Employee Relations Report: Analysis of British Airways' Strategies

This report delves into the intricate realm of employee relations, using British Airways as a case study. It commences by exploring the unitary and pluralistic frames of reference, providing a foundational understanding of management and employee perspectives. The influence of trade unions on employee relationships is thoroughly examined, followed by an analysis of the roles played by key players in fostering positive employee relations. The report then investigates organizational approaches to conflict resolution, highlighting the significance of effective procedures in managing conflicting situations. A substantial portion is dedicated to the role of negotiation in collective bargaining, evaluating the impact of negotiation strategies. Furthermore, the report assesses the EU's influence on industrial democracy and techniques for achieving employee participation, concluding with an evaluation of human resource management's impact on employee relations. The report provides a comprehensive overview of the dynamics shaping workplace relationships within a major airline, offering valuable insights into conflict resolution, negotiation, and the importance of employee involvement.

Employee Relation

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................... 1
TASK 1....................................................................................................................................... 1
1.1 Unitary and Pluralistic frames of reference...................................................................1
1.2 Influence of Trade Unions in Employee Relationship...................................................2
1.3 Main player's role in Relations employee......................................................................3
TASK 2....................................................................................................................................... 4
2.1 Organisation dealing with different situation of conflicts..............................................4
2.2 Explaining the Important features of Employee Relations in a Conflicting Situation....5
Effectiveness of Procedure being used in a conflicting situations........................................5
TASK 3....................................................................................................................................... 6
3.1 Role of Negotiation in Collective Bargaining:...............................................................6
3.2 Evaluating the affect of negotiation strategy on particular situation:.............................7
TASK 4....................................................................................................................................... 7
4.1 EU'S Influence on industrial democracy.......................................................................7
4.2 Techniques to attain employee participation and involvement in decision making process 8
4.3 Influence of Human resource management on relation of the employees......................9
CONCLUSION.......................................................................................................................... 10
REFERENCES.......................................................................................................................... 11

INTRODUCTION
The term relation's employee is the company's efforts managing relationships between
employers and employees. Organisation with such program often leads to great relations which
results in good communication and coordination resolving problems arising from situation at
work and that helps to achieve the goal in an effective and efficient manner (Alfes and et. al.,
2013). Adopting a Human resource strategy is one of the effective ways for stakeholders to
uphold their trust and run business in an effective manner and maintain good employee relations.
For this assignment, British Airways is one of the finest organisation to choose as its one
of the airline which has the largest fleet size . It was created in 1974 after British Airways board
was established by the British Govt. In 1998 BA ordered 59 Airbus A320, year 2007 it occupied
36 Airbuses including Boeing 787 dreamliners . BA being largest operator of the 747-400
Boeing, with 41 registered to the Airline (Alfes and et. al., 2013). Heathrow and Gatwick
airports are main hubs where they operates route of world for around 300 destinations in 90
countries and carries mail, freight and passengers as well.
There are various number of things are going to be covered in this assignment which are related
with the employee relation. It is an essential thing which enable an entity to grow and developed
in an appropriate manner. It will include the employee relation with changing background of
working. Along with this, at workplace there are different interest people work together which
arise conflicts between each of them. Thus, appropriate solutions have to derive by managers
and leaders for resolving them in an appropriate manner. Concept of collective bargaining and
negotiation is helpful in taking and resolving the issue and conflict in an adequate manner.
Hence, every employee have to actively participate in an entity and take involvement for the
things which are taking place in an entity.
TASK 1
1.1 Unitary and Pluralistic frames of reference
Unitary frames: -
Beliefs like mind's way of thinking , assumption's mind set, attitudes, way of the values
and practices of work relating management and organisational management is set to be as
Unitary frame of reference . It states that despite of having different roles and responsibility they
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must share the values and objectives to achieve the goal. Management or achievement of goal
should be the only focus of the employee.
In British Airways focus is et on one aim and leaders and each and every employee working in
that organisation whether they are from lower division or Authority, they works on achievement
of the main purpose and that is happy customers and being the world's best and reliable airways
to travel.
British Airways allows to create a union among employees in order to have good communication
joining from upper level to last level, the it will create a healthy environment and thus unitary
reference can be a successful way out to achieve the goal (Atkinson and Hall, 2011).
Major strength of this perspective is that it practices and tries to enhance employee commitment
and loyalty.
In order to decrease the demands for trade unions managers are motivated to go beyond their
managerial skills and emphasise leadership's capabilities so that they can be convincing and
influential leaders in the organisation.
Pluralistic frames: -
It means that the organisation is made up of powerful and different groups which are brought
together but have their own tasks, their own set of legalistic divisions and leaders who have their
focus on aims. The role of management will shift little less towards control and enforcement but
more on coordination and influencing.
Staff members working at higher level in British Airways are involved in taking major decisions
for the entity's benefits and they have the duty of promoting the commitment and loyalty for
lower staff members to make them excel in their capability of giving output .
Collective bargaining is a pluralistic concept who not only contributes towards a mechanism of
dealing with conflicts but also contributes an economic method of dealing with workforce
(Biswas and Varma, 2011).
An alternate view suggested by fox in which organisation is seen as powerful management with
their own legal loyalties, objectives and leaders.
This leads to main part of this reference and that is union of trade. Workers from the related
fields forms this organisation so that it can work for its member's common interests.
In Pluralism trade union is positive thing as it provides election possibilities, competition etc. but
only when it is used for benefits of others not to exploit or block their rights.
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1.2 Influence of Trade Unions in Employee Relationship
Sectors which are regulated by law like compensation of workers if
injured, bonus on extra effort and forms of employment are adhered by majority
of the organisations. Relations of Industries have changed throughout many decades and concept
and its implementation has even changed over decades advancing .
Statically based of European’s League employees it is said that trade unions declined in western
Europe from past 20 years. Half of the labour population of eight countries out of 27 are
members of union of trade.
Hyman and Ferner (1998) have debated on Europe's developing an unique features in selecting
industries by the late 19th and mid of 20th century and it remains mostly in act until the present
time. Employee relations are going under a rapid change in Europe. Important areas for work's
social regulation and employement like integration, national politics will remain the same as
European integration became economical process of liberalisation through international means
for over 4 decades. In Union of trade several changes for advancing are taking place of British
Airways (Nutley 2004). Employee's relations have always through varying degrees which
regulates governed by rules , not only contract's but even of those who inflict rights and
obligations on mutually agreement organisation.
Regarding employee relations, Kahn- Freund stated, “Tendency should be invited on the
whole and subjected to limitations which needs to be discussed. Perhaps it is important to
differentiate between 3 purposes followed by those who uses patterns of foreign while making
the law.
Another concept of Kahn-Freund (1974) stating that the use of comparative legal method
requires a knowledge not only for the foreign law, but also of its social and above all its
political, context. The use of comparative law for practical purposes becomes an abuse only if it
is informed by a legalistic spirit which ignores this context of the law.
1.3 Main player's role in Relations employee
Maintaining Soothing relation among staff and authority is not an easy task and neither
it’s a work of a single person. It requires team work so this is where role of main players comes
up to maintain the healthy relations of staff. The main players are highlighted below: -
Manager: -
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Managers present in BA plays a significant role in a firm as it is the joint of higher authority and
lower division workers. They have the duty to provide an effective and working environment to
employees for a better output (Daley, 2012). Main duty of a manager can be said to create
healthy competition among workers so that their real talent and hard work can achieve goal in
efficient and effective manner. Different techniques can be invented and can be applied to boost
the confidence level of employees and the motivational thing should be done time to time so that
morale level of worker never goes down. The main and the foremost duty of a manger is to
represent the lower division department and account their issues and conflicts to the higher
authority so that better solution shows up.
Government Agencies: -
Govt. has developed various laws and regulations for British Airways which need to be followed
at workplace like Child labour act, Minimum wages act, and health and safety act (Dasgupta,
Suar and Singh 2012). The motive behind to apply these rules and regulations are that healthy
relationships can be built among employee and employers. It helps in boosting up the
commitment level of staff members towards him.
Members: -
All the rules and regulations which are applied are need to be followed by the workers and the
task assigned to them by the employers needs to carried down as well (D'Cruz and Noronha,
2011). Taking participation in organised programs and complying with different types of
activities leads to a healthy relationship between workers and employers. They also have the
right to raise their voice against any injustice taking place around or to them.
TASK 2
2.1 Organsiation dealing with different situation of conflicts
At the time of dealing with different types of conflicts or strikes in British Airways, different
procedures can be followed. Conflicts and strikes are considered as the most unwanted things in
any organisation and this happen due to different types of aspects such as ineffective physical
environment or ineffective allocation of work and resources etc. Raising of voice by staff
members leads to conflicting situations within British Airways. For example, Gender basis work
allocation raises conflict sometimes (Donaghey and et. al., 2011). Wages distribution among
Workers on the basis of gender also leads to strikes or conflicts.
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Therefore, distributing simple tasks to only female sector raises conflicts between males and
authorities. So now, this matter will be presented in a meeting where it will be conducted and
root cause of this problem will be submitted to the Human resource department where they will
be given time of 6 days to analyse and resolve this issue. After completion of this period, matter
will be referred to dispute committee where the final step will be taken. So basically that’s how
the resolving part works out in British Airways.
Selection of appropriate union is the first step of a process and after that management carries out
the bargaining with staff members and after that appropriate conclusion is drawn for both ends.
2.2 Explaining the Important features of Employee Relations in a Conflicting Situation
In British airlines, conflicts among male and female staff members takes place because of poor
allocation of work which in turn is affecting enterprise environment in a negative manner and
this can cause a negative effect of the profitability ratio of the company. They key features of
employees relations are explained below: -
Hampering the relation between males and females staff members in British Airways:
Continuous conflict may destroy the relationship between staff members working in BA as male
staff are raising their voice against not only on female allocation of work but on bad allocation
of task as well (Festing, 2012). Such type of condition will affect many phases of the company
as both males and females staff member will restrain their work capabilities and thus it will
affect productivity of work and moreover the valuable customers service and satisfaction will be
on risk.
Entity's position will be at Stake- If the conflicts arose will be not be settled in the time then
workers will show their dissatisfaction against British Airways if management does not take
appropriate actions with analysed decision like proper allocation of work. However, this issue
can be sorted out by solving the problem, adjudicator plays an important role and proper
resolution can be drawn by keeping in mind the requirements of both the ends.
Effectiveness of Procedure being used in a conflicting situations
Procedures which are adopted by British Airways is being measured at different
conflicting situation. For issue of male and female staff members company has taken help from
dispute handling procedure. Now this procedure works in a very basic and effective manner as
this happen among employees and managers of the organisation. This step is effective as both
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male and female employees and managers can express their different ways of thinking and
opinions which are linked to many issues, mostly with the ineffective allocation of task and
resources to the authority of an entity (Grant, 2012). Conflicts can be settled out easily if
managers who are taking decisions can satisfy workers with the reason behind their decision.
Furthermore, a specific period of time is being given to the head of HRM regarded as very less
time for analysing and come to a decision. Staff in the committee of BA have those capabilities
which makes them reach to an effective solution. So that makes that the procedures which are
adopted by BA has been proved as efficient and effective
TASK 3
3.1 Role of Negotiation in Collective Bargaining:
Process where groups of Staff members carries out negotiation' s activity regarding employment'
terms is referred as Collective bargaining (Guest, 2011). Activity of negotiation can be held in a
healthy manner between managers and staff members within the organisation. In this way Staff
members of British Airways will choose stop steward which plays the role of representative of
staff members. In other organisation as well through collective bargaining workers can easily
present their views and share it with the management as resolving conflict will be easier and
effective. The most important roles of negotiation are explained below: -
Negotiation can help company to reach on a better conclusion: Communication process in
which multiple parties discuss issues and attempt to solve by reaching to a solution is said as
negotiation (Gupta and Kumar, 2012). On small as well as large scale negotiations always occur,
both in office and everyday life. In house counsel it is use to encounter several types of
negotiations as part of daily life, in Office negotiations like Contract, salary negotiations are the
most common to be find. Outside negotiations like union negotiation, sales negotiations,
purchase negotiations and more . To handle these negotiations an quick counsel is appointed to
provide a summary of the advantages and disadvantages of different types of negotiations
formats, negotiating types and strategies. There is a representative of workers working in an
organisation with an aim to get the best solution possible for the problem which is being faced
by the workers in an entity. Though this process seems basic with an effective outcome but in
respect to British Airways they are facing some issues at workplace as well. So it is a possibility
to work out this way and find an effective and long term solution.
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Negotiation can help in tweaking the effectiveness of the process of collective bargaining :
This process has the ability to solve the conflict between the employees and employers such as
British Airways (Huselid and Becker, 2011). With the help of negotiation higher authority can
easily explain the reasons behind their decision taking and adopting different kind of
environment and the practices along with the task allocation. In British Airways, management
can carry out discussion with male employees who are facing problems and those who are in
conflicts for wrong ineffective allocation of work (Lengnick-Hall, Beck and Lengnick-Hall,
2011.). Thus it helps in improving the overall performance and mostly profitability ratio of the
enterprise. Method like negotiation plays an important role in terms of tweaking up the graph of
effectiveness of the collective bargaining and it can be assumed that due to this reason or its
presence, this changes can be seen.
3.2 Evaluating the affect of negotiation strategy on particular situation:
Basically negotiation is a situation where conflicts can be managed easily by British
Airways. BA has shown commitment to the collective bargaining. In the favour and protection
rights of workers, policy has been made stating that staff members must not be face any kind of
discrimination (Jiang and et. al., 2012). This states that neither companies nor the Govt. should
interfere with the rights of workers. If British Airways adds up with this kind of situation then it
will become difficult to raise the motivation level of staff members. On the other hand, forcing
is another strategy of negotiation which focuses only on personal goals and will help to achieve
it but it does not focus on organisation goals but that will create a negative environment along
with negative vibes specially amongst male members. So it becomes difficult to retain the trust
of valuable customers and workers as well (Jiang, Lepak, Hu and Baer, 2012). Thus the
company relies on the most basic and effective negotiation way which brings not only the trust
but will give satisfaction and importance to the workers which will motivation among the
workers. Furthermore, it can be said that British Airways can win the situation by listening and
giving importance to both employers and employees by selecting effective manner of
negotiation.
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TASK 4
4.1 EU'S Influence on industrial democracy
Industrial democracy in UK is an arrangement which includes worker’s decision making,
sharing of responsibilities between authorities in workplace. With the help of this structure
enterprise can take better decision for the attainment of their goals and objectives (Manzoor,
2012). European Union had provided many rules and regulations which is affecting to business
goals and objectives. In addition to this, EU had passed many acts which has to be comply by
organisation so that better decision can be taken by them. Apart from this, whatever rules and
regulations are made by them are bind to all countries who are the member of EU. In UK, there
are different sectors in which companies are operating their business. One of them is British
Airways, who is providing long haul services to customers (Morris, 2012). UK government and
European Union are playing important part in influencing business objectives now a day in the
form of implementing taxation policies or providing advice or support to business in terms of
financial or etc. This is essential for this organisation to strictly comply with these rules.
Government of UK has also made many rules and regulations in order to provide benefit to these
type of organisation. But implementing these policies can become difficult for organisation and
influencing entity goals and objectives.
In modern era, most of the companies are working in partnership and it is essential for
them to comply so through this firm can provide legal services to their customers. This concept
of also developed by industrial democracy which gives advantage to person in order to establish
different business in several sectors (Nielsen and Randall , 2012). Along with this, there is also
involvement of employees in which they are taking decision for the benefit of organisation.
Thus, it positively impacting on the performance of employees and enhancing their contribution
in the success of company.
4.2 Techniques to attain employee participation and involvement in decision making process
Employees attending the process of decision making fruitful value creation of
organisation. There are different methods which can be used by manager of British Airways
where employee participation will increase. Below mention are several methods which has been
explained as below.
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Participation through collective bargaining – Here employees are participating
through collective agreements and deciding the rules and regulation for the benefit of company.
This is to be considered as an ideal way which ensures about that there is an employee
participation in managerial process (Van Buren, Greenwood and Sheehan, 2011). This should
be control by manager otherwise employee can take advantage of own benefit.
Participation Upto board level – Industrial democracy can be explained as the staff
members who represents in the board level . As these are playing important role in defending the
rights and interest of employees. These representatives are keeping the problems in front of
management and giving suggestion to board members to invest some funds in employee benefit
scheme.
Participation through suggestion schemes - It is considered as most important method
where employee can easily participate in decision making process. In this manager of British
Airways are boosting employees to come up with innovative ideas in regard to cost cutting,
safety measures, reward system and etc (Wright and McMahan, 2011.). Through this employee’s
skills and knowledge will also increase which is introducing more appropriate suggestion
schemes for the benefit of customers.
Participation through job enrichment – Manager is responsible to motivate employees
in terms of rewards and bonus. Job enrichment is providing freedom to staff and employees to
exploit their wisdom and provide solution to them in order to resolve their issues which are
facing by them on regular basis.
Employees can participate in decision making process of British airways company
through efficient and effective services can be provided to customers. However, there are some
others methods where employee participation can be increase such as involvement through
empowered teams and joint committees, financial participation and many more. Well it will be
beneficial for organisation in sharing their mission and vision with staff in appropriate manner
and they can contribute their share in achieving goals of company.
4.3 Influence of Human resource management on relation of the employees
In organisation employee relation are very crucial because without making strong
relation with them company cannot get succeed in market. Therefore, it is essential for manager
to adopt or make new strategies through which they can easily resolve the issues also which are
facing employees as well as customers. HR management is having both positive and negative
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impact on employee relation. It is their responsibility to conduct training according to the needs
of employees in order to increase their skills and knowledge. In addition to this, they have to
comply with all rules and regulations which has been implemented by government. Moreover,
they have to also prevail the relationship of employees and employers by maintaining proper
coordination among them.
In British Airways company, whenever decision is taken by HR, then it should also in
favour of employees and staff which ultimate motivate them and perform their task in more
efficient and effective manner. In simple words, employee will safe and think about that
company is valuing them by taking decision in favour (Methods/Ways of Participation of
Employees in Decision-Making. 2017). Besides this, at workplace there are different type of
employees, staff or workers are there, so it become major responsibility of HR manager to boost
them accordingly so that they can work according to company rules and policies. This will also
enhance the productivity of organisation in serving best quality of service to customers. Further
for making proper relationship with employer and employee, pluralistic frame can be follow by
organisation. In this it will improve the overall performance of entity and become easy to attain
goals and objectives. Thus, it will upgrade the valuable knowledge of employees and uphold
their skills. In British Airways, both are making coordination with each other so that healthy and
positive environment can be maintaining by them. As it will helpful for entity in making
appropriate strategies in order to fulfil their aims and objectives in specific time period.
CONCLUSION
It has become easy to understand the value of managing employee relation within the Entity
from the above report. It is necessary for every organisation to maintain the relations between
employees and employers so that task can be operated easily. Furthermore, through such type of
strategies, aims and objectives of the British Airways can be achieved in an effective and
efficient manner and it can be proving as a development tool. Moreover, above report also stated
that there is some important part of an organisation which are to be taken care of, if not then it
spreads negative environment within the organisation. British airways can easily render services
effectively if they follow these strategies and it will help them to increase their profitability level
as well. Not only BA but other organisation who faces this kind of conflicts can apply these
strategies in order to maintain the affectivity and prosperity for a longer period.
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Online
Methods/Ways of Participation of Employees in Decision-Making. 2017. [Online]. Available
through: <http://forum.daffodilvarsity.edu.bd/index.php?topic=7604.0>. [Accessed on 28th
September 2017].
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