Employee Relations 25/08/14 Flashcards
What is Employee Relations?
Interaction between employers and employees in the establishment of wages and conditions of employment
Benefits of employee relations?
Improved organisational performance
Strategies to retain, reward and motivate employees
What is a Stakeholder?
Any individual or group who has a vested interest in the activities of the organisation
eg. Employers, employees, unions, employer associations, governments (incl. Fair Work Australia)
What is a Centralised system of Employee Relations?
The Government and Fair Work Australia control the process of wage determination with the implementation of Awards.
What is an Award?
A legally binding agreement that sets out minimum wages and conditions for a group of employees
What are the advantages of a centralised system?
Provide equality for workers
Government has greater control
Provides stability and predictability for organisations
Industrial disputes can be reduced
What are the disadvantages of a centralised system?
Less flexibility
Lack of involvement of employers to provide improvements
Large Union involvement who can mount expensive legal cases
What is the role of FWA in the Centralised system?
Approve agreements Resolve disputes Set the minimum wage Ensure compliance of businesses Take legal action
What is a decentralised system of Employee Relations?
Employees are able to negotiate agreements with employers in individual workplaces
What are the advantages of a Decentralised System
Enables flexibility to introduce conditions that suit the individual workplace
Greater communication between employer and employee
Employees can be rewarded with improved productivity
What are the disadvantages of a Decentralised System?
Greater inequality as unskilled workers have less bargaining power
Government has less control over wages and economy
May increase conflict due to greater employer powers
What is a Modern Award?
Characteristic
Modern Award
- ER System
- Centralised
Who creates them?
Government (FWA) with Union
Role of Union
Recommendation to FWA
Applies to
Specific industry
What is a Collective agreement?
Characteristic
Collective Agreement
ER System
Decentralised
Who creates them?
Employer and Union
Role of Union
Represent Employees
Applies to
Specific industry
What is Individual Agreement
Characteristic
Individual Agreement
ER System
Decentralised
Who Creates them?
Employer and employee
Role of Union
None
Applies to
Individual Employee
What are National Employment Standards?
Provide a safety net of basic employment conditions for all Australian Employees
What does the NES cover?
Maximum weekly hours
Leave entitlements (annual, holiday, personal)
Flexible work arrangements
Notice of termination and redundancy pay
What is the role of a HR manage in a Decentralised system?
Provide training to staff and managers
Assist in resolving disputes
Negotiation of agreements with employers and unions
Implementation of Agreements
What are the effective management styles used in ER?
Consultative - where the manager consults employees before making decisions them self
Participative - Where the manager unites with staff to make decisions together
What are the effective management skills used in ER?
Negotiation - ability to resolve disputes through discussion and compromise
Communication - listening, asking questions, providing information
Problem solving - looking for effective ways to find a workable solution
Emotional Intelligence - ability to manage the emotions of self and other involved in negotiations
Why are effective managements styles and skills important to ER?
Fewer industrial Disputes Improve organisation productivity Increase employee motivation Decrease workplace accidents Lower staff turnover
What is conflict?
Involves disputes, disagreements and dissatisfaction between individuals and/or groups
Why does conflict arise in ER?
Management policy
Wage demands
Working Condition
Job Security
What is Industrial Action?
Steps by the employer or employee to enforce demands or to press the addressing of complaints
Employee Industrial Action
Strike - refusal to work
Picket Line - stop entry of non-union labour, goods and services to workplace
Work bans - refusal to perform tasks that would normally be part of their everyday work life
