3.6.5 Making human resource decisions: improving employer-employee relations

Question 1

What are trade unions?

Answer 1

A trade union is a group of employees who join together to maintain and improve their conditions of employment.

Question 2

State reasons why employees join trade unions.

Answer 2

• Protect and improve the real incomes of their members
• Provide or improve job security
• Protect workers against unfair dismissal and other issues relating to employment legislation
• Lobby for better working conditions
• Offer a range of other work-related services including support for people claiming compensation for injuries sustained in a job

Question 3

What are methods to resolve industrial disputes?

Answer 3

• Arbitration
• Conciliation
• Employment tribunal

Question 4

What is arbitration?

Answer 4

Where a third party comes in to help settle a dispute.

Question 5

What is conciliation?

Answer 5

where a third person come in to help the parties involved reach an amicable solution amongst themselves (advisory)

Question 6

What is an employment tribunal?

Answer 6

informal courts where disputes are legally settled between the employee and the employer (trade unions help with this)

Question 7

State the advantages of a good employee-employer relationship to the employee:

Answer 7

• Communication is better and clearer
• Change is easier to adapt to as the employees understand the need for it
• More motivated workforce – happier place to work
• Employees feel more comfortable and relaxed
• Innovative and more effective problem solving
• Employees feel more involved and part of the team

Question 8

State the advantages of a good employee-employer relationship to the employer:

Answer 8

• More motivated employees so they’ll work harder and produce more
• Organisations grow quicker as employees are happy and more motivated – they will have an increased labour productivity
• Change is easier to implement as employees understand the need
• Happier employees means lower labour turnover
• Decision making is more efficient
• Organisations become more competitive
• Objectives will be easier to meet as the workforce is more coordinated