Employee Relations: EU Influence, HRM, and Participation

This report delves into the multifaceted realm of employee relations, examining the significant influence of the European Union (EU) on industrial democracy within the UK. It highlights the evolution of employee value and the EU's role in establishing a framework for worker protection through legislation such as minimum wages and equal opportunity acts. The report further explores various methods of fostering employee participation and involvement, including participative decision-making, teamwork, delegation of responsibilities, suggestion schemes, and motivation strategies. It also analyzes the crucial role of Human Resource Management (HRM) in maintaining positive employee relations by recruiting skilled individuals, conducting training, evaluating performance, and managing conflicts. The report emphasizes the importance of adhering to equal opportunity policies and creating a supportive work environment to ensure employee satisfaction and strong relationships, supported by references to academic research.

EMPLOYEE RELATIONS
(TASK 4)

4.1 INFLUENCE OF EUROPEAN UNION
ON INDUSTRIAL DEMOCRACY IN UK
 Industrial democracy is regarded as the process of workers
involvement the business which is considered as an imperative and
inevitable element for the smooth functioning.
 With the changing era, employees become an valuable assets of the
enterprises, rather than only a source for transforming raw material
into finished goods.
 Over the period, EU has implemented number of legislations and
regulatory framework for protection of workers rights and
preventing their exploitation.
 For instance, introduction of minimum wages act, no discrimination,
equal opportunity act are several important legislations which all the
member state of EU needs to follow in their regular business
practices.

CONTD.
 All the EU policies, laws, regulations and policies have direct
impact on employee relationship. It makes it mandatory for the
entities to follow respective laws and legislations such as equal
treatment of the workers without any biasness on the basis of age,
gender, race, ethnic background, culture, region and many others.
 Moreover, looking at the present corporate market, many of the
cultural differences can be seen in the nation. EU policies and laws
helps to prevent the right of all the employees by giving them equal
right and opportunity without any biasness. It aids in business
decisions by obtaining suggestions, views and ideas of each worker.

CONTD.
 Now, companies have legal liability to follow necessarily
the rules and regulations to treat their workers in well
manner. For instance, minimum wages, working hours,
post-retirement benefits, safety and security at workplace
are several legislations which deliver number of benefits
to the employees. Non-compliance with the policies may
result in law suits and also affects adversely the brand
position.

4.2 COMPARING METHODS TO GAIN
EMPLOYEE PARTICIPATIONS AND
INVOLVEMENT
 Participative decision-
making: PDM is
considered best way to
encourage and motivate
workers to present and
express their views and
unique ideas for the
smooth functioning. In
this, managers involve
their subordinates while
making any kind of
decisions.

CONTD.
 Teamwork: Now-a-days, many of
the companies work at international
level with having cross-cultural and
diversified workers. Therefore, they
develop teamwork practices at the
workplace, in which, each and every
member of the respective team
express their ideas, suggestions and
views.
 Delegation of roles and
responsibilities: In this, companies
give full authority and right to their
personnel to take decisions in
relation to their field of job.

CONTD.
 Suggestion schemes: In the corporate world, firms also
make arrangement of suggestion boxes, complaint
system and many others to promote business personnel
to come up with new ideas and suggestions for the better
functioning of the business activities.
 Motivation: Motivated staff works with high level of
dedication and commitment to complete their assigned
duties and job responsibilities more effectively.


CONTD.
 Equal opportunity policies: Adherence to the equal opportunity
act provides great assistance to encourage workers from difficult
culture and social groups to present their opinion, views, ideas
and suggestions. This in turn, companies can strengthen
relationship with the employees and get unique ideas for meeting
targets.
 Other ways:
 Training and development helps to enhance workers capability
and competencies, which in turn, built confident among workers.
This in turn, they will desire to express their view point in the
front of managers and higher authority.
 Elimination of communication gaps among subordinates and top-
authority also helps to combat problems in the employee
engagement and participation process in decision-making.

4.3 IMPACT OF HUMAN RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT ON EMPLOYEE RELATIONS
 Human Resource Management (HRM) plays a key role
in maintaining better relationship among the business
personnel with the help of following ways:
 HR professionals recruit and hire skilled and talented
people in the organization so as to meet the objectives
and targets of the organizations.
 HR managers conduct training and development sessions
for the employees to maximize their potential, skills,
capabilities and performance enhancement.

 Employee performance is also evaluated by the HR
managers upon which promotional decisions are based.
 HR professionals are accountable to motivate workforce
by employing variety of ways and techniques. In such
respect, reward, awards, high remuneration,
membership, holiday packages and many others are used
by the HR department to encourage and motivate people.

CONTD.
 In the modern era, many times, it is possible to arise
issues and problems between workers, more importantly
within the members of cross-culture group. In this, HR
manager take necessary steps and come up with the
solution to handle conflicts in order to maintain healthier
relationship.
 In addition to this, conducting activities at the
workplace, health and safety arrangements, compliance
with the laws and policies, equal opportunity, no
discrimination, staff welfare activities also enable HR
managers to satisfy their workers and help to build
strong relationship with them.

REFERENCES
 Van Wanrooy, B. and et.al., 2013. Employment Relations
in the Shadow of Recession: Findings from the 2011
Workplace Employment Relations Study. Palgrave
macmillan.
 Broom, G. M., Sha, B. L. and Seshadrinathan, S., 2013.
Cutlip & Center's effective public relations. Essex,
England: Pearson Education.
 Noon, M., Blyton, P. and Morrell, K., 2013. The realities
of work: Experiencing work and employment in
contemporary society. Palgrave Macmillan.