Introduction to Human Resource Management

1
Introduction to Human Resource Management

• Chapter 13
• Managing Employee Relations

2
Highlights

• Discuss upward and downward communications
• look at types of employee counseling
• what is progressive discipline?
• Some techniques to improve quality of work life
• Downsizing its effects

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Employee Relations

• Very complex
• involves blend of perceptions, corporate culture,
  and HR practices
• relations important as they
• increase productivity
• assist in implementing org. strategies
• decrease employment costs
• recruitment adv
• assist in achieving personal goal side of HRM

4
Effective Employee Communication

• Information communication critical (ie
  UGG/agricore merger)
• HR dept needs to help Co develop build support
  communications

5
Effective Employee Communication

• Examples announcement co-ordination, job
  openings, promos
• communication system can be both formal
  informal
• need to move info throughout organization so
  informed decisions made

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Effective Employee Communication

• HR dept can assist through
• employee orientation
• newsletters/letters/intranets
• training info booklets
• counseling activities
• assist managers with employee direct
  communications

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2 Basic Communication Systems

• 1)downward - info from some point in an
  organization and feeds down the hierarchy
• used to get info to employees (ie intranets,
  bulletin boards, info booklets etc)
• 2)upward - to get info from employee up to hirer
  levels (ie. online surveys)

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Effective Employee Communication

• Email abuse prevention
• develop policies on email communications
• be aware of legal issues
• train everyone on policies
• encourage prompt reporting of violations
• address violations quickly
• understand the system consequences - ie virus
• comment - just like a TV on everyones desk

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Info Sharing Open Book Management

• Publicly traded Co provide stake holders with
  annual reports status progress info of Co.
• slightly modified report for employees
• other Co openly give info about co financial
  situation, how Co is doing and how Co earns
  profits

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Info Sharing Open Book Management

• Other Co. may hold an open meeting with Co.
  President or CEO similar to share holders
  meetings, including a question period

11
Upward Communication Systems

• Need to look _at_ feedback barriers to improve
  process
• increased communication is often started by
  people who want to inform/influence higher-ups

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Upward Communication Systems

• Often employee supervisor interactions need to
  be informal
• supervisor needs to create an environment where
  open communication encouraged

• Includes fostering a honest communication system
• plus showing genuine concern for employees

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Upward Communication Systems

• Grapevine - informal communication system that
  springs up spontaneously due to social
  interactions (ie coffee groups, lunch etc.)
• similar to friends sharing ideas info

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Upward Communication Systems

• Good managers keep their ear to the ground
  can be valuable feedback
• need to show you can handle off the record
  conversations w/o jeopardizing communicator

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Upward Communication Systems

• Want to maintain confidentiality to keep employee
  confidence, trust reliability
• electronic discussion groups can also be used as
  Grapevine

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In House Complaint Procedures

• What if employee has a problem cannot solve
  with supervisor?
• Not many options - w/o bypassing supervisor
  -could be retaliation -reluctant to use
• set up often like grievance process
• employee needs to submit complaint in writing
• once recd need to investigate to ensure
  reasonable collect the facts

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In House Complaint Procedures

• Work to keep employee name out of discussions
• once investigation complete inform employee of
  results
• can be taken to a peer review or ombudsman to
  hear problem provide suggestions
• mediation can be used done by a 3rd party meets
  with supervisor employee to resolve issue
• arbitration - 3rd party hears makes binding
  decision

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Manager Employee Meetings

• Rap sessions held do discuss complaints,
  suggestions, opinions questions
• informal, manager to learn from employee so can
  take issues to higher level if reqd

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Manager Employee Meetings

• Difficult if Senior Mgmt makes a decision that
  conflicts with expressed concerns
• want to keep things focused on what Co can do
  better work related problems

20
Suggestion System

• Formal method of generating, evaluating, and
  rewarding ideas from employees
• can be simple like a suggestion box or an
  electronic one
• often employee discusses idea with supervisor
  form is filled out

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Suggestion System

• Once complete goes to an office committee,
  evaluations and decision communicated
• if good implemented some type of recognition is
  recd
• need to attend to ideas promptly encourage them

22
Attitude Surveys

• Used to determine employee thoughts on the Co.,
  supervisors, benefits, policies etc.
• can be done face to face or by questionnaire

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Attitude Surveys

• Need feedback on survey results to be effective
• also actions taken as a result of info s/b
  communicated
• can follow up with meeting requesting suggestions
  for addressing concerns

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Employee Counseling

• Discussion of a problem with an employee to help
  better cope with problem
• requires trust and helpful relationship
• may deal with personal job problems
  (downsizing, promo, tsfr)

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Employee Counseling

• If manager uncomfortable should introduce
  employee to another source of help
• may be EAP
• counseling serves many functions
• receive give advice
• reassurance
• communication
• release emotional tension
• clarify thinking
• rethink situation goals

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Employee Discipline

• Reqd when behaviour is unacceptable,
  inappropriate or disruptive base on organizations
  stds
• 2 type of discipline
• preventative
• corrective

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Employee Discipline

• Preventative
• encourage employee to follow stds
• encourage self discipline
• training on what is expected
• assumptions all employees want to perform well

• Corrective
• restriction must be considered - union, govmt,
  regulations
• need due process clearly est. rules
• include an opportunity for employee to respond to
  charges

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Employee Discipline

• Corrective
• discipline s/b fast consistent, impersonal with
  warnings
• can be sandwhich method (pos, neg, pos)
• should not attack the individual

• Increasing court challenges need to document,
  document, document
• what happened, effect on organization, what was
  done about it, witnesses, record promptly

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Employee Discipline

• Want to ensure B4 fire employee for incompetence
• have reasonable obj stds
• document performance indicating failure where
  others succeeded
• have written evidence of warning given to
  employee ( signed if possible)
• demo had reasonable time to improve

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Employee Discipline

• Progressive Discipline
• discipline s/b progressive (i.e. penalties
  increased until desired behavior is achieved - if
  repeat offenders)
• some activities are so severe that dischg is the
  only option (i.e. fighting, theft etc.)
• good example p.515

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Employee Discipline

• Positive Discipline
• involves employee acceptance that a problem
  exists
• need to acknowledge assume responsibility
• using problem solving approach employee suggests
  changes commits to them
• need to document changes timeframes then follow
  up to ensure met

32
Employee Discipline

• Dismissal
• ultimate discipline action
• can be sued for wrongful dismissal
• complicated procedure HR dept should seek legal
  advice
• if reasonable just cause can terminate immediately

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Employee Discipline

• If case is lost employee can be re-instated /or
  damage amt awarded
• If just cause weak should give employee notice
  period or pmt is lieu
• need to look at legislation to calculate reqd
  amt
• If union envir then governed by collective
  agreement abitration process

• Note only guideline - reasonable amt could be
  greater
• Need to take into account
• age
• length of service
• position
• attempt to mitigate losses
• labor market

34
Employee Discipline

• Just Cause act by an employee that could have
  serious neg. effects on the operations or
  reputation of the Co.
• can include incompetence, misconduct, fraud,
  drunkenness, insubordination etc.

35
Employee Discipline

• Economic business factors not considered just
  cause because does not relate to employee
  behaviour
• need to have well planned termination interview
  so separate as pos. as possible
• have another person present

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Termination Interview Plans

• Prepare conduct rehearsal
• ask how would I like to be treated if I were
  this person
• get to the point quickly
• select the time place - suggestions the morning
  or middle of the week
• have all info ready (i.e. severance pkg. details
  etc.)
• list of other to notify to ensure persons duties
  will be covered
• may need to arrange for security
• need to prepare notification for systems
  department and any other areas that should be
  made aware

37
Employee Discipline

• Severance
• should determine Co formula for severance
• can be pay, notice, retraining funds,
  outplacement services or a combination of these
  items

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Employee Rights

• By law or union agreement or in employment
  contract
• examples
• right to privacy, just neceassary info to be
  collected _at_ hiring process

• Right to fair treatment
• rights in the event of business closing /or
  restructuring (ie proper notice etc.)

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Employee Involvement (EI)

• Helps to increase quality of work life s/b
  encouraged
• Quality Circles - small group of employees meet
  regularly to ID solve work related problems
• once solution to problem is selected
  recommendations made to mgmt

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Employee Involvement

• Socio-technical - deals with interventions into
  the work system (ie restructuring of work groups,
  technology etc.)
• helps to reduce the physical mental strains
• Co-determination - worker representatives discuss
  vote on key management decisions that will
  affect workers
• very popular in Europe
• Self Directed Work Groups - worker teams w/o
  formal supervisor, decide amongst the group who
  does what (ie daily assignmts, job rotations, new
  improvements etc.)

41
Employee Discipline

• High Evolvement Work Practices - encourages
  workers to influence how work is performed
• benefits reduced turnover, increased
  productivity, better financial performance

42
Job Security

• No Layoff Policy
• use by some Co.
• benefits
• increased reception to change
• willing to improve organization
• going the extra mile for the Co.

43
Job Security Downsizing

• Job insecurity vs life time employment
• downsizing deliberate decision to decrease
  workforce to improve organizations performance

44
Job Security Downsizing

• 3 types
• 1)work force reduction - cut of employees,
  attrition, early retirements, voluntary layoffs
  and layoffs
• 2)work redesign - examine work processes
  streamline functions, may eliminate some products

45
Job Security Downsizing

• 3) systematic changes - constant goal of
  decreasing costs increasing quality
• downsizing can decrease morale, productivity
  create distrust

46
Job Security Downsizing

• Want to ensure plan is a good LT term one not a
  ST fix
• Example loss of skilled workforce to a competitor
• May cover up other large problems not provide
  intended fix

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Job Security Downsizing

• Keeping good employees challenging
• especially in downsizing
• trend to changing jobs every 3-5 yrs
• challenge to keep workers in growing industry as
  well

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Keeping Good Employees

• Need retention plan
• need to have this plan in effect from the day the
  employee comes on board
• communication is key
• reward supervisors managers for keeping good
  staff
• using exit interviews to find out improvements