Employee Relations Report: Analyzing Strategies at Tesco PLC (BUS301)

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of employee relations within Tesco PLC. It begins by defining employee relations and emphasizing their importance for organizational success. The report then explores unitary and pluralistic frames of reference, highlighting their different perspectives on employer-employee relationships. It examines the impact of changes in trade unionism on employee relations, considering political, legal, and technological factors. The report further discusses the roles of key players in employee relations, including managers, government agencies, and workers. It delves into procedures for resolving conflicts, such as conciliation, arbitration, and mediation. The report also covers the role of negotiations in collective bargaining and the impact of negotiation strategies. Finally, it examines the influence of the EU on industrial democracy in the UK and compares methods for employee involvement in decision-making, concluding with an assessment of the impact of human resource management on employee relations.

Employee Relations

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Unitary and pluralistic frames of reference...........................................................................1
1.2 How changes in trade unionism have affected employee relations......................................3
1.3 Role of the main players in employee relations....................................................................4
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................5
2.1 Procedure which is used to resolve various conflicts situation.............................................5
2.2 Key features of employee relation in selected situation........................................................6
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................8
3.1 Different role of negotiations in collective bargaining.........................................................8
3.2 Impact of negotiation strategy.............................................................................................10
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................11
4.1 Influence of the EU on industrial democracy in UK...........................................................11
4.2 Comparison of the method used to gain employees and involvement in the decision
making.......................................................................................................................................11
4.3 Impact of human resource management on employee relation...........................................12
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCE'S..............................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
Employee relations define the various type of relation which take place between staff
members. It is an effective interaction process within management and employees. For every
business organization employees are one of the most important assets and play crucial role in the
overall success of the firm in effective manner. It is main responsibility of the manager to
maintain healthy and positive relation with all the employees so that they easily enhance their
productivity level at workplace and attain higher success (Bae, Kang and Wang, 2011). In this
employer and employees relation affect the business performance and also encourage the morale
of the workers so that they perform their work with high efficiency which contribute in success
of the business. Effective and better employees not increase the productivity but also reduce the
chances of arising conflicts at workplace. Present report is based on Tecso PLC, it is a
multinational grocery retail store which operate their business at various countries and generate
more revenue in every year. Various number of things discussed in this assignment which all are
related top the employees relations. Unitary and pluralistic frames is mentioned in this report.
There are various player of main player in employees relation is also discussed. Along with this
negotiations and its impact is also mentioned in this process that aid in achieving higher growth.
TASK 1
1.1 Unitary and pluralistic frames of reference
Reference frame can be considered as a way of seeing employee relations in company's
context. It can be considered as a feature of employee relations. It can be identified in two
different ways i.e. unitary and pluralistic. Both the approaches are having different view point as
well as slightly different perception that needs to be understood. It has been considered or linked
with the methods stating which the relation with the employee in a company can be managed
especially in a company such as Tesco Plc. Relationship between the company and its employees
determines the environment of the company as well as it dictates the welfare of Tesco plc.
In the unitary perspective of relations of employee with its employer is based on the
belief or fact that management has the power to take decisions and any change in the important
affairs of the firm lies in the hands of one individual (Campbell and Rahman,2010Demerouti,and
Cropanzano, 2010). It can also be said by this perspective that employee lies on the top of the
organisational structure and has power to take important decisions which can benefit the
1

company's operations. Unitary perspective also denotes that leaders present in the enterprise such
as Tesco plc. Are having larger set of roles and responsibilities. Apart from these responsibility
there is one more role that they have to enhance the commitment of the employee towards the
firm as well as improving the loyalty standards of the workers. It also showcases the fact that if
in the firm culture of working as a team is applied then objectives, task and objectives can be
achieved efficiently. It eliminates the fact that conflicts among the managers and workers has
occurred due to their different interests (Gopal and Chowdhury, 2014). Employee relation's
unitary perspective believes that trade unions and workers are unable to solve the conflicts arise
between them and management because they are ineffectiveness. These conflicts harm the
working environment and reduces the overall efficiency of the firm and management cannot do
anything in these kind of situations. It creates a feeling of dissatisfaction in the minds of base or
potential customers.
On the other side of the coin lies the pluralistic approach of employee relation. This
approach relies on the notion in every firm there are different kinds of workers and each has a
different set of behaviour, attitude, beliefs and value. As per the views of this approach company
plays as an essential player and has a role in behaving as a mediator. Trade unions also have
crucial role as due to presence of such kind of unions power to make decisions lies in the hands
of workers along with the management. Pluralistic approach undertakes the fact that stability in
employee relations can be achieved by performing numerous concessions and negotiations
among managers and workers using process of collective bargaining.
By taking the use of any of the two approaches Tesco plc can enhance their performance
by making perfect employee relations and avoiding the situations like strike out. Both these
approaches underlines that it is beneficial to develop trade unions so that they can directly
resolve worker matter in case of any conflict by having discussions with these trade unions.
2

(Source: Conflict, 2016)
1.2 How changes in trade unionism have affected employee relations
Trade union is more effective for the business that directly affect the employees relation
in appropriate manner because it helps in protecting and safeguarding the workers interest at
workplace. Basically trade union is a group of peoples who saving the interest of of employer
and employees. In 1901, trade union take legal action of those firm who does not provide
facilities to their employees at workplace (Kakar, Raziq and Khan, 2015). They also set some
rules and regulation for every employees who work on the organization so that firms are bound
to follow all the rules in effective way so that they can provide better facilities and motivate their
workers toward its work. Various changes take place in trade union which impact on employees
relation. That define variations in macro environmental factors which are as follows:
3
Illustration 1: Employee relations

Political and legal: All the new laws and policies directly impact employees relations in Tesco.
Like, UK government set some act and laws which is related to the employer to provide the
better and equal opportunities to their workers. This situation enhance the dispute between trade
union and management. They they do not follow these rule so that it define negative impact on
organization and also reduce the profit margin of the Tesco at market place.
Technological: It is an effective process which is used by the Tecso in their operational process
that reduce the workers demand in the firm. In this trade union play important role in protecting
the workers interest over there. It also set some rules which protect the job of the worker and also
ensure that employees are not fire their job which impact on the relation between company and
the all staff members. In this situation the employees of Tesco go to the strike for their wrights
which hamper in the company sales and its profitability at marketplace.
In this trade union play an important role in reducing the dispute between employer and
employees which aid in enhancing the overall productivity of the company in effective manner.
They set some effective rules and regulation to protect the employees and interest in order to
achieve positive results in appropriate manner (Kumari, 2012). The main aim of trade union is to
reduce several conflicts which arise at workplace that reduce the workers morale so that they
protect the employees rights to develop the company performance in effective manner.
1.3 Role of the main players in employee relations
Employees relation define the effective bound between employer and employees which
assist in enhancing the company performance. Every organization wants to success at
marketplace and it is possible with employees because they are important assets of the company
and also contribute in organizational success. In Tesco various type of individuals having their
skills which play significant role in employee relations. All these are as follows:
 Manager: Employer play an important role in Tesco and also help in maintain the
healthy relation among all the employees in appropriate manner. The important duty of
manager is to provide better environment to their workers so that they perform their work
effectively and get desirable results. They also manager all the process which create
conflicts between the workers. Enhance the employees productivity if one of the
important duty of the manager for this they provide better work and guide and motivate
them on regular basis so that they encourage morale of the workers in effective manner.
On the other hand manager set all the target of the firm in effective manner (Role of
4

Managers in Employee Relationship, 2017). Manager of the Tesco acts as a negotiator
who discuss all the information in their staff members so that they aware all the policies
in effective way.
 Government agencies: Parliament is more important for every business because they set
various laws and regulation which formulate in the Tesco process in order to maintain the
healthy working environment as well as relation among all the employees. They include
various act like child labour law, health and safety act, minimum wages act and many
more act with all are the relation to the employees rights in the company (Peretti and
Sarkisian, 2014). With the help of these policies government maintain the positive and
healthy relation which aid in rising the employees commitment towards the organization.
 Workers: In organization employees are the most important part because all are carry
their duty to perform their task in effective manner. All these duties assigned by the
employer to enhance the productivity of the company in better way. For this they have to
responsible to follow all the rules and regulation which is define by the Tesco.
Employees are the person who take effective participate in various reorganizational
programs to develop their efficiency. This will aid in maintaining the positive and healthy
relation between employer and employers. With the help of effective policies Tesco
manager easily enhance the productivity of the worker which contribute in overall
success of the firm.
TASK 2
2.1 Procedure which is used to resolve various conflicts situation
Business organization is a place where number of people work together in order to
achieve positive results. Every employees of the organization having different interest and
opinion with each other so that it create chances of arising issue and problems among employees.
This is very difficult situation between employees and employer that reduce the productivity of
the worker toward its work. In the business both employee and employer having different aspects
and interest that rising the conflicts which lead to defining negative environment at the
workplace. For resolving the all issues management follow various and effective process to deal
with the conflicts situation. So that effective monitoring and proper working on the situations
more important because it affect the overall productivity of the company (Pulasinghage, 2010). If
5

it do not sole effectively so that it reduce the performance of the Tesco at market place. There are
various principle which is used by the cited company top resolve all the problems that arise at
working place and among the employees: Conciliation: It is a third party that play important role in the business because it involve
in the firm to resolve issues. It is essentials duty of conciliation which settle down the
issue with mutually understanding with the employer and employees. Arbitration: It is an effective process to take a better decision which is related to the
particular issue that arise in two or more than two parties.
 Meditation: In this it define the better suggestions of the issue which is more important
for the business to resolve the problem in effective manner. For this mediations is a
person who play an important role ion providing the suitable advice and recommendation
for resolving the conflicts which arise between two or more parties.
There are two type of process which is used by the Tesco to resolve the problems that rise
between two or more parties. Which is more important because it helps in defining effective
justifications of the issue in effective stages that used by the manager of the company to reduce
the conflicts (Rashid, Asad and Ashraf, 2011). In this there are two type of process which is used
by the company to eliminate the problems from the workplace in effective manner which are as
follows: Formal procedure: In this process all the things are complete in systematic manner. In
this both parties can used arbitrator and consent to solve all the conflicts which arise
between both parties.
 Informal procedure: In this a committee define a effective frame which is used by
company to resolve the conflicts which arise between two parties.
Tesco use these process in their business organization to resolve the problems as well as
conflicts which arise between employer and employees. This will aid in enhancing the overall
quality and productivity of the employees as well as company in effective manner.
2.2 Key features of employee relation in selected situation
In organisation maintain employee relation is more important because it create the
positive work environment in order to improve the output of the company in effective manner.
Sometimes situations arise in the employees which create in the conflicts that take place between
employee and employees so that it is not effective for the business because it increase the
6

negative work surroundings at the workplace (Rothmann and Rothmann Jr, 2010). So that
workers do not perform their task in effective manner. It is important duty of the manager to take
strict action to maintain the positive nature in the management. For this effective process have to
be implemented and resolve all the problems. Discrimination is a big issue arise in the
management between employees at Tesco because female worker think that effective work
allocation is not properly done by the management. The main reason behind this situation is to
providing high salary to the male employees and also provide more opportunities to them which
reduce the female morale towards its work. For this effective and best steps have to be taken by
the management to resole it effectively and maintain the positive relation between both male and
female employees. There are some features of discrimination in employee relation are as follows: Dissatisfaction among employees: It is a big issue which create conflict situation in the
business. In this female think that Tecso do not provide theme their rights as compare to
male staff. All the opportunities provide to the male staff so that female staff do not
satisfy with the firm which arise the big issue among male and female staff.
 Inappropriate analysis of skills: This features is also impact on employees and affect
their relation because the manager and leader analysis individual skills in improper way
so that it create the conflict situation that take place between employees and employers. It
is important responsibility of management to evaluate as well as analysis the skills in
effective manner which reduce the chances of arising the issues. The main reason behind
discrimination id that manager analysis female skills in wrong way so that they face this
problems in the business and do perform well.
All these key features is related to the conflict situation which arise between employee ad
employer. So that it is main responsibility of management to take better step in order to resolve
the conflicts and manage positive relation among them in appropriate manner. With the help of
effective step management easily operate their process and make effective working environment
at the organization which aid in enhancing the overall productivity of the company at
marketplace.
2.3 Effectiveness of process used in selected conflicts situation
Every organization wants to resolve all the conflicts between employer and employees so
that they easily enhance their overall productivity in effective manner. In this effective process
can be used by the Tesco to resole the conflicts in better way (Saeed, Nayyab and Lodhi, 2013).
7

Conflicts arise at every stages of the business because of each peoples having their different
interest. So that it provide effective procedure to deal with the issues. In Tesco a big issue which
is define between male and female staff which is discrimination. In this every female staff think
that management do not provide same opportunities to male and female staff. So that in increase
the negative work environment at the organization because the more opportunities provided to
the male staff as compare to the female. For resolve this problems Tesco use effective and
appropriate process which reduce the conflicts and maintain the better relation among all the
staff members.
Mediator is one of the important person who handle conflicts in effective manner so that
they solve it effectively and enhance employees productivity. In this mediator give some
effective recommendation as well as suggestions for the situation. The trade union and
management also take better decision with mutual understanding and solve the issue. Proper
communication between employer and employee is also an effective process so that both give
their opinion about the conflicts and also provide better views for it. It is more appropriate
process to resole the problems so that performance of the organization easily managed in better
way. In this communication process every employees have rights to put their opinion and also
ask the reason of the conflicts and it is responsibility of the employer to give valid and process
answer of the question (Shuck and et.al., 2013). If staff members are satisfied with employer
justification so that they easily resolve the conflicts. On the other hand it they do not provide
effective and valid reason so that they increase the chances of arising the problems among the
employees. Hence, it is more important for the manager of the company to handle all the
conflicts with proper manner so that they improve the employees productivity and effective
working environment which aid in enhancing overall performance of the company at
marketplace.
TASK 3
3.1 Different role of negotiations in collective bargaining
Collective bargaining is an effective process in which various people in group evaluating
the negotiation activity which is related to the employment in the business organization. It define
the appropriate way which aid in providing healthy discussion between employer and employees
in organization. The main aim of collective bargaining is to resolve all the conflicts which arise
8

at workplace with in the staff members. It play an important role in the business because it
provide better process to eliminate all the issue and increase the productivity of the workers by
providing satisfaction level in effective manner (Van Zyl, 2010). In this negotiation is also
important because it aid in making better relation among all the employees and at the same it
also fulfil or the needs of employees. In this negotiation play an important role ion protecting the
employee interest towards it work which contribute in enhancing the overall productivity of the
company is effective manner.
Negotiation is an effective strategy which is used by the company which aid in finding
the better solution of the problem with the help of employer and employees mutual
understanding. It aid in resolving all the conflicts and also eliminate the cause of the problems so
that the chances of arising the problem is also decrease. It is an important responsibility of a
manager of the company to solve all the negative aspect of the conflicts. If conflicts take place in
business environment it not only increase the cost of operation but also reduce the overall
productivity of the company in market. Manager of the Tesco use negotiation strategy in their
business process to eliminate all the issues and make better environment with aid in maintaining
the positive as well as healthy relationship among all the employees. There are some effective
key feature of negotiation strategy in the business activities: Negotiation aid in finding the better solution: In business process of Tesco negotiation
aid in evaluating the better solution of the problems to eliminate it effectively. It aid to
the manager to organize the healthy discussion among all the employees about the
conflicts so that they find effective solution of the issue.
 Enhance the overall efficiency and effectiveness: In this process the negotiation
approach is an effective which is used by the company to evaluate the main reason
behind the conflicts that faced by the employees at workplace. In this the top
management of the company conduct a formal meeting with their staff members about
the discrimination problems that is faced by the female staff. So that the negotiation aid
in resoling the particular problems in effective manner and also improve the company
performance in appropriate manner. The main advantage of using this strategy, it assist
in developing the effective process enhance the effectiveness in the business activities.
9

3.2 Impact of negotiation strategy
Negotiation strategy is process of resolving the conflicts which arise between employer
and employees ate workplace. In which two parties communicate with each other about resolving
the conflicts in effective way. Negotiation strategy helps in managing all the situation which
arise in the Tesco activities. This strategy can be related to the yielding, compromising,
competing and problem solving which aid in improving the overall productivity of the company
in effective manner. All these are used by the cited company on the basis of conflicts which are
as follows: Yielding: This is not a part of the negotiation strategy because in this one party think that
other party is more powerful than them so that they accept all the truth which he is saying
(Korkmaz, 2012). So that is is not used by the company because it create negative impact
overall performance of the company. Compromising: This is most effective and positive approach which used by the Tesco
manager in their process in which both parties do compromise to attain fair and ethical
results. In this both parties think that no one get that they wants so that they perform their
process in effective manner. They care about each other and do compromise from each
other and also having respect from each others. With the help of this strategy manager of
the company satisfy their employees needs and also getting their commitment toward its
work and its company. Competing: This approach is a negative in all the negotiation strategy. In this both parties
put their efforts to achieving maximum profits. It is totally opposite from the
compromising strategy which reflect the competition of the business. This create negative
work environment which reduce the employees productivity so that manger of the
company should not try this approach in their process.
 Problem solving: This strategy is an effective and similar to the compromise approach.
Under this both parties put their efforts to find out the better solution of the conflicts. It is
effectively used by the manager of the company to achieving their employees
commitment towards its work. It play an important role in which define effective solution
of the conflict in appropriate manner.
10