CIPD 5HR01 Employment Relationship Management: Essay For All
Emerging Developments Informing Employee Voice and Engagement Approaches (AC 1.1)
CIPD defines employee voice as the approach in which employee opinions, concerns, and views are communicated, influencing workplace decisions (CIPD, 2022a). On the other hand, employee engagement is the amount of enthusiasm, involvement, vigor, and dedication employees have in the workplace (Gifford & Young, 2021).
Some of the emerging developments influencing employee voice and engagement approaches include the rapid adoption of digital technologies at work. These platforms allow employees to voice their ideas and concerns. For example, social media (Twitter, Facebook) has become a key tool for workplace communication, allowing employees to raise workplace issues (Garrad & Hyland, 2020).
The hashtags #Black Lives Matter and #MeeToo have demonstrated the impact social media can have when used to raise public issues to a wider audience. In addition, the rise of the GIG economy, where employees are managed by technologies, including company apps such as Uber, enables workers to raise their voices digitally (Ishmael, 2022). For instance, employees could utilize these apps to create organized resistance against the employer by expressing themselves through the apps.
In addition, the shift towards hybrid and fully remote work following the COVID-19 pandemic has enabled companies to rethink how to enhance employee engagement using technologies to connect teams remotely. It is also evident that work environments have become more agile, giving employees more flexibility and autonomy in how they work. The trends of increased workforce diversity and remote working and flexible working arrangements have created new avenues for engagement and employee voice (King et al., CIPD, 2019).
For instance, organizations that encourage diversity and inclusivity and offer flexible working schedules have more engaged workers. Also, the digitization of H.R. has led to the provision of different channels for offering feedback and reporting issues, resulting in enhanced engagement. Go Quest could adopt these approaches to empower their employees to have control over their work, resulting in increased engagement and performance.
Differences Between Employee Involvement and Participation (AC 1.2)
Employee Involvement
This refers to the practice of seeking feedback and input from employees on different issues or projects within an organization (Markey & Townsend, 2013). Employee involvement is more long-term and seeks to ensure they contribute their expertise and insights to inform decision-making. At Go Quest, employee involvement could involve calling for regular team meetings to encourage company employees to share ideas for strategy and process improvement and product development and improvement. This could help build a stronger relationship with the company by creating a sense of pride and ownership.
Employee Participation
This refers to the process of leveraging collective efforts by involving employees in activities seeking to achieve a given goal. Employee participation is short-term compared to employee involvement, making it a means to an end. Employee participation is centered on a given task or project and involves regular tasks of collaborating on the project. At Go Quest, employee participation could involve engaging employees in selecting new clothing designs. This could help employees feel valued, strengthening their relationship with the organization.
Building Relationships
Employee involvement and participation enhance the interactions between managers and the teams, creating opportunities for information sharing and consultations (van der Vyver, 2021). This fosters trust as employees feel trusted to make key company decisions, further increasing employee commitment to the organization. In addition, employee participation creates an avenue for employees to provide feedback and suggestions.
The implementation of employee ideas and feedback can create a sense of recognition and validation, further enhancing the relationship with the organization. Further, actively involving or encouraging participation in decision-making encourages open and transparent communication. This is the foundation of building a positive relationship with a firm.
Employee Voice Tools and Approaches to Drive Engagement (AC 1.3)
Employee Voice Tools
Employee Surveys
This is a crucial employee voice tool firms use to gather employee feedback. Surveys take the form of questionnaires and cover different workplace aspects such as job satisfaction, commitment, management effectiveness, and working environment (Marchington, 2015). For example, the Pulse survey is an effective tool for employee voice since it allows anonymous sharing of employees’ opinions and thoughts, hence creating a safe space for employee voice to be heard.
Also, SurveyMonkey is an excellent example of an employee survey tool that allows employers to customize their surveys and engage employees. Survey tools allow insightful feedback in a structured approach. They also enable data-based decision-making in developing H.R. strategies and organizational improvements (Schmidt, 2021). However, the tools can cause survey fatigue when used repeatedly, resulting in reduced responsiveness.
Idea Management Platforms
These are online platforms that enable teams to brainstorm ideas and identify the most appropriate idea to expand and pursue (Aston, 2023). The platforms enable employees to submit feedback and collaborate on problem-solving, innovation, and idea improvement. For example, FigJam is a digital tool that allows employees to collaborate in idea generation and brainstorming (Aston, 2023).
Also, Slack is another tool that facilitates seamless collaboration by encouraging feedback and recognition, further enhancing employee engagement (LinkedIn, 2023). However, idea management platforms are time-consuming and resource-intensive since they involve evaluating, implementing, and tracking suggestions. This is despite the fact that not all ideas are feasible, and selecting and managing them can be complex.
Meetings with Managers
One-on-one meetings with the managers are another key employee voice tool. It involves meeting with trusted managers to openly share concerns, thoughts, and ideas in a safe setting. These meetings are personal in nature and make employees feel heard, understood, and valued. One-on-one discussions with the manager drive employee engagement since they can discuss issues affecting them to develop solutions (CIPD, 2019). However, this tool may not be effective in addressing sensitive topics that require anonymity from the employees.
Engagement Approaches
Employee Development Programs
Employee development initiatives are integral to promoting engagement. For instance, the programs seek to enhance employee skills and knowledge and could include mentoring, training, and offering career advancement programs. Research by Deloitte shows that firms with strong learning cultures experience higher engagement and retention rates (between 30 and 50%) since they demonstrate commitment to their employee growth (Herbert, 2023).
General Electric (G.E.) is an example of a company that has invested in employee development programs by setting clear employee career development paths (General Electric, 2023). Go Quest could adopt this approach to mentor and train their employees to help them improve their leadership skills and increase job satisfaction. However, this approach is time-consuming and requires a significant amount of resources to implement the development programs.
Rewards and Recognition Systems
Employee rewards and recognition are means to acknowledge employees for their contribution to organizational success. They could involve public recognition, bonuses, and rewards. Recognizing employees for their success can help enhance their motivation and engagement with the organization (Romsey, n.d).
Incorporating recognition and rewards into the company culture creates an environment of respect and encourages others to excel in their roles. This approach to engagement is beneficial since it motivates employees, creates a positive workplace culture, and increases retention. However, recognition/awards systems are prone to subjectivity and may not align with employee performance. In addition, a rewards system could be costly for an organization with a limited budget.
Interrelationship Between Employee Voice and Organizational Performance (AC 1.4)
Employee voice refers to how employees communicate their views, insights, perspectives, concerns, and suggestions (CIPD, 2019). According to CIPD (2019), employee voice significantly impacts organizational performance. For instance, it enhances problem-solving and innovation by helping identify operational issues and improvement opportunities.
For instance, high-level evidence by Burris et al. (2017) shows that through employee voice, the management can utilize information from employee feedback to develop solutions to problems and hence take corrective steps to improve operations, creating a culture of continuous improvement.
For instance, firms like Google, which prioritize employee input and provide 20% of their time for personal projects, have benefited from innovative and the most productive products such as Gmail, Google Maps, and Google News, resulting in improved performance (Baines, 2023). This demonstrates how promoting employee voice can result in groundbreaking innovations.
In addition, employee voice enhances employee engagement. For instance, research shows a positive link between employee voice and organizational outcomes such as job satisfaction, engagement, and commitment (van der Vyver, 2021). The research shows that organizations that encourage and value employee voice have more engaged employees since they feel their opinions matter, making them committed and motivated in their work, which results in enhanced organizational performance.
This is especially relevant among virtual/remote workers who are likely to be disconnected from the organization and experience burnout. Southwest Airlines has developed the program “Listen to Your Employees,” which allows them to share ideas and feedback, leading to high levels of engagement and customer satisfaction.
Fostering employee voice also creates an environment of trust and mutual respect since employees feel heard and valued, further enhancing the employee-employer relationship (King et al., 2021). This results in employee loyalty and engagement, contributing to company success.
Despite the benefits of employee voice in enhancing organizational performance and success, encouraging employee voice is associated with various challenges. For instance, managing a high volume of feedback can be a challenge. This is due to the inability of the organization to ensure anonymity or address diverse employee expectations effectively.
In addition, the failure of employees to achieve expected outcomes from their input could result in disappointments within an organization, hence the need to establish a balanced approach to promoting and managing employee voice within an organization. Another challenge of employee voice is that it is considered a challenge to the status quo and may not always be appreciated by others in an organization (Rollmann & Zacher, 2021).
For instance, superiors may perceive articulating concerns and advocating for new ideas as disruptive and threatening routines and hierarchy, hence finding it undue. This may result in harmful consequences such as damaging employee relationships with co-workers and superiors and losing career development opportunities (Rollmann & Zacher, 2021).
Overall, the critical analysis of the relationship between employee voice and organizational performance demonstrates it is intricate and multifaceted, with employee voice having manifold benefits when managed effectively. For instance, real-world examples from Southwest Airlines and Google show the benefits of nurturing employee voice. However, a prudent approach to planning and implementing employee voice is vital to help leverage the full potential of employee voice in enhancing organizational performance while considering its benefits and challenges.
Better Working Lives and Design (AC 1..5)
Better working life is a holistic approach to creating a work environment where employees feel supported, engaged, and valued, resulting in improved employee well-being and work experiences (CIPD, 2022). Better working life aims to help employees achieve job satisfaction and their growth potential by ensuring they are offered the needed respect and dignity, rewarded fairly, and given the opportunity to develop individual competencies and become what they envisioned when joining the organization.
Go Quest could design a better working life by investing in well-being programs to address physical and mental health. The global pandemic (COVID-19) demonstrated the need to promote employee well-being, given that work demands can lead to stress and burnout, affecting individual physical, social, and emotional health (Laker & Roulet, 2021). This could include providing mental health support services and access to fitness facilities similar to what companies like Google provide.
Another approach involves offering flexible working arrangements such as flexible hours and remote work to enhance work-life balance and support better working lives. Twitter and Microsoft have excelled at providing flexible working arrangements. Also, providing career development opportunities to employees can help promote better-working lives and the lowest employee turnover (Herbert, 2023).
Promoting diversity and inclusivity ensures minority and underrepresented people share ideas, opinions, and perspectives, enhancing satisfaction and engagement. Unilever has succeeded in the successful implementation of diversity and inclusion programs by creating a welcoming environment that empowers employees to contribute to the company’s success (Unilever, 2019). By implementing these strategies, Go Quest can enhance job satisfaction, improve employee well-being, and reduce turnover, hence achieving better working lives.
PART 2
Organizational Conflict and Misbehaviour, and Informal and Formal Conflict (AC 2.1)
Organizational Conflict and Misbehaviour
Organizational conflict is an internal disagreement or misunderstanding caused by differences in interests and opinions between leaders or colleagues within an organization (Herrity, 2023). For example, a disagreement between Go Quest’s product development and marketing team regarding a new product launch can be considered a conflict.
This can impact collaboration and cohesion, making it difficult to align everyone with the organizational goals. On the other hand, misbehavior is an intentional action or negative behavior employees engage in in violation of the company rules, values, norms, and ethical standards (Mbagwu, 2018). For example, lateness at work, taking bribes, and harassment are misbehaviors that could attract disciplinary action.
Informal and Formal Conflict
An informal conflict in an organization refers to a conflict or disagreement that happens outside a firm’s structured processes. This could involve differences in opinions or interpersonal disputes among colleagues. Informal conflicts are not formally documented and are addressed through open dialogue or informal mediation between the conflicting parties without the need to involve senior management.
On the other hand, a formal conflict is more structured and well-documented in an organization. It could arise from differences in people’s opinions or leadership styles. Escalation of the conflict to a point where senior management or formal conflict resolution approaches such as arbitration and legal action are needed is considered formal.
Official and Unofficial Employee Action (AC. 2.2)
For an action to be official, it must be recognized by the employer and within the employee’s scope of responsibilities or in compliance with the organizational policies and regulations (Jiang & Luo, 2018). For example, this could involve completing assigned tasks, participating in training, and following company policies such as the dress code and punctuality.
Also, an official employee action could involve actions that are sanctioned, authorized, or recognized by a trade union or employment law. This could include collective bargaining actions that are well-organized and follow well-established steps to pressure employers into addressing employee concerns (CIPD, 2023). Such actions are protected by the collective employment law. Such official actions could include engaging in industrial action, going on strike, and filing a formal grievance or complaint.
On the other hand, unofficial employee action refers to an action that occurs outside the scope of the employee’s job description/responsibilities without the authorization of the organization/employer (Hamark, 2022). This could involve actions taken during non-working hours, such as organizing informal social gatherings and engaging in personal projects such as hobbies. Also, unofficial action is not authorized by an employee union or recognized by law.
An example involves taking part in industrial action, such as a strike without any form of authorization by a union or engaging employers on grievances in a spontaneous and disorganized manner. Overall, the main difference between unofficial and official action is that the employer or the trade union authorizes official employee action, while unofficial action is not authorized. In this case, unofficial action could lead to disciplinary action or litigation by the employer due to disruption and losses suffered.
Emerging Trends in Types of Conflicts and Industrial Sanctions (AC 2.3)
Understanding emerging trends in conflicts and industrial sanctions is crucial since it can help organizations navigate challenges and leverage opportunities associated with the contemporary workforce. For instance, diversity increases in organizations, and intergenerational conflicts have become rampant, with Baby Boomers, Millennials, Generation X, and Generation Z having differences and misunderstandings in working styles, which affect team communication and collaboration.
The growing mental health awareness has also given rise to conflicts related to stress, burnout, and the need for work-life balance. This became evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to increased stress and anxiety, raising concern over employees’ mental, emotional, and physical health (Summerton, 2022).
Regarding industrial sanctions, the emerging trends are that firms are shifting towards alternative dispute resolution methods such as arbitration and mediation rather than litigation. These approaches are cost-effective and more efficient in solving conflicts. For example, Google uses internal mediators to address employee disputes within the organization.
Another notable trend in industrial sanctions is the shift towards collaborative efforts between unions and organizational management with the aim of addressing common challenges and goals. For instance, a union could work with the management to establish approaches to improving safety standards and address other workplace issues, resulting in less adversarial and more constructive industrial action (Hughes & Dundon, 2018).
The 21st-century business landscape is also characterized by more informal and employee-led sanctions following a decline in the popularity and membership of trade unions (Nash & Hann, 2020). For instance, employees use methods such as public protests, walkouts, and social media to raise concerns and mobilize for action. For example, social media has become a powerful tool for organizing and mobilizing industrial sanctions due to the platform’s efficiency and effectiveness in disseminating information and coordinating action (Holland et al., 2018).
Third Pary Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (AC 2.4)
Third-Party Conciliation
This is a dispute resolution approach that involves the use of an impartial and neutral third party (the conciliator) to help ensure parties in dispute reach a solution. The conciliator aims to mend relations by facilitating communication, offering potential solutions, and helping conflicting parties to explore resolution options (Regalwhiz, 2023).
Conciliation is characterized by the conciliator’s facilitative role, its informal nature compared to arbitration, and its non-binding nature, where parties can reject or accept the settlement outcome. For example, a conciliator can work together with the organizational management and labour unions to help reach an agreement on raised grievances such as working conditions, employee benefits, and wages.
Mediation
This approach involves using a mediator, an impartial/neutral third party, to facilitate negotiation to ensure the conflicting parties reach an acceptable solution. This is different from conciliation since the mediator only facilitates the negotiation but does not impose a decision (LLI, n.d). It is characterized by voluntary participation, a high level of confidentiality, neutrality of the mediator, and the parties’ power to agree or disagree with the solution.
Arbitration
This is a more formal approach to dispute resolution involving the use of an arbitrator as the decision-maker. Conflicting parties present their grievances/cases, and the arbitrator provides a decision that can be enforced by law (LLI, n.d; Regalwhiz, 2023). The arbitration method seeks to avoid court proceedings. However, its process is similar to court proceedings, including the rules of evidence, legal representation, and witness testimonies. However, it is more flexible since conflicting parties set the rules. Organizations can use an arbitration approach to solve commercial disputes.
Principles of Legislation Relating to Unfair Dismissal in the Context of Capability and Misconduct Issues ( AC 3.1)
The Employment Rights Act of 1996 (section 94) protects employees from unfair work dismissals by the employer. However, the legislation provides that one can be dismissed based on reasons such as incapability, misconduct, redundancy, illegality, and other substantial reasons (O’Brien, 2020). In many countries, the principles relating to unfair Dismissal are common.
For instance, one of the key principles is the principle of fair reason, which requires the existence of fair reason for Dismissal. In the context of capability, the employer must demonstrate the employee was unable to adequately perform their duty despite support (such as training) (CIPD, 2022b). Concerning misconduct, the employer must demonstrate that a fair process of Dismissal was followed, including a thorough investigation into the alleged misconduct (Employee Rescue, 2023).
The procedure fairness is also a key principle that should be adhered to. This includes ensuring that the dismissed employee is given an opportunity to respond to the alleged offense and given an opportunity to improve their behavior through structured disciplinary procedures or warnings. In this case, the employee is required to follow the organizational customary disciplinary process to ensure fair Dismissal, including informing the employee of the offense, meeting to discuss the alleged offense, and providing an appeal opportunity (CIPD, 2022b).
Causes of Employee Grievances (AC 3.2)
Grievances are the concerns or complaints employees raise regarding their workplace or employment-related issues. One major cause of employee grievances is unfair treatment. This could take the form of inequitable distribution of work assignments and opportunities, favoritism, and rewarding of less productive employees due to discrimination (Godbless et al., 2020).
The perception of unfair treatment can lead to grievances. Another cause of grievance is harassment and discrimination. The Equality Act of 2010 protects people from any form of discrimination in society and the workplace (O’Brien, 2020). Discrimination based on individual characteristics such as religion, age, race, gender, or disability can cause significant grievances.
In addition, harassment of any form, including workplace bullying and persistent sexual harassment, could lead to grievances. Other causes of grievances include a lack of better compensation and benefits. This is a major reason why employees quit their jobs and can be a cause for grievances. Also, poor working conditions, such as subjecting employees to unsafe conditions such as lack of specialized and protective equipment in dangerous environments or subjecting them to long working hours, could aggrieve them (King et al., 2021; Gifford, 2018).
Skills Required for Effective Grievance and Discipline Handling Procedures (AC 3.3)
A person handling grievances must have a set of skills to effectively handle grievances and employee concerns. For instance, effective communication skills are the cornerstone of effective grievance handling. For instance, the manager must be able to listen to employees actively and provide non-confrontational responses.
In addition, emotional intelligence is a key skill that involves demonstrating calmness, composure, and showing empathy to ensure situations are handled professionally and with the sensitivity they deserve (Lutsili, 2023). One must also have problem-solving skills to help identify the root causes of employee concerns and develop appropriate solutions.
Another crucial skill in handling grievances and discipline procedures is conflict resolution skills to help manage disputes. This could involve mediating, negotiating, establishing common ground, and developing mutually acceptable solutions (Lutsili, 2023). Time management skills are also crucial since they are essential in addressing grievances. For instance, delays could lead to the escalation of problems.
Importance of Effective Grievance Handling (AC 3.4)
One of the main benefits of effective grievance handling is preventing the escalation of grievances into more conflict, which could turn minor issues into serious/major issues requiring costly tribunal hearings (Indeed, 2022). For example, the National Football League (NFL) faced public backlash following allegations of racial inequalities by players.
NFL engaged the players in dialogue to address grievances and prevent escalation of the issues, resulting in the promotion of social justice initiatives. In addition, effective handling of grievances demonstrates a firm values employee concerns, and resolving grievances boosts job satisfaction and can lead to increased retention.
Also, failure to address grievances effectively can create toxic work environments, reducing employee morale and productivity (Silva & Malalage, 2021). Effective resolutions create a positive work environment that motivates employees to perform their best, increasing overall productivity. Lastly, the ability to handle grievances effectively builds employee trust in the organization and, demonstrates the organization’s care, and takes employee concerns seriously.
This enhances organizational reputation, making it more attractive to employees, investors, and customers. For example, Starbuck’s quick response to racial bias incidents involved closing its stores in the U.S., providing anti-bias training to its employees, and making pledges to create a more inclusive environment, which enhanced the company’s reputation (Gurchiek, 2018).
Provisions of Collective Employment Law (AC 4.1)
One major provision of the collective employment law is the right to organize, where the law recognizes employees’ rights to form or join employee associations, labor unions, and other bodies that represent them, allowing workers to collectively advocate for their needs and negotiate with employers (Watershed, n.d).
Another main provision is the recognition of unions, where the law requires employers to recognize a union if employees vote in favor of representation by unions. Since not all employees accept trade unions in their workplace, collective employment law allows trade unions to seek statutory recognition (CIPD, 2022).
Collective bargaining is also a key provision where the labor law gives employees the right to collectively negotiate various employment terms such as working conditions, compensation and benefits, and termination of employment with employers. This can result in the development of collective bargaining agreements.
Lastly, the disclosure of information is a key provision of the collective employment law that requires the employer to avail required information that trade unions representing employees may need during the collective bargaining process. This could involve disclosing information about salaries, reward systems, and other valuable information that could help in collective bargaining (CIPD, 2022).
Union and Non-Union Employee Representation (AC 4.2)
Union and non-union employee representation have varying characteristics. For instance, union representation is formal with structures, established membership, and processes, while non-union representation (such as work councils and employee associations) is less formalized. In addition, unions engage in negotiations and collective bargaining on behalf of union members (Indeed, 2022).
For example, the United Auto Workers (UAW) union representing automotive workers in the U.S. has made various agreements with different automakers on issues relating to compensation, job security, and healthcare. This is different in non-union representation, which can only consult or communicate with employers without engaging in formal collective bargaining (Indeed, 2022).
In terms of the legal framework, union representation is governed by existing labor laws that provide legal rights, responsibilities, and obligations to unions. However, non-union representation may follow a more flexible/relaxed legal framework. Regarding membership fees, union members require union members to pay a membership fee to support its activities.
However, non-union membership does not require any fees. It is also crucial to note that union representation enhances job security by preventing unfair dismissals since the employer must complete the grievance procedure, unlike in non-union representation.
Purpose of Collective Bargaining and How it Works (AC 4.3)
Purpose
Collective bargaining involves negotiating for employment contracts through a labour union to establish better terms of employment (Doyle, 2021). It serves various purposes, including negotiating employment terms and balancing power dynamics in employment relationships since unionized employees have more power and influence than individual employees. Collective bargaining also seeks to protect worker rights by advocating for safe working conditions and fair treatment (Doyle, 2021).
An example of a union that represents employees during collective bargaining is the National Football League (NFL) Players Association, which negotiated for players’ safety protocols with the NFL during COVID-19 after the season was disrupted by the pandemic in 2020, hence representing the interests of its professional football players. The negotiations yielded results, with the NFL being allowed to continue with protection safeguards in place (Shook, 2020).
How It Works
The collective bargaining process involves steps such as preparation, where the bargaining team is selected and the management team designated. Each party prepares its proposals and establishes priorities. In addition, ground rules are set early in the process, and parties agree on the bargaining style. The other step involves the negotiation stage, where all parties meet and discuss proposals through rounds of bargaining on issues such as salaries/wages, workplace safety, and others (NEA, 2022).
The collective bargaining process enters the agreement stage, where the collective bargaining agreement is drafted if the agreement is reached. However, the specific state laws provide how to resolve the conflict if an agreement is not reached. The next step involves ratifying the proposed CBA. In many cases, the agreement reached in the agreement state is considered tentative by unions such as the United Auto Workers union until it is ratified by the members through voting (NEA, 2022).
The majority votes determine whether the agreement/contract is accepted or rejected, and when ratified, a new collective bargaining agreement is formed. The next phase includes implementing the terms of the CBA in the workplace as agreed.
