Unilever's Employee Relations: Laws, Stakeholders, and Analysis

This report provides a detailed analysis of employee relations within Unilever, a multinational consumer goods company. It assesses the value and importance of employee relations, explains fundamental employment laws like the Employment Right Act 1996 and the Equality Act, and discusses the rights, duties, and obligations of both employers and employees. The report also includes a stakeholder analysis, categorizing stakeholders based on their power and interest, and examines the impact of positive and negative employee relations on these stakeholders. Mechanisms for managing the employment relationship and recommendations for enhancing employee relations at Unilever are also discussed, emphasizing the importance of fair treatment, equal opportunities, and effective communication.

Work and the Employment
Relationship

Table of Contents
Introduction .....................................................................................................................................1
Main Body ......................................................................................................................................1
Assess the value and importance of employee relation in application to chosen organisation
also explain the fundamentals of the employment laws.........................................................1
Discuss various types of rights, duties and obligation an employer and employee has inside
the organisation also the explain various mechanisms for managing the employment
relationship.............................................................................................................................3
Explain a detailed stakeholder analysis for the chosen organisation and how stakeholder
engagement helps in positive employment relationship ........................................................5
Discuss the impact of both positive and negative employee relations on various stakeholders. 6
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................7
References ......................................................................................................................................9

Introduction
The term employment relationship is defined as the process of creating and maintaining
positive relationship with the employees which leads top enhancing overall performance of the
organisation, it includes the continuous efforts made by the business organisation in order to
maintain effective relationship with employees, maintaining positive relationship with the
employees leads to motivating them towards achieving desired goals. For this report Unilever is
taken as the base company. Unilever is one of the top multinational consumer goods company,
considered to be the largest producer of soap around the globe operating in more than 190
countries. The company was founded in 1929 owing more than 400 brands, company is
continuously working towards satisfying the needs of their customers. This report includes the
detailed analysis of the employee relation along with the value and importance and the
fundamentals of employment laws also the various types of rights, duties and obligations of an
employer and employees is also highlighted in this report. In addition to this the detailed
stakeholders analysis for the chosen organisation along with the positive and negative impact of
the employee relations on various stakeholder is also highlighted in this report.
Main Body
Assess the value and importance of employee relation in application to chosen organisation also
explain the fundamentals of the employment laws
Employee relation is defined as the kind of relationship prevailing among the employer
and employee of the organisation, it is the process of ensuring that employees of the organisation
are happy, satisfied and productive and their needs are continuously taken into consideration. In
addition to this it also involves offering various benefits to them in order to retain them for long
period of time (Aylott, 2018). It is the continuous efforts made by the employer and top authority
of the organisation in order to maintain positive relation with the employees as they are the major
resource of the organisation which leads business towards success and growth. In context to the
Unilever, company has build loyal employee base through continuously satisfying their needs
and wants and continuously motivating them towards achieving desired goals effectively.
Company provides required training to their employees in order to enhance their skills and
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retrain them for long period of time (Barker and Christensen, 2019). In context to the chosen
company the value and importance of the employee relation is highlighted below:
Retaining skilled employees: One of the essentials importance of the employee relation is
that it helps in retaining employees for long period of time through satisfying their needs,
enhancing their performance and continuously motivating them towards achieving desired goals
and objectives. Losing loyal and skilled employees can directly influence the performance of the
organisation. Employee relation helps management in creating positive and long term term
relation with the employees. In case of Unilever, company has their own training program in
order to enhance employees skills also provide various monetary and non monetary benefits in
order to satisfy their employees as per their performance, these all helps company to create
positive relation with their employees and retain them for long period of time (Bomba, 2018).
Enhancing productivity: Another importance of the employee relation is that it helps in
enhancing the overall productivity of the business as having positive relation with the employees
leads them to be more productive and utilising their full potential in achieving targets which
automatically leads to enhancing overall profitability of the company. In context to Unilever, the
company ensures that employees problems are effectively taken into consideration as it helps in
creating positive influence of the performance and productivity of the employees.
Fundamentals of Employment laws
The employment laws are set of legislation implemented in order to protect the rights of
employees and also protect them from any kind of unfair practices. These laws helps in
governing the employer- employee relationship in order to enhance overall functioning of the
company. In context to the Unilever the company follows required employment laws in order to
protect the rights of their employees and also protect them from any kind of unfair practices. In
context to the Unilever, certain employment laws are highlighted below:
Employment right act, 1996: This law was issued by the UK government in order to
protect the rights of the employees, this law also helps in creating positive relation with the
employees through protecting their rights in case of any dismissal, unfair dismissal and any kind
of redundancy. In case of Unilever, this laws helps in creating positive relation with their
employees and enhancing their performance (Kaufman, 2019).
Equality Act: The another act is the equality act, this act helps in protecting employees
form any kind of discrimination and inequality, this act helps in ensuring that each and every
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individual in the organisation is treated equally, any kind of discrimination on the basis of their
gender, age, colour, religions is avoided. In case of Unilever, this act allows the company
company to treat each and every employee equally and avoid any kind of discrimination. Each
member is provided with equal opportunity in order to enhance their performance (Lansbury,
2018).
Recommendation for enhancing employee relation
 It is suggested that the top management of Unilever should offer equal rewards and
benefits to their employees as per their performance as it will lead to creating sense of
belongingness among the employees also helps in motivating employees towards
achieving desired goals and objectives with their full potential.
 It is also recommended that Unilever company should motivated employees towards
gaining both personal and professional growth through offering them competitive
environment also, satisfying the personal and professional needs will help in retaining
employees for long period of time.
Discuss various types of rights, duties and obligation an employer and employee has inside the
organisation also the explain various mechanisms for managing the employment
relationship
An business organisation which is divided through various type of department and units
which better involves for effective performing different task as per their skills abilities. In this
each individual having their major competencies as which it require as per their responsibilities.
As overall employees and employers of different department work together in order to
accomplish with desired goals and objectives effectively (Nwagbara, 2020). In perspective of
Unilever company it comprise about rights, duties and obligation where both employer and
employees are mentioned below:
Right and duties of employer:
 It is duty of employer where to provide safe and healthy working environment towards
the employees, the employer of the Unilever company ensures use better signals and
colour in order to make their employees aware of any potential Hazard caused through
some equipment.
 The employer that helps to make aware of their roles and responsibilities which
enhance for having work duties clarity.
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 It is main duty of employer to make aware and provide information to employee
regarding with external environment changes which is happening which implement
better skills and knowledge accordingly.
 Employer communicate which is having important issues of employees to the top
management as to make them feel sense of belongingness within organisation (Park,
2018).
Obligation of employer:
 As per the legal obligation it is duty of employer where Unilever company which offer
towards equal opportunities towards their employees without any kind of inequality and
partially as this will help them to enhance better skills and performance.
 Another legal obligation of the employer which is to collect and store the data and
information where related to employees where personal details like salary, leaves, contact
details and so on. Employer of Unilever which needs to effective stores and update these
information utilise whenever required.
Right and duties of employees:
 The employees need to follow the guidelines which is set by the company in order to
work in flexible manner to carry out better activity. In case of Unilever the employees use
to follows where set rules standard for effective enhance their performance.
 Another duty where employee is need to present about ideas and work with a dignity as
well as loyalty within business organisation. The sales manager of Unilever of deals with
customer also share their opinion with employees.
Obligation of employees:
 The main legal obligation of the employees of Unilever where it complete the guidelines
of employment through better contract effectively.
 It is legal obligation of employees towards reduce the absenteeism rate and also achieve
desired goals towards accomplish business organisation (Sammicheli and Scaglione,
2018).
Mechanisms in relation to the rights, duties and obligations of the employment relationship
In case of Unilever it is the main responsibilities of the management to evaluate and
implement necessary strategy also formulate all the roles and responsibility additionally also
communicate them among the employees so that they can have clarity about their role needs to
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be performed by them. It also leads to creating effective and smooth hierarchy in the company
helping employees their roles and duties more effectively. The management of the Unilever is
suggested to keep positive employment relationship where the work is given as per the skills and
capabilities of the employees also equal opportunities is provided to them in order to enhance
their performance. Any kind of communication gap should be avoided among the employees and
employer so as to effectively carry out the activity (Piore, 2018).
Explain a detailed stakeholder analysis for the chosen organisation and how stakeholder
engagement helps in positive employment relationship
Shareholders Analysis: The stakeholder analysis is one of the essential framework taken into
consideration by the company in order to analyse the interest and power of each stakeholder
carries in the business organisation and how their interest and power directly influence the
functioning and profitability of business. A stakeholder is someone or a group of individual who
has direct interest in the operations and functioning of company and can be influence by the
same and vice versa. This analysis helps in carrying out various activity which will lead to
satisfying the potential stakeholders and enhancing overall performance. The main four stages of
this analysis are highlighted below:
Keep satisfied: The stakeholder included in this stage are customer's and suppliers who
has high power in the company but has less interest in the functioning of the company. So in case
of Unilever in order to maintain the interest of the stakeholders and due to their power, needs and
wants of these stakeholder needs to kept satisfied.
Manage closely: These stakeholder are the investors of the company who has relatively
high power and high interest in the functioning of the company, in context to the Unilever these
type of stakeholder needs to be managed closely in order to enhance overall performance of the
company (Wilkinson and Barry, 2020).
Monitor: This stage includes the type of stakeholders who has relatively high power and
low interest in the functioning of the company such as the government. In context to Unilever,
these type of stakeholder needs to be monitored well in order to enhance their interest level.
Keep informed: The last one includes the kind of stakeholder who carries low power and
high interest in the functioning of the company such as the employees of the company. In case of
Unilever, employees of the company has high interest in the functioning of the company and due
to the low power they need to be informed well by the company regarding important issues.
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Stakeholders engagement: The stakeholder engagement is the process of effectively analysing,
planning and implementing essential actions in order to influence the major stakeholders of the
company. It involves satisfying the needs and wants of the major stakeholders also continuously
engaging with them in order to retain them for long period of time and achieve desired results
effectively. Stakeholder engagement helps in enhancing overall performance of the company and
helps in building positive employment relation also as mentioned below:
Rewarding as per the performance of the employees: Effective employees relationship
helps in enhancing the overall performance of the company, this is one of the main factor for the
stakeholder of the company as it helps in building positive relation. In context to the Unilever the
organisation needs to ensure that employees are offered effective rewards and benefits as per
their performance which will help in satisfying them them and motivating them towards
achieving desired goals and objectives (Wouters, 2019).
Discuss the impact of both positive and negative employee relations on various stakeholders
Stakeholder Positive impact of employee
relation
Negative impact of employee
relation
Customers Customers are considered as
the main source of the
company which leads the
organisation towards growth
and success if company has
positive relation with them
through offering quality
product and services,
enhancing their satisfaction
level. Building positive
relation with the customers
helps in retaining them for
long period of time and
converting them from regular
customers to loyal customers.
Having negative relation with
the customer's will lead to
losing them to the competitors
or the substitute available, it
can be due to not satisfying
their needs and wants asa per
their preference or due to the
number of substitute available
in the marketplace. In case of
company unable to satisfy the
needs and wants of their
customers or avoid to consider
their opinions than it leads to
creating negative relation with
them, this will lead to
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influencing the overall
performance of the company.
Employees In case of Unilever effective
relation with the employees
will help company in
enhancing their overall
performance and achieving
desired goals and objectives.
Positive employee relation
helps employees to focus on
achieving company's goals
utilising their full potential
rather than just focusing on
their personal goals. In
addition to this it also helps in
retaining them for long period
of time in the organisation.
In case of negative relation
with the employees leads to
creating dissatisfaction among
them and also directly
influencing the functioning of
the chosen company. It will be
through lack of
communication with the
employees or not offering
required training to them on
time all these will lead to
creating negative relation with
the employees in the company.
From the above analysis it is determined that positive employee relation with the
stakeholder leads to enhancing overall performance and profitability of the business also helps in
retaining them for long period of time in the company also reducing any kind of conflict in the
company, where negative employee relation with the stakeholder will lead to demotivating them
and also creating dissatisfaction among them (Yun, 2018). The various stakeholders also
enhancing the performance of the organisation through analysing the business environment. Such
as the internal stakeholders helps in examining internal factors and working towards accepting
the required changes, additionally the external stakeholder also helps in analysing and evaluating
the external factors which can influence the employment relationship.
Conclusion
From the above discussion it has been analysed that the positive employees relation plays
an essential role in enhancing the overall performance of the organisation and also helps in
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motivating employees towards achieving desired goals and objectives effectively and its also
helps in retaining employees for long period of time. This report helps in analysing the
importance of the employees relation in the organisation through understanding the value and
importance of employees relation in the organisation, it is also analysed that there are various
fundamentals of employment law which helps in protecting the rights of the employees in the
organisation. There are various duties, rights and obligation of the employees and employer
which helps in providing clarity of their roles and responsibilities effectively. In addition to this
stakeholder analysis along with the positive and negative impact of the employee relation on
various stakeholder is also analysed.
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References
Books and Journals
Aylott, E., 2018. Employment Law: A Practical Introduction. Kogan Page Publishers.
Barker, K. and Christensen, K. eds., 2019. Contingent work: American employment relations in
transition. Cornell University Press.
Bomba, K., 2018. Deception in employment relatonships. Journal of Modern Science, 28(1),
pp.195-216.
Kaufman, B.E., 2019. Managing the human factor. Cornell University Press.
Lansbury, R.D., 2018. The changing world of work and employment relations: a multi-level
institutional perspective of the future. Labour & Industry: a journal of the social and
economic relations of work, 28(1), pp.5-20.
Nwagbara, U., 2020. Exploring how institutions shape managerialist employment relations and
work-life balance (WLB) challenges in Nigeria. Employee Relations: The International
Journal.
Park, L.D., 2018. L&E Evolution: Redefining Employment Relationships. Labor Law
Journal, 69(1), pp.41-49.\
Piore, M.J., 2018. The dual labor market: theory and implications (pp. 629-640). Routledge.
Sammicheli, M. and Scaglione, M., 2018. ‘Employment suitable for capabilities’ The medical-
legal principle in Italian invalidity social security benefits in the current historical work
context in Europe. European Journal of Social Security, 20(3), pp.242-252.
Wilkinson, A. and Barry, M. eds., 2020. The future of work and employment. Edward Elgar
Publishing.
Wouters, M., 2019. The classification of employment relationships in Belgium. European Labour
Law Journal, 10(3), pp.198-218.
Yun, A., 2018. Reconstructing Labour Law Actors Beyond Employment. International Journal of
Comparative Labour Law and Industrial Relations, 34(4).
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