comm 211 section 3 Flashcards
Benifits
- Direct Compensation: pay, based on critical job factors or performance
- Indirect Compensation: benefits and services extended as a condition of employment, not directly related to performance, approaching 25 to 40% of annual payroll expenses
- Objectives of benefits programs
- Improve employee work satisfaction
- Meet employee health and security requirements
- Attract and retain employees
- Help reduce fatigue and may enhance productivity e.g. rest breaks, vacations
- Discourage labor unrest
- Maintain a favorable competitive position
- Requirements for sound design
- Strategic Benefits Planning
- Allowing for Employee Involvement
- Benefits for a diverse workforce
- Providing for flexibility
- Communicating employee benefits information
- Benefits mandated by law and discretionary benefits
- Legally required
- CPP/QPP
- Employment Insurance
- Workers’ Compensation
- Holidays & Vacations
- 10 statutory holidays per year – employees entitled to regular wage if not working, 1.5X regular wage if working
- Minimum 3 weeks vacation per year after one year of employment – increases to 4 weeks after 10 years with same employer
- Unpaid meal break of at least 30 minutes every 5 consecutive hours of work
- Paid rest breaks not mandated
Voluntary:
* Life & Health Insurance
* Disability Insurance
* Insurance Benefits
* Life insurance—almost universal benefit
* Health-related insurance
* Disability Insurance - Salary continuation for short-term and long-term disability
* Employee Security Benefits
* Employment income security e.g. severance
* Retirement security i.e. defined benefits plans and defined contribution plans
* Salary Continuation
* Retirement Security
* Registered Pension Plans (RPP)
* Defined Benefits (DB) Plans
* Defined Contribution (DC) Plans
* Two problems administering pension plans:
* If employers go out of business – plan is left unfunded
* Some companies minimize their pension costs by having very long vesting periods
* Paid Time-Off Benefits
* Employee Services
* Educational assistance (e.g., tuition refund)
* Financial services (e.g., employee discount plans)
* Social services
* Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs)
* Relocation programs
* Caregiver programs
- Positives and negatives of remote work
- Potential Positives
- Satisfaction, Lower turnover, Work-life balance, Sustainability, Lower operational costs
Potential Negatives
* Isolation and mental health, Gender disparities, Presenteeism, Fewer feedback and development opportunities, Communication and culture challenges, Less likely to be promoted, Some research indicates lower productivity (but findings are mixed)
- Employee Relations & Discipline
- Good employee relations happen when there is:
- Employee involvement
- Employee Communication
- Employee Counselling
- Employee Discipline
- Employee rights
- What are the outcomes of positive employee relations?
- Improve productivity: Productivity is significantly impacted by ability and attitude
- Implementation of organizational strategies:
- Goals and strategies are communicated
- Employees provide commitment
- Reduce Employment costs
- Reduced absenteeism and turnover
- Provides recruitment advantage
- Help employees grow and develop
- Help employees achieve personal goals
- Improve morale, loyalty & productivity
- Three regimes of employment law
- The Common Law of Employment
- Employer Obligations
- To maintain a safe workplace
- To treat employees with decency, civility, respect, and dignity
- Employee Obligations
- To serve the employer with loyalty and fidelity
- To perform competently
- To advance the employer’s economic interests
- To avoid insubordination and insolence
- Both Parties
- To provide reasonable notice that they are terminating the contract
Statutory Regulations
Statutory Regulations in Labor Relations: Statutory regulations are laws that govern employment relationships and labor rights. They include:
* Labor Standards Acts (e.g., minimum wage, working hours, health and safety regulations).
* Employment Protection Laws (e.g., unfair dismissal, anti-discrimination laws).
* Health and Safety Laws (e.g., workplace safety regulations).
* Union Recognition and Labor Relations Laws (e.g., rights to unionize, collective bargaining).
* Employment Contracts: Laws dictating minimum terms in contracts (e.g., notice periods, severance).
These regulations protect workers’ rights and outline the responsibilities of both employers and unions.
- Collective Bargaining and Arbitration law
- Collective Bargaining:
- The process where unions negotiate with employers on wages, benefits, job conditions, etc.
- Legal Frameworks protect workers’ right to collective bargaining (e.g., National Labor Relations Act in the U.S. or Trade Union Act in the UK).
- Duty to Bargain in Good Faith: Both parties must negotiate sincerely.
- Union Recognition: Laws outline how unions are recognized and certified to represent workers.
- Arbitration:
- A neutral third party makes binding decisions to resolve disputes (e.g., when collective bargaining fails).
- Compulsory Arbitration: Some disputes, especially in essential services, may require arbitration by law.
- Voluntary Arbitration: Both parties agree to resolve disputes through arbitration.
- Arbitration Clauses in collective bargaining agreements specify how disputes will be handled.
- Standards for dismissing unionized and non-unionized employees
Wrongful Dismissal
* The termination of an employee without just cause or without giving the employee reasonable notice or pay in lieu of notice
* Non-union employer who does not have just cause for dismissing an employee may be sued for wrongful dismissal
*
Determining Just Cause for Dismissal
* Any act by an employee that could have serious negative effects on the organization
* Employer is responsible for proving just cause
*
Dismissing an Incompetent Employee
* Requirements in dismissing an incompetent employee include:
* Providing reasonable, objective standards of performance
* Showing that employee failed to meet standards
* Establishing that employee was given a clear warning including warning that dismissal could result if standards were not met
* Employee Misconduct
* e.g. theft, fraud, and dishonesty are most serious
- Employee rights: privacy and fair treatment
- Privacy
- Employers should collect only job-related information
- PIPEDA requirements
- Employee Monitoring: employees should not expect privacy rights in any material delivered or received through company-owned computers, networks, phones, etc.
- Employee Conduct Outside the Workplace: must establish a clear relationship between the misconduct and its negative effect on other employees or the organization.
- **pages 301-304
- Employer cannot consider age, race, gender etc. and has an obligation to make reasonable accommodation
- Right to work in a safe and harassment-free environment
- Approaches to discipline
- Employeee Discipline Preventive:
- Employee discipline is management action taken to encourage compliance with standards
- Preventive Discipline
- Action taken prior to any infraction to encourage employees to follow the rules
- HR is responsible for developing programs and communication
Employee Discipline: Corrective:
* Corrective Discipline follows a rule infraction (e.g., a warning, suspension without pay)
* The objectives of disciplinary action are:
* To reform the offender
* To deter others from similar actions
* To maintain consistent, effective group standards
*
Restrictions on Discipline:
* May be restricted by union contracts and government legislation
* Due process to ensure established rules and procedures are followed
* A useful guide for corrective discipline is the hot-stove rule:
* With warning
* Immediate
* Consistent
* Impersonal
*
Progressive Discipline
* Stronger penalties for repeated offences
* Verbal reprimand by supervisor
* Written reprimand; with a record in file
* 1-3 day suspension
* Suspension for 1 week+
* Discharge for cause
* It is essential that employers document discipline efforts
*
Positive Discipline
* Takes a problem-solving approach
* Employee accepts that a problem exists and takes responsibility
* 4 suggestions for positive disciplinary interviews:
* Focus on the conversation, not the disciplinary action
* Change the name of disciplinary steps (from reprimands and warnings to notice and conversation)
* Provide employees with the opportunity to clear their record
* Avoid unpaid suspensions
- OH&S
- Why do we have OHS regulations?
- Who are the stakeholders and what are their duties?
Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) regulations exist to protect workers’ health and safety, prevent accidents, ensure legal compliance, and promote a safe work environment. These regulations are designed to safeguard workers from hazards, improve productivity, and reduce financial losses due to workplace injuries or illnesses.
Key stakeholders in OHS include:
1. Employers: Responsible for providing a safe workplace, complying with regulations, offering training, and reporting incidents.
2. Workers: Must follow safety procedures, report hazards, and participate in safety programs.
3. OHS Officers/Inspectors: Monitor compliance, investigate accidents, and enforce safety standards.
4. Government Regulators: Set and enforce OHS laws and standards, monitor workplace safety.
5. Unions/Employee Representatives: Advocate for worker safety, participate in safety committees, and support workers’ rights.
6. Insurance Providers: Offer workers’ compensation and promote risk management to reduce accidents.
7. Contractors/Subcontractors: Ensure their workers adhere to safety regulations and have proper training and equipment.
Each stakeholder has distinct duties to ensure a safe and compliant work environment.
- Health Hazards and Issues in the workplace
- Workplace accidents and occupation-related illnesses:
- $8B annually in direct compensation
- More than $19B including indirect expenses
- Direct cost of injuries:
- Lost wages, medical treatment, rehabilitation, etc.
- Indirect costs:
- Lost production, recruiting, training, etc.
- On average, 2.5 employees die each day of the year from workplace accidents (925 each year)
Health Hazards
* Physical Agents: Exposure to Physical elements (e.g., Noise
* Biological Agents:
* Exposure to Natural organisms (e.g., Viruses
* Ergonomic Related
* Caused by the work environment (e.g., repetitive strain)
*
Younger Workers
* Growing emphasis on the health and safety of young workers
* 1 in 7 young workers is injured on the job
* One-fourth of all workplace injuries involve workers aged 15 – 29 years
* Among injured workers under 25, 50% of injuries occurred in first 6 months on the job, and 20% of injuries and fatalities were in the first month
* Most common types of injuries are electrocution and machine injuries
*
Federal and Provincial Safety Regulations
* Each province and federal jurisdiction has detailed legislation addressing health and safety
* 3 Fundamental Employee Rights
* The right to know about hazards in the workplace
* The right to participate in correcting hazards
* The right to refuse dangerous work
- Duties of Employers
- Provide a hazard free workplace.
- Comply with statutes and regulations.
- Inform employees about OH&S regulations.
- Keep records and summaries.
- Ensure supervisors and employees are familiar with hazards.
- Report any accidents that cause injury and death.
- Duties of Workers
- Comply with all applicable acts and legislation.
- Report hazardous conditions and defective equipment.
- Follow all employer OH&S rules, including the use of protective equipment.
- Duties of Supervisors
- Advise employees of potential workplace hazards.
- Ensure that workers use or wear safety equipment, devices and clothing.
- Provide written instruction where applicable.
- Take every reasonable precaution to guarantee the safety of workers.
- Duties of Joint Health and Safety Committees
- Provide a forum where management and labour can work together.
- One manager and one worker certified in safety.
- Involved in inspections, work refusals.
- Investigate accidents.
- Respond to worker concerns.
- Integrative model of workplace safety
Safety Climate
* Management commitment
* HRM Practices
* Safe ty Systems
* Supervisor Support
* Group Processes
* Work Pressure
* Deepwater Horizon Case
Individual Factors
* Conscientiousness
* Locus of Control
* Risk-Taking
* Job Attitudes
* These lead to:
Safety Performance
* Following procedures
* Using protective equipment
* Exercising rights / Whistleblowing
* Initiating Safety-Related Change
* That then leads to:
Safety Outcomes
* Accidents
* Injuries
- Stress in the Workplace (text material only)
Working Conditions
- . Workload
- Understaffing Hours of work/shift work/travel
- Physical environment (noise, air quality, etc.)
Type/Nature of Job
- Dealing with others (i.e., clients/co-workers)
- Level of responsibility/job demands
- Unpredictability/unexpected challenges and issues
Life Events
- Work–life balance Family/personal issues
- Unexpected life events/illness
Management Practices
- Unrealistic demands/pressure
- Conflicting roles
- Effort–reward imbalance
- Lack of support/appreciation
- Lack of autonomy
- Poor communication
- Unfair treatment
- Threatening work environment
Financial/Compensation
- Pay/benefits
- Job insecurity
- Union-Management Framework (Labour Relations)
This framework governs the relationship between workers (via unions) and employers. It includes collective bargaining, grievance procedures, workplace representation, and legal frameworks that regulate union activities and dispute resolution.
Why Do Workers Unionize?
Workers unionize to:
* Improve wages, benefits, and job security.
* Ensure better working conditions and protections against unfair treatment.
* Gain a collective voice and influence in workplace decisions.
* Advocate for broader social issues affecting workers
How Employees Become Unionized
- Initial Interest: Employees discuss unionization.
- Organizing Campaign: Union reps recruit members and educate workers.
- Authorization Cards: Workers sign cards to show support.
- Petition for Recognition: Union petitions for an official election.
- Union Election: Workers vote on unionization.
- Certification: The union is officially recognized if the majority votes for it.
- Collective Bargaining: The union negotiates terms of employment with management.
What Can Organizations Do to Avoid Collective Action?
Employers may:
* Improve communication and workplace conditions.
* Offer competitive wages and benefits.
* Engage employees in decision-making.
* Use conflict resolution strategies and legal means to contest unionization efforts
Dispute Resolution Processes
Methods to resolve disputes between workers and employers include:
* Grievance Procedures: Formal processes outlined in union contracts.
* Mediation: Neutral third-party facilitates negotiation.
* Arbitration: Neutral third-party makes a binding decision.
* Negotiation: Direct discussions between union and management.
* Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR): Other informal conflict resolution methods.
Collective Bargaining Process
Steps in collective bargaining:
1. Preparation: Both sides gather data and set priorities.
2. Negotiation: Discussions between union and employer on terms.
3. Tentative Agreement: Both sides agree on key terms.
4. Ratification: Union members vote to approve the agreement.
5. Implementation: The contract is put into effect and monitored.
Standards for Dismissal / Termination in a union
Key standards include:
* Just Cause: Employers must have a valid reason for termination.
* Progressive Discipline: Employees may be given warnings before dismissal.
* Fair Process: Employees must have an opportunity to respond.
* Unions’ Role: Unions can challenge dismissals and negotiate procedures.
* Economic Termination: Layoffs due to economic reasons may be negotiated with unions.
- Probationary Period in union
Employees may be let go with fewer protections during probation.
- Strategic Human Resource Management
- Linked to the strategic needs of an organization - corporate, business, & functional levels
- HR strategies and tactics must be mutually consistent
- HR strategies need to be consistent with organizational priorities
A Model of Strategic HRM
Five Steps
- Organizational Mission, Goals, and Strategy Analysis
- Environmental Scan
- Analysis of Organizational Character and Culture
- Choice and Implementation of Human Resource Strategies
- Review, Education and Audit of Human Resource Strategies
Step 1: Organizational Mission, Goals, and Strategy Analysis
Mission statement
- Statement outlining the purpose, long-term objectives, and activities the organization will pursue and the course for the future
- The organization’s goals outline what specifically the organization seeks to achieve in a given time period, which impacts its HR practices
- The organization’s strategies determine the appropriate array of HR practices
- HR strategies enable the successful completion of the organization’s strategies
Step 2: Environmental Scan
Continuous monitoring of economic, technological, demographic, and cultural forces
The major forces:
1. Economic
2. Technological
3. Demographic
4. Cultural
5. Legal
Step 3: Analysis of Organizational
Structure and Culture
Human resource strategies should be formulated only after a careful look at the organization’s structure
* Employees, objectives, technology, size, age, unions, policies, successes, failures
Structure reflects the past and shapes the future
Each organization has a unique culture
* Core beliefs and assumptions that are widely shared by all organizational members
Step 4: Choice and Implementation of Human Resource Strategies
HR must continuously focus on the following activities:
1. Identifying opportunities, risks, and challenges
2. Making data-informed decisions aligned to strategy
3. Optimizing for high performance
Step 5: Review, Evaluation, and Audit of Human Resource Strategies
- HR Strategies should be examined periodically in consideration of changing factors (e.g., technology, environment)
- A holistic review of HR strategies with the intention of identifying and correcting deficiencies is called a human resource audit
- Human resource activities aimed at productivity improvement, succession planning, and cultural change are critical to competitive survival
Assessing the HR Function
q Compliance
q Client satisfaction
q Culture management
q Cost control
q Contribution
Generating Applicants
- Deciding whom to target
– Geography
– Applicant type - Choice of Recruitment Source
Internal Recruiting:
Advantages:
* Employee is familiar with the organization
* Employee is “known”, thereby increasing ability to predict success
* Improves employee morale & motivation
Weaknesses:
* Internal competition can reduce cooperation
* No “new blood” so can prevent creative solutions
* Poor morale (possible turnover) of employees not promoted
External Recruiting:
Advantages:
* Able to acquire skills and knowledge that may not be available within
* Newer ideas and novel ways of solving problems may emerge
Weaknesses:
* Newcomers may not fit in
* Newcomers take longer to learn about the organization
* Usually more expensive
* Lowered morale and motivation of current employees
Corporate Image and Applicant Attraction
- Organization’s reputation is an important concern to job applicants
- Corporate image predicts the likelihood of interest on the part of a job seeker
- Familiarity with the company
- Competitive compensation package
Maintaining Applicant Status
¬ Face-to-face Contact
¬ Signaling theory
¬ Ideal recruiter characteristics
¬ Knowledge about the job and firm
¬ Doesn’t oversell the employer
¬ Knows the candidate’s background
¬ Expresses interest in the candidate and builds rapport
¬ Positive attitude about company and role
¬ Good interpersonal skills, professional, and ethical
¬ Follows-up promptly
¬ Applicant Reactions to selection procedures
¬ Discrete
¬ Fair / just
¬ Job relevant
¬ Timely
¬ Need to balance rigour / difficulty with applicant reactions
¬ Realistic Job Previews
¬ Reduce voluntary turnover:
¬ Met expectations
¬ Ability to cope
¬ Air of honesty / commitment
¬ Self-selection
Influencing Job Choice
¬ Objective Factors (Job Attributes)
¬ Type of work, Pay, Benefits, Hours, Job Security, etc.
¬ Subjective Factors (Perceived Fit)
¬ Demands-Abilities vs. Needs-Supplies
¬ Supplementary vs. Complementary
¬ Critical Contact
¬ Consistent with Signaling Theory
¬ Recruiter characteristics, perceptions of selection process, etc. influence job choice
Why do Reliability and Validity matter?
- Increase the probability of hiring a high performer—in terms of both task and contextual performance
- Selection systems are legally defensible
- Ethical reasons—selection decisions are high stakes; they have a profound impact on the lives of applicants and others who work with them (for them)
What is Reliability?
- The degree to which interviews, tests, and other selection procedures yield comparable data over time and alternative measures.
- The proportion of true score variance to error variance in the obtained score
Methods of Estimating Reliability
- Test – retest
- Internal Consistency
- Inter-rater Reliability
