Chapter 11 Managing Employee Relations

open door policy = a policy of encouraging employees to come to high mgmt with any concerns o demands that mgrs have skills in counseling and disciplining employees 7 factors important in uilding employee commitment! o trust in senior leadership o a chance to use skills on the "o o "o security o competitiveness of rewards o the #uality of the organi$ation%s products&services o the a sence of work-related stress o the honesty and integrity of the employer%s usiness conduct

Strategic Importance of Employee Relations - employee relations comple' lend of organi$ational culture( )R practices( and individual perceptions - why are human relations practices important* 1+ ,mproves productivity employee productivity is affected y a ility and attitude - ility whether the employee is a le to perform the "o -ttitude refers to an individuals% willingness to perform the "o .+ Ensures implementation of organi$ational strategies /+ Reduce employment costs+ Employees will remain at the company if they feel they are involved in the company and respected 0+ )elp employees grow and develop 1 key dimensions of employee relations! o employee involvement o employee communication o employee counseling o employee discipline o employee rights

Effective Employee Communication - downward communication systems o information that egins at some point in the org+and feeds down the organi$ation hierarchy to inform or influence others o necessary for decision-makers to have their decisions carried out o also help give employees knowledge a out the org+ and feed ack on how their efforts are perceived o in-house pu lications internal maga$ines( newspapers( ulletins for employees purpose! to inform employees a out current developments and to foster a long-term understanding a out o "ectives and mission o information ooklets e'ample! employee hand ook to inform employees a out regulations and enefits needs to e updated regularly o employee ulletins )R departments pu lish ulletins and post them 2ow we have online 3 ulletins% o Re-recorded Messages 4evelop own tv program for later replay to employees 5arge firms with ranch operations often use this o Electronic communication 6sing e-mail to send same message to everyone Many employers are using intranets internal communication systems that function like a smaller version of the world wide we 7ut many find it hard to use 6se it to update hand ooks and manuals( policies( etc+ E'tranets intranets linked with vendors o ,nformation sharing and open ook mgmt Employers provide info to employees a out the org%s performance

Chapter 11 Managing Employee Relations

Report same style as the annual report( e'cept that it shows how the annual economic results affect workers Release of report may e followed y meetings that are organi$ed like s&h meetings 6sing open ook mgmt( some firms are making employees assume more responsi ility for the success of the firm 6pward communication systems o Communication the egins in the org+ and proceeds up the hierarchy to inform or influence others o 8rapevine -n informal communication system that arises spontaneously from the social interaction of ppl in the org+ 9ome organi$ations use mgmt y walking around :M7;-< opens up the channels of communication y encouraging daily face-to-face contact y mgrs and employees )elps to develop a positive rapport o Electronic Communication Email )RM9 )R mgmt system most systems used for maintaining employee records rather than for strategic )R issues and communication purposes o ,n )ouse Complaint =rocedures >ormal methods through which an employee can register a complaint -lternative dispute resolution :-4R< programs goal is to resolve disputes in a timely( cost-effective manner ?pen door policy - peer review panel or om udsperson that hears an employee%s presentation of the pro lem and makes recommendations Mediation neutral /rd party hears oth sides( makes a inding decision o Manager-Employee Meetings o 9uggestion 9ystems >ormal method for generating( evaluating( and implementing employee ideas Employees are rewarded for their suggestions in some case receive a fi'ed amount or sometimes a @ of the profits arising from their idea o Employee -ttitude&?pinion 9urveys 9ystematic methods for determining what employees think a out their org+ 6sually seeks to learn what employees think a out working conditions( supervision( )R policies( and other organi$ational issues - summary of the survey results should e provided to employees for their reaction and so they%ll want to participate again in the future 7ut feed ack isn%t enough+ 2eed action+ Employees need to see that the survey results cause pro lems to e solved+

Employee Counselling - discussion of a pro lem with an employee( with the general o "ective of helping the worker resolve the issue or cope with the situation so that the person can ecome more effective oth at work and away from the workplace - counselling functions o activities performed y counselling+ -dvice Reassurance Communication! initiates upward communication to mgmt( also gives the counselor an opportunity to provide insights to employees Release of emotional tension ppl feel etter once they%ve talked a out an issue Clarified thinking discussing a pro lem helps person think more clearly a out it Reorientation involves a change in an employee%s asic self through a change in goals and values - Employee and family assistance programs :E>-= o Comprehensive company program that seeks to help employees overcome their personal and work-related pro lems Employee Discipline - discipline = mgmt action to encourage compliance with the org%s standards

Chapter 11 Managing Employee Relations

two types of discipline! preventive and corrective o preventive = action taken prior to any infraction( to encourage employees to follow the rules so that infractions are prevented makes standards known and understood o corrective = action that follows a rule infraction and seeks to discourage further infractions typically a penalty of some kind( called disciplinary action o "ectives of disciplinary action are! 1+ to reform the offender .+ to deter others fro similar actions /+ to maintain consistent( effective group standards Asandwich modelB a corrective comment is sandwiched tw two positive comments in order to make the corrective comment more accepta le o restrictions on discipline a ility to discipline may e restricted y union contracts and gov%t legislation illegal for an employer to discipline a worker who is asserting rights protected y law due process esta lished rules and procedures for disciplinary actions are followed( and employees have an opportunity to respond to the charges need sufficient documentation to support the action if an employee challenges a disciplinary action hot-stove rule principle that disciplinary action should have the same characteristics as the penalty a person receives from touching a hot stove o warning( immediate( consistent( impersonal progressive discipline o means that there are stronger penalties for repeated offences o purpose is to give employee opportunity to take corrective action efore more serious penalties are applied positive discipline o involves an acceptance on the part of the employee that a pro lem e'ists( an acknowledgement y the employee that he or she must assume responsi ility for the ehaviour and the use of pro lem-solving to resolve the pro lem o key steps 1+ focus on the specific pro lem rather than the employee%s attitude or personality .+ gain agreement with the employee that a performance pro lem e'ists and that the employee is responsi le for changing his or her ehaviour /+ approach discipline as a pro lem-solving process 0+ document suggested changes or commitments y the employee 1+ follow up to ensure that the employee is living up to his or her commitments and to reduce the likelihood of having to take more severe action

Dismissal - wrongful dismissal = dismissal without "ust cause or reasona le notice of termination - amount of reasona le notice diff+ in every province+ 4epends on the employee%s length of service with the employer as well - determining "ust cause o "ust cause = a "ustifia le reason for dismissal( including any act y an employee that could have serious negative effects on the operation or reputation of an org+ o onus to prove "ust cause is on the employer o incompetent work performance the employment contract contains an implied warranty that the employee is Areasona ly competentB and a le to perform the work for which he&she was hired performance standard must e non-discriminatory( reasona le( and applied fairly+ ;arnings must clearly descri e what constitutes accepta le performance and what specific actions the employee should take to improve performance+ o Employee misconduct 6nfaithful service to the employer Conspiracy( competition( conflicts of interest Misconduct of a general nature Cheft( fraud or dishonesty ;illful diso edience of a reasona le and lawful order

Chapter 11 Managing Employee Relations

7usiness or Economic Reasons o Cerminating an employee &c of usiness or economic factors is not "ust cause not their fault ,f demand decreased o 2eed to provide reasona le notice or appropriate compensation Constructive dismissal o 6nder common law( if an employer commits a ma"or reach of a ma"or term of the employment relationship( the employee may take the position that dismissal has taken place even though he or she has not received a formal termination notice 9ignificant change in "o function( a demotion( a demand for an employee%s resignation( or a forced transfer Reasona le notice o =rovisions for the minimum notice period outlined under employment standards legislation are only minimums and courts often award much greater notice periods ma"or factors to consider! age( length of service( salary( occupational status an attempt to mitigate losses :e'-employee must search for new "o < a less favoura le la our market o guidelines! clerical& lue-collar! . weeks for every year service supervisory or lower-level mgmt! / weeks notice for each year of service senior mgmt&professional! one month notice for every year of service Employee severance o Companies should develop a asic severance formula and adapt it to specific cases in the org+ Managing the 4ismissal o =repare for the interview and conduct a rehearsal o Consider the dismissal process from the employee%s perspective o 8et to the point within a few sentences o 9elect the time and place morning( middle of week o )ave any necessary info ready o 2otify others in the org+ and ensure that the individual%s duties are covered o 9pecial security arrangements may e necessary o 4iscuss the process with other colleagues who have had to terminate employees

Employee Rights - refer to those rights desired y employees relating to working conditions and "o security - right to privacy - right to fair treatment - rights in usiness closings and workplace restructuring o provide the employee with as much notice as possi le and help them find a new "o Employee Involvement - to improve productivity( improve the satisfaction of employees at the workplace o focus on increased participation and involvement - E,( employee involvement( consists of a variety of systematic methods that empower employees to participate in the decisions that affect them and their relationship with the org+ - 7ased on . important principles o ,ndividuals tend to support systems or decisions that they helped to make o Employees who actually perform a task know more a out it than anyone else - Employee involvement interventions o 9elf-directed work teams! teams without formal supervision who direct their own work - )igh involvement work practices o ;ork practices that allow employees to influence how their roles are performed o 9even practices of successful organi$ations! - focus on employment security 9elective hiring 9elf-managed teams and decentrali$ation of accounta ility and responsi ility Comparatively high compensation contingent on organi$ational performance

Chapter 11 Managing Employee Relations

E'tensive training Reduction of status differences 9haring of info with employees Employee self-service o )R activities that can e addressed y employee self-serving have een divided into . groups! =roductivity applications mgmt of personal data( retirement plans( health and enefits mgmt+ 9trategic applications online recruitment( skills mgmt applications

Job Security, Downsizing, and Employee Recruitment - 2o lay-off policy o ,dea is that employees who have "o security are more receptive to change( more likely to e innovative and suggest changes that will improve the org+( and are willing to go the e'tra mile - ?rgani$ational 4ownsi$ing o 4ownsi$ing = a deli erate organi$ational decision to reduce the workforce that is intended to improve organi$ational performance 9et of activities undertaken on the part of mgmt and designed to improve organi$ational efficiency( productivity and&or competitiveness Chree types of downsi$ing strategies 1+ ;orkforce reduction! short-term strategy focused on cutting the num er of employees thru programs such as attrition( early retirement or voluntary severance incentive packages( or layoffs .+ ;ork redesign! takes longer to implement and re#uires that organi$ations critically e'amine the work processes and evaluate whether specific functions( g&s should e changed or eliminated /+ 9ystematic change! long-term strategy re#uires a change in the culture and attitudes and values of employees with the ongoing goal of reducing costs and improving #uality -fter downsi$ing( surviving employees are narrow-minded( self-a sor ed( risk averse( morale low( productivity drops( distrust mgmt >irms do not perform etter financially after downsi$ing ?ften fail to meet organi$ational goals D principles for redesigning the org+ 1+ change should e initiated from the top ut re#uires involvement form all employees .+ workforce reduction must e selective in application and long-term in emphasis /+ need to pay special attention oth to those who lose their "o s and to the survivors 0+ decision-makers need to identify precisely where redundancies( e'cess costs( and inefficiencies e'ist 1+ must e a proactive strategy focused on increasing performance D+ should result in the formation of small semi-autonomous organi$ations within the roader org+ effective communication can decrease the negative impacts of downsi$ing o retaining top performers top 1 factors ppl want in a "o ! treated with respect( having interesting work( having work that results in a feeling of accomplishment( having good communications among co-workers( having a alance tw family&work orgs need to consider gender differences females more concerned a out employee-supportive work climate factors in retaining key employees use e'it interviews to o tain info as to why ppl are leaving org reward supervisors and mgrs for keeping good ppl communicate the organi$ational vision and values fre#uently and consistently ecome an employer of choice with a goal of retaining employees from the day they "oin the org develop a planned approach to employee retention that e'amines the usual company enefits( addresses individual needs( focused on long-term( part of the vision of the company( and is ased on investment in employees - telecommuting o two ma"or factors defining it! work is conducted at an off-site location

Chapter 11 Managing Employee Relations

o o o the employee uses telecommunications technology most are employed at home for a day or two a week :some full-time ut don%t need to e full-time to e considered telecommuter< works est for "o s that re#uire a high degree of privacy and concentration( are predicta le( and informationased traditional communication and typical methods of supervision&discipline typically rely on face-to-face