Employee Relations Report: A Case Study of the Marriott Hotel Group

This report delves into the critical aspects of employee relations within the Marriott hotel industry. It begins by exploring the unitary and pluralistic frames of reference, setting the stage for understanding the dynamics between employees and employers. The report then examines the impact of changes in trade unionism on employee relations, highlighting the importance of a healthy relationship. It analyzes the roles of key players, including senior managers, HR managers, and CEOs, in fostering positive employee relations. Furthermore, the report investigates procedures for handling conflict situations, the key features of employees in conflict, and the effectiveness of conflict resolution strategies. It also addresses the role of negotiation in collective bargaining, the influence of the EU on industrial democracy, and methods for employee participation. Finally, the report assesses the impact of human resource management on employee relations, providing a comprehensive overview of the factors that contribute to a successful and harmonious work environment within the Marriott hotel group.

EMPLOYEE
RELATION

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Unitary and pluralistic frames of reference...........................................................................1
1.2 Changes in trade unionism affected employee relation........................................................3
1.3 The role of main players in employee relation......................................................................3
Task 2...............................................................................................................................................4
2.1 Procedures when dealing with conflict situation..................................................................4
2.2 Key features of employees in conflict situation....................................................................5
2.3 The effectiveness of procedures used in conflict situation ..................................................6
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................7
3.1 Role of negotiation in collective bargaining.........................................................................7
3.2 Impact of negotiation strategy for a given situation..............................................................8
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................9
4.1 Influence of the EU on industrial democracy in the UK......................................................9
4.2 Methods used to gain employee participation and involvement in the decision making ...10
4.3 Impact of human resource management on employee relations.........................................11
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
Employee relation is very much needed aspect in any company to get success, without
having any relation of employer and employee a firm will not be able to make himself stable in
market. A relation exists when a person is working legally in for consideration. The company has
to make a coordination in between a employer and employee in perfect manner (Mowday, Porter
and Steers, 2013). To maintain the image and reputation of hotel employer has to maintain a
good relation with employee. Generally employers make collaboration with employees on some
typical task which had to be done early than other projects. The report will based on
MARRIOTT hotel industry. It was founded by S. EDWARD MARRIOTT in year approximately
(1956). Industry has around 500 hotels around globe. The industry holds 4th position according to
times news in UK. Report will discuss about, employees relation with the industry, employees
relations against changing background, role of employers in employee relation, understanding
the industrial conflict and its resolution, understanding collective bargaining and negotiation
processes, and getting people participation and involvement in industry. Impact of human
resource management on employee relation, effective procedures in conflict solutions, all such
will be discussed in project report.
TASK 1
1.1 Unitary and pluralistic frames of reference
The unitary and pluralistic frames of references are as follows:
 Unitary frames: In this reference the whole members of industry shares a common goals
and objectives. The each and every employee of organisation from top to bottom or
bottom to top everyone works for the same industry objectives. If a industry allows a
unitary for the purpose of communication of employees with employers within a firm and
sometimes to include them in taking decisions for them also than its a great way of
creating a coordination and relation among those (Newsom, Turk and Kruckeberg, 2012).
Although unitary is the one who looks for the employee development. Values and
assumptions of unitary frames says that conflict in between employer and employee at
workplace is not expected.
 Pluralistic frames: This reference view the industry as powerful and competing. This
frames has a disagreement or conflict to share profits and industry matters of employee
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and employers. This shows the role of employers are lesser, or all these trade union plays
an effective role in this approach. Such as conflicts or disputes are managed by the
bargaining process, even dispute is not a bad thing but sometimes conflicts creates an
evolution in industry. Management and trade unions are the two sub-groups of pluralistic
view.
Both references unitary and pluralistic are main part of employee relation with the
industry. These frames brings to ideas of solving a problems of conflict in industry. In both
references the trade unions plays an effective role in making a issue clear with the firm in perfect
manner (Bach and Kessler, 2011). Although to make a industry reputed and want to have a great
image of industry than they have to follow the path of employee relation.
(Source : Frame of reference, 2017)
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Illustration 1: Frames of reference

1.2 Changes in trade unionism affected employee relation
Changes in trade union is affecting the employee relation from past so many decades.
And changes in union always affects the employee within industry in a great manner. Strikes in
industry stops work in for a day or for few days which affects reputation and image of the
industry in very bad manner. If trade union is made for creating a communication in between the
various levels and to involve them in making decision than it is for good purpose but if union are
made for bad purposes than it is not good for hotel industries. Generally it has seen that trade
unions are formed to protect the employees from getting destroyed, as changes are there so
industry employed the employee on condition and workers are unorganized its subject to
exploitation by employees (Morris, 2012). In UK, trade union organisation is featured by large
number of very small unions and with low number of large trade unions. In Hotel industry it is
require to have a good relation of employer with employees because its work of pleasing and
hospitality, a hotel industry is grown up by humans working for them. It is required to avoid or
stay away from conflicts and disputes in industry and make a healthy relation among the both
parties at each and every level.
Employee relation is a broader term, industry relations are base of relationship in between
employer and employee and somewhere it increases the skills of adjusting and to have
cooperation/coordination among various levels and employees with industry. Development of
trade union are there, it is a responsibility of industry to maintain a great relation with employees
to decrease the volume of fights and conflicts. It helps in getting a good industrial relation
between employer and employee.
1.3 The role of main players in employee relation
The senior managers plays a effective role in their industry, they try to create a healthy
relation in between the various levels and good relation among the employees and employers
(Dörrenbächer and Geppert., 2011). The senior and HR managers, CEO of industry somehow
plays a effective role in making a great relation of industry with each other.
The role played by these managers are as follows:
 Senior managers: They are responsible for developing or making new policies for the
industry and they make new decisions for the industry as one. Their role is to make
understood the decision to the employees of firm so that they can work in right direction
for the industry. Not clear decisions make a possibility of conflicts and disputes in
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between employer and employee. So its become a responsibility of senior managers to
solve the conflicts and try their best to influence them not to create any conflict among
themselves.
 HR managers: In hotel industry it is very much required to have a good relation in
between the employer and employee to make industry a reputed firm and hotel in
effective way. HR managers are responsible to solve the problems of conflict in between
the employer and employee in perfect manner. Although the manager tries not to have
any disputes in industry to have a smoother function of firm. Such people at that
designation tries to solve effectively, HR has a right to fire any employee who is creating
a situation of conflicts.
 CEO: They try to bring a healthy relation in between the various levels of industry,
having a great coordination among these levels and different departments leads to a
effective working of employees CEO are responsible to have feedback on regular basis
to know any discrepancies happing in industry or not, if it is there than to solve such on
time to make his industry to run in smoother way.
Task 2
2.1 Procedures when dealing with conflict situation
Its really hard for any organisation to solve the conflicts in the organisation in perfect
manner. It is required to know the problems a employee is suffering from which is creating a
point of conflicts in industry those disputes are as follows:
 Not proper communication at different levels.
 Leadership problem is there.
 Harassment problem.
 Unequally treatment of employees.
 Not proper facilities.
Stress ans so on....
These are the problems who is creating situation of conflict in industry in a very bad
manner. It is required to solve such problems of disputes in industry to have a smoother
functioning of work (Wilkinson and Fay, 2011). There are some procedures which has to be
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followed to solve the situation of conflicts in industry. Some of those solution or procedures are
as follows:
 Creating coordination among different levels.
 Regularly looking for feedbacks from employees.
 Providing them a healthy environment.
 Lower work load at a single time.
 Providing opportunity to the employees (Mowday, Porter and Steers, 2013)
 Having solution of harassment in industry.
Having a effective procedures helps to solve such conflicts in a perfect manner. These solution
can provide a relief to industry to have a smoother functioning. All such solution can be provided
after having meetings of CEO and senior managers and HR managers in right form.
Communicating with employees on regular basis. Keeping a formal complaint and having full
explanation of conflict happened. The thing which is required is to solve problems on time so
that dispute does not affect the image and reputation of industry in great manner. Generally
MARRIOTT does not face any issues like dispute or something but, it is required by firm to have
a cordial relation among the employees and employer (Ouimet and Zarutskie, 2014). Hotel
industry are the one who faces such thing generally in higher manner. So, it is important for firm
to work over these to reduce the position of disputes.
2.2 Key features of employees in conflict situation
It Is very much important to listen employees in industry to reduce the chances of
conflicts. When a firm on regular basis listen to people and provide a solution to them on time
than a 80% of work has been done to ignore the decision of conflicts. Sometimes trade union
also plays an effective role in getting the right of employees, unions are always not made for bad
purposes but they are made for good things as well, when actually a employee feels irritated or
gets into problem then it creates a chances of conflicts in industry. Key feature which a employee
holds are as follows:
 Working coordination.
 Receiving training not properly
 Less consideration
 Reward system should be fine
 Communication
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Such key features has a great impact on working of employees, some of the points are
generally very much effective and having a real practises. Employees do get affected with such
practises. Listening to employees in right manner gives them wings to perform better and in
effective way. Motivated people of organisation will work hard for the industry. Industries has a
big pitfall of trade unions just because with this their reputation goes down. By creating a good
relation with the employees it brings a chances of getting work in proper manner. Employee
relation is a great aspect in industry, doesn't have a good cordial relation with them than they can
bring your hotel to wind up in market (Budd, Gollan and Wilkinson, 2010). An employees are
those Who helps industries to achieve their goals and objectives on time, it is important to solve
the queries occurred at lower level for smoother functioning. Hotels are the sector of pleasing
their guest every time, and that thing has to be performed by their staff. If staff is not ready for
those and rudely pleases the guest than its a big disadvantage or having pitfall for hotel industry,
so it is needed to keep employees happy and warm.
2.3 The effectiveness of procedures used in conflict situation
The procedures are having a great effectiveness on conflict situation. Managing an
employees effectively gives a perfect match of relation in between employer and the employee.
The procedure chose should be effective in their criteria of solving the problems. Procedure does
help in solving the issues and allow industry to work smoother in continuous form. Effective
procedure helps industry to attain their objectives and goals in within the time period. The
procedure followed by industry to solve their critical problems effectively are as follow:
 Creating coordination among levels
 Having solution to harassment in industry
 Regularly looking for feedback from employees
 Lower work load at particular time
The effectiveness of procedure should be like solving a problem within few scale of hours.
Effective procedure provides a efficient way of solving issues, making relation in between
employer and employee has a great impact on the industry reputation and image. Solving the
issues of employees provides them a valuable thing in the industry and they start doing their
work effectively with motivation (eyer, Hecht and et. al., 2010). These procedures has to be
maintained at every level or organisation, taking feedbacks from employees on regular basis has
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a great impact on senior level and on lower level too. Having such kind of thing in industry
employees feels safe and a important member of firm.
Procedure should be like which create a affectivity in the working of employees in a
perfect manner. The hotel MARRIOTT has a big pitfall of employee relation with them, they try
to hold the employees and get work done from them. Providing motivation and help to those
people will work effectively for the firm in a perfect manner. The hotel takes a feedback from the
employees on regular basis to ignore the issues of conflict in firm.
TASK 3
3.1 Role of negotiation in collective bargaining
Collective bargaining is that process which has certain unions of workers that provides
them some legislation and rights in order to preserve their rights and responsibilities. Here
negotiation is done between employees and management. There is no intervention of third party
in this process. Direct discussions are primarily done between the staff members and the
management. Negotiation takes place from both the parties. For instance, union members of
Marriott hotel would keep their demands to the head or governing manager of the Marriott
regarding terms and conditions of employment and the job cuts. The authorisation would counter
the conditions of the staff members and at last the compensation or compromise get happen from
both the sides for resolving the conflicts. Therefore, negotiation plays an eminent role in the
procedure of collective bargaining. In this technology, cooperation of every associate and group
leaders of venture can effectively negotiate and talk about whole terms of methods and
techniques. By adopting this culture or processes, Marriott decides their plans and policies of
their hotel so that workers do not face any type of issues and give their best in providing
hospitality services to their clients (Lavelle, Gunnigle and McDonnell, 2010).
They are also capable of formulating employment law and norms in the favour their
workers as well as their hotel. It aids in determining various issues and problems which are
related to intrinsic situations and also encounter the trade unions conflicts by reaching the
desirable objectives of employees of organisation. In addition to that, it also create a positive
working environment and as process of adaptability goes on. Some roles and responsibilities of
corporate bargaining and process of negotiation are described below :
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 Negotiation assist in improving the effectiveness of collective bargaining process. The
major and foremost objectives and goals of this processes is to remove all the issues and
problems within the company that would give growth to their staff members (Kim,
MacDuffie and Pil, 2010). In Marriott, each and every conflicts arises between the
employer and employees are solved effectively. This also helps in rising the productivity
as workers do their job happily and are satisfied with their wages. But Marriott has to
focus more in this process as their employees are migrating to other ventures. So, they
should arrange a meeting and discuss their issues so that disputes get solved and they
will not move to other companies.
 This procedures will also motivate their workers in doing the work accurately and
properly on time. They also feel good and comfortable as they think venture is going to
listen their problems and also develop some solutions.
3.2 Impact of negotiation strategy for a given situation
The strategy of the negotiation is commonly the interaction of parties active in the
conflicts. There are different type of strategies which are involved in the process of negotiation
and give its impact which is explained below :
 Competitive strategy : It is the strategy which is allied with the sensitive process where
the postulation for the proposal is being forwarded to the well-qualified bidding parties.
This strategy shows the competition that is present in the working environment. As
hospitality sector is very vast, there is a great competition. Marriott follow or use this
strategy as challengers are winners or losers. They examine each and every aspect as it
has the positive impact on the work culture because it helps in achieving the success
within very short interval of time.
 Accommodative strategies : This strategy is followed for resolving the main issue
which is creating impact on the performance of organisation to a great extent. Such
scheme is used for meeting the financial crises by obviating the situation of huge
turnover and the more termination (Kersley and et. al., 2013). They provides different
offers to the workers so that they stay for a long time period and by this way various
operations of company can be performed effectively.
 Avoiding strategy : This strategy is utilised for avoiding several main issues that are
being tacked by the Marriott. By this way they can concentrate on essential issues raised
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by the workers regarding the scheduling of work (Negotiation strategies, 2017). If they
are not in a phase for changing or modifying it as they are a private organisation, they try
to avoid it for a certain time period and adopt the different tactics for solving it.
 Compromising strategy : This scheme is used when employees try to negotiate for the
position holding by them in the corporation. The compromisation will be carried out by
both the parties that is management as well as employees.
(Source : Negotiation strategies, 2017)
TASK 4
4.1 Influence of the EU on industrial democracy in the UK
Industrial democracy means employees are thought as a partners of the firm and increase
their empowerment for taking decisions. European Union has direct influence on the industrial
democracy in the UK in which company operates. It is the structure that defines the working
environment and as per that whole venture design their frameworks.
As the cultural dimensions differs from place to place, such policies find out the level of
several aspects that directly impact on the industrial democracy of UK. EU imposes different
acts that would influence the dynamics of working of Marriott as workers are also engaged in
making significant decisions which is associated with their effectual participation in company
(Kim and Rhee, 2011). This implementation increases the working quality of their staff members
and as a result their standard get raised. More ever, it is effective as it aids in boosting their
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Illustration 2: Negotiation strategies

skilfulness as the employer are sharing information with the workers liked to the complete
functioning of the Marriott.
Such policies describe the set standards according to the perspective jobs, terms and
conditions regarding the work environment. This avoids main problems which impacts their
working. These policies also find out the effective and comfortable working environment.
EU believes in creating a non discriminatory environment for overall market in UK that
consist of conflicts, disputes, barriers, etc. This would assist in building strong relationship
employees or organisations. Some of the positive impact of EU on industrial democracy are
listed below :
 Equal opportunities : It provides equal chances to all workers in proving their
skilfulness. This creates motivation in all the employees (Høyrup and et. al., 2012). Here
no one discriminated on the basis of colour, caste, race, religion, age, etc.
 Employment security : According to labour law of Europe, no organisation can
terminate their workers instantly without giving any notice. Workers can also demand for
the favourable working environment.
 Employee relation : EU frequently influence organisations in making strong and healthy
relations with their employees. They also focus on procedures of negotiation so that
rights of workers are kept in every corporation.
4.2 Methods used to gain employee participation and involvement in the decision making
The comparison between methodologies utilised in gaining employee involvement and
engagement in the process of decision-making are described below :
 Employee participation : This includes the workers for sharing their views while
making decisions within venture. It is a motivational technique that can be used by
Marriott to increase the satisfaction level and morale in their workers which in turn the
effectiveness will be upgarded and conflicts are minimised (Holland and et. al., 2012).
Employee involvement on the contrary concentrates on the environment where the
contribution of employees towards the current processing of the firm is effective. It can
be also considered as a tool that can be applied by the Marriott in increasing their
productivity.
 Representative participation : This is another method whereby representatives of the
employees, unions and employers used to seat and talk about the certain problems of the
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