Employee Relations: Conflict, Negotiation, EU, and Participation

This report comprehensively examines employee relations, exploring the dynamics between employers and employees within an organizational context. It begins by differentiating between unitary and pluralistic frames of reference, analyzing their implications for conflict resolution. The report then assesses the impact of changes in trade unionism on employee relations and elucidates the roles of key players, including employers, employees, and trade unions. A case study of a junior doctor and government dispute is used to illustrate conflict situations and the effectiveness of procedures. The report further analyzes negotiation strategies in collective bargaining, assessing their impact and potential alternatives. Additionally, it evaluates the influence of the EU on industrial democracy in the UK and compares methods for gaining employee participation. Finally, the report assesses the impact of human resource management approaches on employee relations, concluding with a synthesis of the key findings and insights.

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Employee relations
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Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................5
Task 1...............................................................................................................................................6
Reflective essay...........................................................................................................................6
1.1 Unitary and pluralistic frames of reference explaining the implications of each of the
perspectives for the appropriate means through which conflict is to be resolved...................6
1.2 Assess how changes in trade unionism have affected employee relations........................7
1.3 Explain the role of the key players in employee relations.................................................8
Task 2.............................................................................................................................................11
2.1 Explain the procedures an organisation should follow when dealing with different
conflict situations...................................................................................................................11
2.2 Explain the key features of employee relations with reference to the above conflict
situation..................................................................................................................................12
2.3 Evaluate the effectiveness of procedures followed so far from both parties in this
conflict situation.....................................................................................................................13
Task 3.............................................................................................................................................15
3.1 Explain the role of negotiation in collective bargaining as in the above conflict............15
3.2 Assess the impact of the negotiation strategies adopted by both parties in the above
conflict situation and comment on other negotiating strategies and the potential impact it
could have..............................................................................................................................15
Task 4.............................................................................................................................................17
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Presentation................................................................................................................................17
4.1 Assess the influence of the EU on industrial democracy in the UK................................17
4.2 Compare methods used to gain employee participation and involvement in the decision
making process in organisations considering methods that have gained popularity in recent
year and which have declined....................................................................................................20
4.3 Assess the impact human resource management approach has had on employee
relations..................................................................................................................................22
....................................................................................................................................................24
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................25
References......................................................................................................................................26
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Introduction
Employee relations are the crucial factor in an organization for the better performance and for
improved communication among the people of the organization. The employees and the
employer should maintain the healthy relations in an organization for the benefit of the
organization. Every organization needs the communication system for the smooth flow of the
operations in the organization. This assignment discusses the employer and employee relations in
an organization and the implications of the conflict occur in an organization. In this report the
unitary and the pluralistic frames of references are discussed which tells about the implications to
solve the conflicts and improve the relationship between employer and employee. The changes in
the trade unionism and its effect on the employee relations are also discussed in this assignment.
This assignment discusses various key factors related to the organization and the relations
between the organizational people and its effects in the organization. In this report the case study
of junior doctor and government dispute is also discussed which will tell us about the different
features and the effects of the employees relations and the organizational effect with regard of
the case study. There is the presentation which presents the impact of employee participation and
the decision making process involve the employee as well as the impact of human resource
management has on the relationship of the employee and the employer in an organization. The
major purpose of the assignment is to create the understanding of the employee and the employer
relationship in an organization and improve the environment of the organization.
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Task 1
Reflective essay
1.1 Unitary and pluralistic frames of reference explaining the implications of each of the
perspectives for the appropriate means through which conflict is to be resolved.
Conflicts are the occurrence of the arguments and the fights between the employees and the
employer in an organization which directly affects the relationship of the employer and the
employee and creates the unbalanced performance level in an organization.
Employee relations are the study of the role of the employees to manage the relations of the
employees and the employers in an organization to meet the effective communication and
maintained relations in the organization.
Unitary frames of references are the team work and understanding of the organization as the
family to its employees. The unitary frames perspective is the understanding of the people as not
being an individual in an organization but the common group and the team in an organization
(Taylor, 2015). The people of the organization are understood as the big family and as a team in
an organization under the unitary frames of references. In this the conflicts and the arguments
between the organizational employees and the employer are understood as the unnecessary and
the avoidable conflicts which can be solved with the communication and the better
understanding of the both sides perspectives.
As per my experience and opinion, the workers and the managers of the organization must
understand the organization and its people a family and a team which works together and in the
unity. But if the management and the staff will have the attitude of being individual and do not
announce effective communication in an organization it will be difficult for the organization to
achieve the better and effective relations in an organization and will be tough to maintain the
employer and employee relations within the organization. I believe the unity in an organization is
must to create the maximum level of excellent performance and the effective relations and the
communication system in an organization to improve the performance of the organization overall
(Thursfield, & Kellie, 2013).
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The other frames of reference are the pluralistic frames of reference. The pluralistic frames of
references are the concept of understanding the people of the organization have the different and
the scattered interests, believe, values and the objectives. In the pluralistic frame of reference the
organization is divided among different individuals and the groups of people who do not create
the cooperation among each other and brings the differences between them. They share loyalty in
an organization. In this the conflicts and the arguments between organizational employees and
the employers are due to differences in the interests and believe and values of the people and the
original difference among them. The conflicts occur in this frame of reference is solved by the
mechanisms and the work which enable to achieve the consensus.
As per I believe and understanding the organization employees should maintain the common
objectives for every person in an organization. Are we not working in a same organization which
provides the same objectives to the every employee of the organization? I understand if in the
organization which adopts the pluralistic frame of references the unitarism or its aspects are
adopted the people of the organization will not adopt the changes and will be uncomfortable in
the same (Cuccurullo&Lega 2013).
1.2 Assess how changes in trade unionism have affected employee relations.
Trade union has changed the employees and the organizational conditions a lot. The trade unions
are formed for the better trading system in the world and the improved employees and the labour
or the workers situations in an organization. After trade union has been emerged the more
employees are seen in the organizations and the companies. The trade union provided the
enhanced wages policy for the employees and the workers of the organization and also attracted
the socialists.
The trade union was internationally adopted in May 1831. The workers employed in the
international company took the streets or came down to streets to strike with the wants and desire
for increasing the wages and the pay and protesting against the low wages provided and the
general employment. This incident gave the trade union to initialise the operations at the
international level. The trade unions were established to provide the workers and the labours of
the industry and the organization the protection against the exploitation and to bring the
improvement in the working conditions (Visser, 2012). Trade unions were formed to provide aid
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to the workers who have the bad working conditions at the workplace and the not appropriate
conditions for the workers. The industry revolution of the different countries brings up the trade
unions. The new policies of the industries and the organization gave the importance to the
workers and the labours or the employees for working in the better environment and the better
conditions in which the organizational employees and the industrial workers can produce
individual growth and the work with the security. The workers in the industries have been
exploited and are not organised properly before the establishment of the trade unions. The higher
class people have the tactic to exploit these employees therefore the labours or the workers or the
employees of the industry and the organization respectively decides to form the trade union for
the betterment of the employees and the workers. This is the purpose or the aim for which the
trade unions were emerged or formed to improve the working and living conditions of the
employees of the organization, to protect the rights of the workers and to protect their interests as
well (Beale & Noronha, 2014).
The trade unions have the small groups of people with the large objectives. The trade unions also
recruit the people from the organization. There are two recruiting strategies of the trade unions.
Some trade unions recruit the employees performing the particular job whereas some trade
unions recruit the employees from any job without having specifications form a particular
industry.
Employee relation is the term which defines the relationship between the employee and the
employer of the organization or the workers and the management of the industry. The trade
unions aim at managing and providing the better relations to the employees and the employer
and maintain the healthy relationship between the workers and the management of the industry.
Employees and the employer relations affect the performance of the organization or the industry
(Solaja, 2015).
1.3 Explain the role of the key players in employee relations.
The employee relations refer to the management of the relationships of the workers of the
organization or the working place. Two groups which play the role in the employee relations are:
Employer-employee
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The employer and employee relation is the important factor in an organization. The relationship
between employer and the employee provides the healthy environment in an organization. The
effective communication between these two creates the operations of the organization easier. The
employees of the organization should follow the rules and the policies of an organization and
should be loyal and responsible towards the work and the organization. The employer expects
from an employee that he should be ready for the challenges and the opportunities in the working
of the organization and should be committed to his work. The employer as well provides the safe
and secured environment to the employees and should create the healthy environment for the
employees to provide the friendly and cooperative environment. The employer should consider
the motivation strategy of the management to increase the morale and boost up the employees
intention to work to gain the excellent performance of the employees in achieving the
organizational goals and the objectives. The employer and employee should always create the
healthy environment for the organization with their effective communication and the behaviour
(Turek, 2015).
Trade unions and representatives
The trade unions are the formed group of some people who decide to provide the employees and
the workers of the organization and the industry their rights and the good working conditions in
the organization. The trade unions play the important role in the employee’s relation. Trade union
aims at increasing the employer and employee relation in a manner to provide the benefit to the
organization. The employees have the various rights in the organization which are communicated
by the trade unions:
Collective bargaining- This right of the employees communicates that the employees have the
equal rights of bargaining. The employees have the rights to equally bargain the terms and
conditions of the work and the pay. The trade unions help the employees in putting their terms
and the conditions of the working and increase their potential to deal with the employers
individually.
Unfair practices- The trade unions help the employees of the organization and the workers of the
industry by checking and keeping eye on the employers and their activities. The unfair practices
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against the employees done by the employers are punishable and are unlawful according to the
trade unions (Saundry, et.al, 2011).
Task 2
2.1 Explain the procedures an organisation should follow when dealing with different
conflict situations.
Relationship between employer and employee is the crucial and important factor in the
organization. The employer and employee relations show the managerial as well as market
relationship between each other. The worker or the employee is employed at the fixed prices and
management allot the tasks accordingly. Other characteristic of their relationship is that they
have the relationship in which one has the continuous pressure on each other. The employee and
the employer willing to adjust according to price and the work provided.
Conflict between the parties of the employment is generally seen and the different topics of the
arguments make the arguments difficult to resolve. The conflicts of the employer and employee
have the resolution of solving out the arguments or the conflicts by entering of the third party.
Conflicts between people in the workplace can be generated between the co-workers, employer
and the employee, between the partners and others. For individual there are grievances producers
as well such as rule book etc. The conflict can be the cause of any situation aroused in the course
of action regarding the work, payment, working conditions, operations, employment decisions
etc. (Pantry, 2013). To maintain the workplace environment healthy and the understanding for
the employees and the employers it is necessary to take some positive steps:
Formal step- According to the formal step the conflict should be resolved with the help of the
third party from outside the organization who can decide the solution without taking anyone’s
side. This step includes the arbitration in which both the parties are bound to perform the task
asked by the third party.
Informal step- According to the informal step the conflict is to be resolved by imposing the
mitigation on the parties without the third party.
The general procedure to solve the conflicts between the parties in the case above is:
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1. Realize the problem pattern
2. Understanding problem
3. Developing strategies to solve conflict
The strategies to be imposed or developed to solve the conflict are:
1. Avoiding- To avoid the problem and move on is the way to solve the conflict between
two in an organization.
2. Compromise- The compromise is the situation in which one party decide to step back and
compromise to the problem.
3. Resolving- By creating communication and enhancing the understanding the problem can
be resolved.
2.2 Explain the key features of employee relations with reference to the above conflict
situation.
Employee relations are the true and trusted commitment of the people to gain the benefit of the
effective relations in an organization and business.
The effective relationship of the employers and the workers of the industry as well as the
organization is the important factor to enhance the performance of the organization and creating
the healthy and the safe environment in an organization. The employee relations can be
maintained by the less conflict or no conflicts at working place. The conflicts in an organization
can be removed and resolved by the creating improved employment conditions, appropriate
working hours, incentives and bonuses to the employees, loyalty and commitment towards work
etc.
The aim of the British Medical Association with regard to the above case is to provide the rights
to the junior doctors and the better working conditions, the powers to the junior doctors and to
protect them from exploitation. The employees of the organization or the concerned doctors
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should avoid the conflicts by treating employees or the junior doctors effectively (Mathew, &
Jones, 2012).
The key features of the employee relations are with regard to the above case are:
Negotiation- The negotiation is the situation of addressing the conflict of employee and the
employer. In this process bargaining is done between both the parties for determining terms and
conditions of service.
Collective bargaining- The collective bargaining is the raised voice of the common group for
their rights. Under this NHS and BHA strikes against government for new contracts of junior
doctors.
Ineffective communication- The ineffective communication is the cause of conflicts and the
arguments in an organization.
Grievances- The interpersonal relationship with the problem regarding is the grievances.
Ideological Frame work- This framework is set of strategic which consists entity identity that
transcends all changes relates to it relevant environment. It involves two factors i.e. the reasons
of entity's and important principles for guiding company. It is important for developing
employees relations. Through these employees get aware about entity visions. NHS is developed
an Ideological Frame work which is mandatory to follow for everyone.
Consultations- It an effective tool which can be used by organization for solving conflicts.
Consultation assist to NHS for solving problems regrading new contractors of juniors doctors.
With help of this they can identify actual problems and try to figure out solutions.
2.3 Evaluate the effectiveness of procedures followed so far from both parties in this
conflict situation.
The procedure used for the resolving of the conflicts is the negotiation which is not as effective
because it may not provide the ultimate satisfaction to the employees. This procedure involves
the unified steps which may be harmful to the employees and may be the employees are not
satisfied after the solution to the problem also.
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