human-resource-management management-and-workforce-relations

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Exam code:9609

Cooperation between management and the workforce

Workplace relations refers to the interactions between managers and workers in a business, including
- How change is communicated and implemented
- How grievances and disciplinary action are pursued
- The level of consultation on key decisions
- Fairness and effectiveness of business processes
Positive workplace relations between management and workers brings a range of benefits

Benefits of positive workplace relations

Low staff turnover
- When workers have a positive relationship with their managers, they are less likely to leave or face dismissal
Few days lost to industrial action
- Industrial action is where trade union members, in dispute with management, protest or take action, such as strikes, to achieve their aims
- Effective workplace relations mean that disruption as a result of industrial action is unlikely
Employee cooperation
- Employees may ‘go the extra mile’ for the business if they feel valued
- Support from employees for key decisions means that objectives are more likely to be met
High productivity
- Good working relationships mean workers are less likely to be absent from work and more likely to be focused on maximising output
- Workers are more likely to contribute ideas that lead to improved performance
Good reputation as an employer
- Businesses with good relationships avoid negative publicity
- These businesses attract and retain the best staff
Ease of implementing change
- Significant change is more likely to be welcomed rather than feared
- Employees look to play their part in implementing change

Employee morale and welfare

Some businesses make great efforts to improve employees’ welfare
- Looking after workers is likely to lead to long-term loyalty and high levels of motivation, which can have a positive impact on labour productivity

Strategies to improve welfare

Strategy	Explanation
Equality and diversity	Ensuring fair recruitment, pay, and promotion helps build a skilled, productive workforce A diverse team can also attract a wider range of customers
Provision of facilities	Providing rest areas, worship spaces, refreshments, and access to guidance supports employee wellbeing
Wellbeing policies	Policies such as leave and limiting out-of-hours communication help improve work–life balance.
Perks	Offering extras like social events, staff discounts, or gym memberships can boost morale and motivation

Work-life balance

Ensuring employees have a healthy work-life balance can lead to several advantages
- Less stress-related absence lowers business costs and reduces disruption to production
- Increased employee output, as when they are at work, their focus is likely to be improved
- A more diverse workforce that has time to enjoy leisure and creative activities outside of working hours

Ways to improve work-life balance

Teleworking	Flexible working
Teleworking has become increasingly popular since the Covid-19 pandemic, when many workplaces were required to close Some businesses offer workers the option to work from home for some or all of the working week Online tools, such as virtual meeting spaces and messaging apps, have made teleworking possible Significant cost savings can be made as businesses no longer require large premises to accommodate staff Businesses often need to provide equipment, such as computers, to ensure workers can work effectively from home	Flexible working removes some of the rigidity of contracts of employment Employees can fit their working commitments around family responsibilities or interests Forms of flexible work include Flexitime, where workers to arrange their weekly working hours according to their own needs Annualised hours, where workers determine how and when they allocate working hours over a whole year Compressed hours, where workers complete the hours in a standard working week in fewer days
Job sharing	Sabbaticals
Job sharing is where two people share the work and pay of a single full-time job This approach is popular where workers have care responsibilities and wish to continue to work alongside these Businesses can benefit from the input of two individuals whilst incurring the cost of one employee Careful coordination and communication between job-sharers are required to avoid duplication or omission of tasks	Some businesses grant workers the right to take an extended period of leave, often after a determined period of service The businesses promises to keep the employee’s job open until their arranged return to work Sabbaticals are generally unpaid, though paid sabbaticals are sometimes used to attract the best talent to hard-to-fill positions

Examiner Tips and Tricks

Flexible working may appear to offer benefits that are largely focused on the employee

In the exam, you could be asked to analyse the impact on a business of flexible working

You should focus your answer on improved employee motivation and productivity, as well as the ability to attract a larger number of candidates to advertised job roles

The impact on employers and employees of trade union involvement in the workplace

A trade union is an organisation whose members come together to achieve common goals
- Union members pay a membership fee and elect representatives in the workplace
They negotiate with employers to improve terms and conditions of employment for workers
- Improved pay
- Increases in paid holidays
- Reduced hours of work
- Sufficient rest breaks
- Improved training and development
- Better facilities
Trade unions can also give individual advice when employees have a problem at work
- They also lobby governments to pass laws that favour employees, such as improved health and safety regulations

Examples of trade unions

Communication Workers Union (CWU)

For people working for telephone, cable, digital subscriber line and postal delivery companies in the UK

IG Metall

The dominant metalworkers’ union in Germany, making it the country’s largest union as well as Europe’s largest industrial union

Unión General de Trabajadores (UGT)

Spain’s major general trade

Business AS CIE