Comprehensive Report on Employee Relations at British Airlines

This report analyzes employee relations within British Airlines, focusing on key aspects such as different frames of reference (unitary and pluralistic approaches), the impact of trade unionism changes, and the roles of key players in employment relations. The report examines conflict resolution procedures, including collaboration, empathy, and compromise, and highlights key features of employee relations in conflictual situations. It explores the role of negotiation in collective bargaining, analyzes negotiation strategies, and discusses the impact of the EU on industrial democracy in the UK. Additionally, the report considers methods for employee engagement in decision-making and the influence of human resource management on employee relations. The analysis provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges and strategies in managing employee relationships within a large organization like British Airlines.

EMPLOYEE
RELATION

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Different frames of reference for handling employee relation..............................................1
1.2 Affect of changes occurred in the trade unionism on the employee relations......................2
1.3 Roles of key players in employment relations......................................................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................4
2.1 Procedures followed by British Airlines while dealing with various conflicts.....................4
2.2 Key features of employee relations for several conflictual situations..................................5
2.3 Effectiveness of procedures followed in resolving ambivalence..........................................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 Impact of EU on industrial democracy in UK......................................................................9
4.2 Several methods of gaining employee engagement in decision making process .................9
4.3 Impact of human resource management approach on employee relation...........................10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Employee's relation can be simply refereed as a relationship that is developed between
workers for attaining the mutual objectives. The management of a corporation requires to assure
positive relationship among the workers so that a good working surrounding can be created
within venture (Atkinson and Hall, 2011). Normally, it is the responsibilities of mainly human
resource department to take care about the sectors associated with the employee's relation in the
firm. Various conflictual situation emerges due to the misinterpretations of different matters
which generate a negative relation among each other. Different methods are used for resolving
such type of conflicts such as participation, cooperation, involvement, etc. The present report is
based on the management of employee relation within British Airlines. In this project, different
frame of references are explained such as unitary and pluralistic frames of reference. Various
procedures has been also discussed that can be used while dealing with the conflictual situations.
In addition to this, the impact of European Union on industrial democracy in the United
Kingdom is also described here.
TASK 1
1.1 Different frames of reference for handling employee relation
It is very important to maintain healthy relationship among employees in order to achieve
common aims and objectives within minimum period of time. British Airlines should adopt some
theories and concepts for maintaining sound relationship with their personnels which is described
below :
 Unitary approach : This form of approach suggests workers to work jointly for a
democratic aims and purposes. Here all of the workers give their equal contribution for
achieving the ambitions and it is the job of management to evaluate the efficiency of the
groups within the achievement of target. For instance, total workforce within British
Airlines do their jobs which are allied with the satisfaction of consumers (Gupta and
Kumar, 2012). This unitary frames of reference effectively minimises the chance of
doubts or misunderstanding because all the workers here shared equal practices and
approaches for completing the task. The mission of British Airlines is to serve their
travellers in effective manner so that they can improve their quality experiences. Thereby
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all of the personnels are provided training for delivering a quality value to the consumers
visiting their organisation.
 Pluralistic approach : This frame of reference includes tow or more sub groups existing
in the venture where the interest and the goals are different from one another. These sub
groups may be the trade unions, management, etc. present within the firm. The trade
union UNITE is playing a vital role at British Airlines by making connection with
employees and the management (Syed and Ali, 2010). All the problems faced by the
workers are communicated or discussed by this trade union's representatives to the
managers of the organisation. Besides this, managers also talk about specific issues with
the representatives of UNITE for removing the misinterpretations. As a result, motivation
is generated within workers as their views are conveyed to the managers by the
representatives of trade unions.
1.2 Affect of changes occurred in the trade unionism on the employee relations
Changes which are occurring in the trade unionism is directly affecting the relationship of
employees. Trade unions is refereed as the society of employees and union leaders that unify
together having an aim of safeguarding and promoting their mutual interest such as increasing
their wages scales and other profits as well as the need for fair working environment. Trade
unions were come into force in the year of 1824 and in the same year large number of personnels
that are existing within the organisation had joined this association having an aim of getting fair
pay scale according to their work and other conditions present in the entity. Several
modifications are going on within trade unionism that have been recognised are greatly
impacting on the relationship of workers in British Airways. These alterations are happening due
to the variation in the type of external environmental factors which are explained below : Political and legal factor : Enforcement of new norms and legislations within the
economy instantly affecting the aspects that is associated with the employee relationship
in British Airways in an effectual manner (Gupta and Kumar, 2012). For example, legal
authorities has imposed various policies connected with providing equal opportunities to
employees that are working in the venture. This kind of situation arises conflicts between
trade unions and employer. Furthermore, this type of conflictual condition emerges when
the venture does not complies with the policies and practices enforced by government of
the UK. As a result, due to this conflict relation between organisation and trade union can
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be struck badly. Moreover, its direct impact can be examined on the profitability and
sales of entity.
 Technological factor : It is a fact that when firm introduce any new technology in their
working location then need or demand for employees minimises due to this. As a
consequence of this, British Airways should promote for complying with the practices
that are linked with the retrenchment of employees. In this situation, trade union plays a
role of defender and in this job, union assist and protects staff members who are working
in the organisation from being retrenched from the job. Such kind of condition hinders
the relation between unions and venture.
1.3 Roles of key players in employment relations
There are certain important person who plays an eminent role of conducting the business
activities. Some of the role of key players dealing with employee relations are listed below : Workers : Each and every individual should work towards achieving goals so that
success fullness of the venture can be determined. They should concentrate and work on
mutual goals along with their personal targets (Upchurch and Marinković, 2011). In
addition to this, they ought to attempt for resolving their grievances on time in order to
eliminate conflictual situation that might be created in future. They have to formulate a
harmonize surroundings for better working. Managers : These person should act as effectual leader. If he desires to generate
harmony then should not act as bias among their workers. There should be no superiority
complex seen in managers as it will adversely affect on the connection of workers with
them. Management can form environment of competition among their employees but this
should be a healthy so that this may not raise conflicts among them. Government agencies : Such type of institution should create and impose laws or norms
that would modify relationship between employees by making it more healthy. Besides
that, they should also monitor the activities of trade unions so that no biased or one -sided
decisions are taken into consideration. Trade union : These are known as the group of people who jointly negotiate with the
employers or managers for the protection of fundamental rights of workers. UNITE is the
trade union that works for British Airlines and do effective communication with the
management in context of issues faced by the employees. By this way, they create
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motivation and encouragement within them and as a result aims and objectives of
organisation get achieved.
 Employer association : These are the group of members who represent, defend and
advice to employers and also assist them in making their position very strong within
society. These groups are completely different from trade unions as they are formed for
controlling and taking care of complete firm. The major aim of this group is to deal with
the problems of employees from the employer's point of view. By doing these things,
they try to create a positive relationship and bring sameness in contrasting views of
employers.
Illustration 1: Role of key players in industrial relation
(Source : Role of key players in industrial relation, 2017)
TASK 2
2.1 Procedures followed by British Airlines while dealing with various conflicts
Conflicts are the outcome emerges from the misinterpretations that generate a negative
relationship among employers and employees. The conflictual situation that is being discovered
at British Airlines are the cutting of jobs done by the management. Due to this, workers gets
demotivated and give very low efforts that as a result affects the productivity of corporation. For
dealing with such kind of situation, British Airlines should take following steps : Collaboration : The management of cited venture believes in doing collaboration.
Managers normally arrange a meeting where by representatives of UNITE and workers
share their views and feedbacks. Management focuses on those feedbacks and attempts
for solving those conditions as soon as possible (Tansel and Gazîoğlu, 2014). Apart from
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that, managers also try for convincing the workers and representatives for such steps so
that they cooperate within emergency kind of situations. Empathy : Mangers also work on the sector of building positive relationship with the
workforce for motivating them and as a result production would improves. By the
maintenance of positive relationship, personnels would be in the position for sharing their
views in context of issues and management could also freely communicate with the
workers (Schmidt, Trittel and Müller, 2011). This strong relations would assist in solving
conflictual situations that has been recognised at the venture.
 Compromise : This can also be created in order to resolve the struggles. Mangers would
give some reasons for additional working hours or job cuts in British Airlines and the
workers on other hand would present their opinions based on that contracts. In this type
of situation, management would compromise such acts and personnels should also
contribute in growing the corporation which as a result would increase the opportunities
of growth.
2.2 Key features of employee relations for several conflictual situations
Industrial relations are very significant for the effectual working of the enterprise. If the
venture wishes to be successful, then it is important that they should make improvement from
time to time for harmonising the working environment at work place. Different conflicts get rises
in the firm, so it is eminent to solve these issues within minimum period of time (Suliman and Al
Kathairi, 2012). Apart from this, trust should be present among the workers as this improves
production as well as relationship. The managers of British Airlines is concentrating on the
productivity of the organisation so that their turn over and market share get increased. A
conflictual situation is arises in the cited firm as workers are doing work for extra hours without
getting any extra pay. For handling this condition, corporation should work in following ways in
order to maintain good employee relations :
 Communication : A transparent should be build within British Airlines where by clear
and effective communication can be carried on between management and the work force.
This can minimise the misunderstanding or conflicts. All the views and feedbacks are
required to be gathered so that reasons of disputes can be understand. In order to
eliminate the misinterpretation, group members should also discuss the problems among
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themselves by doing a clear communication. Besides that managers have to share or
convey all the updated norms or policies of organisation to their workers.
 Meditation : The approach of mediation can also be considered for solving the disputes
in effective manner. Managers have to make arrangement of a meeting where trade
unions should also present in order to solve the problems (Osman-Gani, , Hashim and
Ismail, 2013). In this meeting, each and every party should participate and give their
views for clearing their stands. After this discussion, all the parties should end this
meeting with a compromise and have to reach with a point that would be beneficial for all
of them.
 Trust : There should be a relationship of trust among the workers and the management as
this factor creates more confidence in all the parties which are involved in the settlement
of disputes. Personnels should have trust on the managers and for that management have
to give such example which would influence them for keeping faith and reliance on the
management.
2.3 Effectiveness of procedures followed in resolving ambivalence
The first stage of negotiation was proved to be not so effective in the case of British
Airlines because both of the parties were not ready for doing compromise. The attitude of non-
cooperation among all the parties are so high due to that desired outcome of resolution was not
achieved. There is a presence of ego among all the members of parties that can be seen by their
statements . The chief executive of cited venture Willie Walsh had stated that strikes done by the
cabin crew was the biggest failure as management has capable for serving around 72,000 users in
a day (Meisler, 2014). He had also neglected the report presented by Tony Woodley who is joint
secretary of the Unite.
On the other hand, second stage of negotiation was considered as more impressive or
effective that has settled the long disputes easily. All of the members present in parties have
shared their opinions and were ready to do compromise that is really required for solving the
critical situation occurred at British Airlines (Poor and et. al., 2011). The members of UNITE
had voted in favour of the new contract. Len McCluskey and Keith Williams have resolved the
disputes by going through an effectual communication and compromise on both the end. Now
both the parties are focussing on growing the business of the airlines so that they can develop
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their future opportunities of growth. Therefore, it is the compromise that took the largest
disputes towards an end.
TASK 3
3.1 Role of negotiation in collective Bargaining
Collective bargaining can be simply defined as a process whereby group of employees
used to carry out activities of negotiation with the managers in context with the employment.
Moreover, it can be stated that collective bargaining provides the way from which healthy
discussion can be done among management and the staff members within business organisation.
By this way, it can be said that conflicts can be resolved appropriately by using this approach.
Furthermore, importance of collective bargaining can be understood by following points :
 It aids in boosting up the moral values of employees and in turn of this rate of production
gets increased.
 It also assists in maintaining the power among the workers so that they can occupy or
build specific position within the enterprise (Robertson, Gockel and Brauner, 2012).
 This supports in self- preservation of the respect of the personnels that ultimately build up
more opportunities of achieving success by attaining aims and objectives or organisation.
 By this bargaining, there is the good and effective communication that modify the
working of venture and make it more better ion relation to previous one (Kim, Park and
Wier, 2012).
Apart from this, some of the roles of negotiation that is present in conducting collective
bargaining are mentioned below : Negotiation aids firm in term of reaching an effective conclusion : In this scenario,
representatives of employees are negotiating with managers of venture having an aim of
getting an effectual solution regarding to the issues that are being faced by them within
the working location (Poor and et. al., 2011). Via this process of negotiation, workers are
carrying out healthy discussion with the top management of British Airlines and keep
their point of views among them and hoping for fair conclusion.
 Negotiation assists in improving the effectiveness of the collective bargaining process :
The primary aim of collective bargaining process is to resolve the conflicts that is
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occurring between employers and employees of British Airways. By this process,
managers can easily explain their personnels about the reason behind following certain
types of policies within the workplace. In this regard, management of enterprise can
arrange a meeting where they can discuss about ineffective allocation of work with the
male workers.
3.2 Impact of negotiation strategy for a given situation
The strategy of negotiation is normally the interaction of all the parties members who are
engaged in the conflicts. There are various types of strategies that can be used in negotiation
process which are described below : Competitive strategy : It is the scheme which is allied with process of contracting
whereby request for the proposal get forwarded to the skilled bidding parties. After the
completion of negotiation process by the authority with all the members of bidders,
selection of one is done who could give enhanced value (Kazlauskaite, Buciuniene and
Turauskas, 2011). This strategy is not proved to be helpful for the conflictual situation
occurring at British Airways. The management of this venture is cutting the jobs of their
workers so that they can strengthen their business unit. This has created disputes with the
union that is UNITE in the cited firm.
 Cooperative strategy : This business strategy can be used in those negotiation processes
where there is presence of high degree of cooperation among the parties. For instance,
there is conflict between workforce of British Airlines and the management in context of
job cuts decisions. Initially, certain strikes were seen which reduces the turn over of
business of the cited organisation by around 15 %. After that this cooperative strategy
was enforced by both of the parties so that they can settle down their matter of disputes.
This plan is proved to be ideal for such kind of conflictual situation that was noticed in
British Airways. It is to be noted that cooperation from both the end should be given in
order to eliminate that dispute in an effectual manner (Gupta and Kumar, 2012). The
collaborative strategy for the negotiation permits the sharing of information from both the
parties by not doing the partialities to one side. Resolution is done here by concentrating
on creating a win – win situation by implementing the cooperation based strategy. The
cooperation achieved from the UNITE members and the team of management of British
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Airways in order to solve the long disputes that are emerges within workers and
therefore, this can be said that it is a most effective negotiation strategy.
TASK 4
4.1 Impact of EU on industrial democracy in UK
European union is influencing greatly on the industrial democracy in United Kingdom.
This is nothing but the union where by 28 nations are its members. This was created for the
purpose of single market. The members present in this union receives several types of incentives
as well as facilities. This union offered their members present in all the 28 countries to do free
trading without facing any kind of barriers. Industrial democracy states that all the workers are
considered as the partners of the corporation and helps in increasing their empowerment by
enable to participate effectively in decision making process (D'Cruz and Noronha, 2011). Some
of the methods that are involved in this industrial democracy are joint management councils,
work committees, suggestions, etc. According to this, employees are permitted indirectly to take
part in the process of decision making by sending their representatives on behalf of them (Do
Paco and Cláudia Nave, 2013). It has been noticed that this participation of workers in taking
powerful decisions is helping in building a healthy relationship between employers and
employees and the whole contribution of this thing goes to only members of European Unions.
It has been observed that EU also authorised the personnels in taking actions towards
their requirements and rights at the working place. If some of t\he staff member are not getting
their fundamental rights associated with working situations, then they can raise their voice
against corporation. Even they also have described the patterns of doing marketing
communication along with the procedures of business in UK. Some of the major impact of EU
on industrial democracy are listed below :
 This enables good or even best decision making.
 Major responsibilities are shared among its members who are existing in 28 nations.
 EU has maintained harmony in the working environment.
 They provides benefits of free trade to their members.
 Members present in all nations are helping each other.
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4.2 Several methods of gaining employee engagement in decision making process
There are various methods that is helping in gaining employee participation in making
decisions. Some of the methods are described below : Collective bargaining : This is normally done between employers and the unions of the
company. This is considered as one of the best approach of resolving the rising conflicts.
In this methodology, unions are making good decisions that would be better for both the
parties. Additionally, this also aids in increasing the engagement of management and in
turn proper rules and regulations can be imposed by them in favour of workforce. Suggestion schemes : This is completely different from the above method of collective
bargaining as here opinions are taken from the personnels at proper location. By this
way, it improves the quality of decisions making (Bach and Kessler, 2011). This
strategy is best utilised at that place where larger number of ideas are needed. It can be
stated that by doing this all it is increasing the employee relation. Complete Control : This is one of the new and very interesting concepts. Here, the union
itself become the management and control all the activities of workers. In this scheme,
workers make decisions in every aspect of management. The members of the Unions are
elected via boards. This is concentrated on making better participation in taking decision.
 Job enrichment : In this process, best judgements given by workers are taken into
consideration. Different rewards are offered to the personnels in order to motivate them.
As a result, they give their 100 % in doing job and helps in attaining goal of the venture.
Scope and designation of the job is also increasing here and that is why workers are
taking part with full enthusiasm.
4.3 Impact of human resource management approach on employee relation
Human resource management in relation with the employee relation is concentrated on
the responsibility, quality, communication, engagement, flexibility, etc. so that harmony and
unity can be improved within the working environment. HRM provides relevant information to
the workers in context with the latest developments in happening in business situations,
modifications done in the workplace, needs of training and development, new approaches in the
work process, etc. On the other hand, employees also have to convey their views towards
management about the alterations (Atkinson and Hall, 2011). Therefore, it is very important area
to the human resource management of the British Airlines to increase the productivity along with
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the consideration of feedbacks of the personnels on the concerned modification and decisions.
This process of communication must be transparent where by workers are made informed about
any of the changes planned by the managers because transparency in the communication can
effectively minimise the misinterpretations and disputes. Some of the important role of human
resource management are listed below :
 It assists in maintaining harmony within the British Airways.
 Different activities are planned by them for increasing the level of employee relation.
 Job satisfaction is also provided by them as they provide proper training to workers.
 Different appreciation strategies are designed so that motivation level can be increased
among the employees.
CONCLUSION
From the above based report, it can be concluded that employee's relation can be simply
refereed as a relationship that is developed between workers for attaining the mutual objectives.
Employers of British Airways must have to make healthy relationship with their workers. This
will increasing the performance level of venture as whole work force contributes a lot in
achieving their aims and objectives. Some motivational schemes should also be formulated by
the human resource management so that they can draw attention of their personnels in doing
additional works. Unitary and pluralistic frame of references should be followed by British
Airlines in order to improve their employee's working efficiency by eliminating the conflictual
situations that are emerging in the corporation. In addition to this, impact of European Union on
the industrial democracy has been described in this report.
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