent an organisation's bigger
part. Also they believes that through collective bargaining process this negotiation and relation
between employer and employee can be manages. SO ALDI consider this approach to develop
organisation and better goodwill of company.
1.2 Changes in trade unionism have affected employee relations
Modification in trade unionism is directly influencing ER activities (Morris, 2012). Trade
union are the employee communities that work and promote worker wants, requirements and
represent their interest like increasing pay scale and demand for a better workplace for them.
Before 19th century, trade union was monitored by New Moderate model unions but in after
1824, they come in the existence, and started a mutiny in order to get a fair wage and holidays
treatment for employee and worker started becoming part of them. Moreover, several unions
have started analysing such communities such as young worker unions, trade union congress
communities and others. Also, there are different changes that is occurring in system of unionism
in ALDI which are as below:
Legal and Political -
Govt. of UK has catered various laws and policies for employees that brought may
changes in the function of ALDI and entire organisation (Siow Song Teng, Singh Bhatia and
Anwar,2011). This is directly connected with the ER of ALDI in an effective way. Those acts
and laws are brought to provide equality and minimum wage s t them and to protect their
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fundamental rights. This has reduces conflicts ion workforce. But in case of dispute in such
rights, conflicts will raise and affect organisation badly.
Technological -
As the technologies is being advance, machines are able to do a lot of work in less times
and management. This is reducing the demands of employees for work which is increasing
unemployment. In this case, trade unions defend and protect their laws and roles. They protect
worker to being eliminated and terminated form jobs and fights for their rights. Also this build a
relationship between ALDI and trade unions. In such situation, they went for strike and lock out
which affect company sales and profits. Thus, such varies are changing employee decisions and
relation in organisations.
1.3 Role of main players in employee relations
To mainmast and manage employee relations among workplace, a company requires
some individual bodies which can comb inly work together to control all function and manage
them. One person can not handle all those function as well as employee relation in all stores of
ALDI (Mone, 2011). Therefore, to handle all situation there are some players or persons who
undertake such activities in ALDI explained below:
1. Government Agencies -
Government of UK build and amend laws and rights of employee which organisations
have to follow in their work areas such as minimum wage right, health and safety act, child
labour right, working hours right etc. This indirectly maintain employee relationship with
organisation. Govt. start these rules to protect worker's fundamental rights and to reduce
exploitation. Thus, they form a relationship with organisations as well as employee and public.
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Source 1: Main players of ER, 2017
2. Worker -
Worker and employee are the main bodies of organisation who function their departments
and help company in achieving success and competitive advantage. They are being recruited for
completing a specific task. ALDI has developed some regulations and policies that they have to
follow (Markova and Ford, 2011). Also, they can provide opinions and innovative ideas of them
to organisation through participating in various activities. Staff exchange thoughts of employee
in order to pursuit justice. Therefore, an organisation like ALDI keep their employee relation
managed through HRM approaches to maintain a healthy relationship with them.
3. Manager -
Manager of ALDI play a significant role in smooth function and ER activities. Manager
of ALDI provide a positive environment as well as handle all conflicts and issues in workplace
and play vital role in effective functioning of internal as well as external functions of company.
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They have a crucial role in management of conflicts and criticism which take place within
employees and staff. It is a manager's responsibilities and duty to stimulate and motivate their
confidence and work through appreciating and rewarding them and work for enhancing their
overall performance and boost their confidence as well as potentiality. They are the negotiator
and presenter of ALDI 's employees and deal with every situation as well as enhance company
performance.
TASK 2
2.1 Procedure organisation should precede while dealing conflict situations
Conflicts in working environment are one of major obstruction in path of achievement of
a company. Here are various procedures that company can undertake in order to avoid or remove
these barriers from ALDI in case. This disputes should be solved within time otherwise they can
take the face of strike and lockout situation that result in loss in production and revenues. Here
are process to precede while dealing with conflicts -
Create Understanding –
Create understanding between the member of employee including staff and employer and seek
the root of all problems and disputes occurring in organisation. Sometimes issues take place from
outer factors and they emerge in internal environment. So understand all reason and causes and
find an effective solution in possible time.
Fix Terms -
Company can fix some guidelines to come over from conflict situation and allow all
worker to present their ideas and views in respect of a plan or over a specific matter. In
condition of nuisance, set terms are required for eliminate those guidelines.
Fair Interaction-
A better communication is significant in working environment to fair flow of information
and plans that is occurring in organisation (Linoff and Berry, 2011). Communication create a
friendly and flexible environment and allow all worker and build a relation with each other. This
is most effective method for an effective dealing from conflicts.
Keep Patience -
Hurry make more worry, this quotation is more applicable in situation of conflicts. HR
should examine and study all causes of issues and disputes and seek a cure of problem in desired
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time. Quick decision make situation more complicated and incurable (Krot and Lewicka, 2012).
Make sure the decision which is highlighted is related to issue and catering desired changes in
system.
2.2 Characteristic of ER
Conflicts in organisation emerge due to disputes in workplace that affect the work quality
and employee performance. In companies such as ALDI, issues among employee and other staffs
in order to allocation of work. In the result, these situation can influences such problems and
increase organization benefits and potentiality in market. In the specific disputes here are some
features of ER mentioned as follow:
Hindering Relationship among Employee and Other Staffs -
Collective disputes may hinder connection among employee and staffs who are employed
in ALDI company. ALDI is a large organization with thousand so stores in worldwide.
Employee are unsatisfying with their salary and work and they may need stress release activities.
This can direct impact their relationship and sales of products as well as customer services
activities. After understanding the confusion problems company can find better solution for it.
They can execute various plans and organize some team work activities to increase
communication that can strengthen their relations and create a friendly environment through help
each other.
Dissatisfied with Operations -
Employee have issues with entity of organisation that is required to consider and need to
be solved on time. This condition is emerge due to disputes in relationship of employee and staff.
This dissatisfaction can lead to a major problem of ALDI. Company should understand the root
of conflict and investigate over the factors of it. Then conduct a proper analysis and find a better
solution out of it. Organisation can examine all aspect of problem and cater some changes in the
working system of company which will assure employee that their opinion is being undertook by
company.
Here are some features for better management of workplace:
 Healthy relationships.
 Positive workplace (Islam, 2011).
 Suggestion in decision making process.
 Team work activities.
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2.3 Effectiveness of process utilized in disputes
To measure effectiveness of process used in selected dispute, ALDI can utilized conflict
handling process (Hong 2012). In this process, company manage some meetings and discussion
within workforce to maintain relationship between employer and employee through providing a
better communication platform. This process is effective4 in which employee can share their
views and opinions in regard of various activities that is and will occur in organisation as well
discuss the reason and conflict issues which they are facing related to work allocation , wage
problem or others. In such meeting, employer can seek and focus on major causes that is
producing such disputes and unbalancing the work environment. This issues can be solved
through satisfying or assuring to seek solution of their problems. In case of dissatisfaction of
worker from probable solution, employer can discuss better solution through discussing it with
manager or director.
To follow this approach, company can re function company smoothly and modify their
internal environment functioning. This approach is a positive technique through organisation can
increase their performance quality and satisfy requirement and expectation of their labors. The
executive director can come up with a better solution in a period of time and they can get
advance time to examine issues. And at last, they present staff member an agreement that follow
organization terms as well as employee requirement over some rules. Through this, an effective
and comfortable environment can be created.
This is important to investigate the entire issues and analyze major reason with patience
and provide a better cure of problems in right time because after a while with no reaction of
company, conflict can turn into a major problem and turn in strike, lockout situation. Disputes in
organisation should be solved because it not only affect production activities and quality but they
affect sales and profits as well as break the chain of supply and consumer of company. A large
company must manage their personnel in order to achieve success and sustain their profitability.
TASK 3
3.1 Duty of negotiation in collective Bargaining
Collective bargaining is process in which employee groups caters some practices which
build negotiation policies with organization in regard of employee and their rights (Harrison,
2012). In brief, collective bargaining process mange and protect employee rights and make an
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agreements with companies over the terms they both agree to flow a better and smooth
functioning of company. This take a healthy discussion between employer of company and re
presenter of trade union to deal over terms of employee and their needs. In procedure of
collective bargaining, ALDI set the policies of organisation which have been discussed with
representative of employee. By this process. Employee can easily sort out their issues and put
their point of view before company related to their rights and expectations. This facilitates ALDI
a conflict free environment and better work quality. Here are some roles of collective bargaining
and negotiation process:
Source 2: Process of Collective Bargaining, 2017
Negotiation Assist in developing the Effectiveness of Collective Bargaining Procedures
The major objective of this procedure is to avoid and resolve conflicts of workplace that
have been emerged within employee and staff members in ALDI (Goetsch and Davis, 2014).
Through negotiation managers of company can understand root of dispute by listening their
issues and reasons and explain them main reason of adopting the particular techniques and
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method. Also they can discuss about wrong allocation of task from employees who have
disputes.
Negotiation assist organisation in regard of meeting effective results -
In this process, the leader of employee can discuss with employer causes of such
problems and ask them to seek a better solution of specific issues which is emerged in
workplace. By this, they can manage a discuss over those conflicts with management and
administration of ALDI if they are facing such disputes and negotiate the terms of them. This can
be help in seeking probable and effective solution of problem and assist in agreement in both
groups over some terms.
3.2 Impact of negotiation strategy
Through negotiation process, conflicts and disputes problems can easily be identified and
resolved in organisations. Therefore, situations of disputes and issues in workplace can easily be
maintained in ALDI through negotiations approaches which can select according circumstances.
This process undertake activities like smoothing, forcing and compromising to effect condition
in a company. Companies manage HRM and personnel management in order to handle these
issues and conflicts and control them before emerging by satisfying their needs and listening
their issues. HR organise many practices and team work activities ton reboot and refresh their
attitudes and create positive environment. Here are few effect mentioned below:
Maintain Confidentiality -
Negotiation processes and HR practices help ALDI in controlling their secrecy and
confidential reports and data within the company. This can be possible by meeting employee
needs, desires, expectation s and requirement and providing them fair wages for their work. This
create and develop creditability and loyalty of employee toward their company thus they
maintain their confidential inform.
Evolving Working Skills -
Negotiation process and collective barraging undertake minimum wage concept which
employee should begetting while working for a company (Collings, Scullion and Vaiman,
2011). An employee have job safety right and company can not terminate them immediately.
Thus, to manage employee relation ALDI organise development and training programmes in
order to develop employee skill.
Equality in Workplace -
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This facilitates employee to be represented equally and get equal opportunity to grow and
equal wage. Company can not separate them according age, gender, race, category etc.
Negotiation process balance all employee at the same level and provide them justice and equality
at workplace.
Avoid Disputes with Trade Union -
Collective bargaining balance their terms and gratifies demands of employee. They
facilitate a positive, flexible and friendly environment to workers and opportunities to share their
opinions. This avoid disputes with trade unions and conflicts in workplace.
Better Relationship with Society -
Such unions, generally, keep aware of social and communal issues and participate in
social activities through informing and educating society and public and help them financially as
well. Company perform CSR activities for development of community and society that create a
brand image as well.
Collective Agreement -
this is an agreement in which both groups discuss and finally agree over few policies and
terms. This agreement is being follow by entire organisation in order to avoid workplace
conflicts and manage employee relation which help company to increase in market and get better
performance of employee.
TASK 4
4.1 Influence of EU on industrial democracy in UK
Industrial democracy provide some rights to employee which work an organisation in
decision making process. EU has impacted in UK trade and affect that in various ways. EU
presented some laws and acts for employees in the industry when British market was dominated
by the managers and leader domination. They work on development and improvement of their
rights and laws and amend them with time and new requirement. Industrial democracy in nation
have to comply with guidelines issues (Bryman and Bell, 2015). In case of not lead those rules in
organisation, situation of strike and lockout within employee occur.
Industrial Democracy is directed affected by cultural changes in country level swell as
organisation level. As an example, large company which is deployed in various organization and
doesn't concentrate on employee relation and their participation in processes of company. In this
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