5HR01: Employment Relationship Management – Report Writing
Assignment Task
Case study
You are the HR manager for Makite Solutions, a small-medium sized logistics company which distributes products nationally. Makite provide high-performance logistics and supply chain management to customers. Starting by delivering in their local area, they have experienced explosive growth over the last 3 years, becoming one of the leading lights in their sector. Makite is a unionised workplace.
This growth, however, has caused problems for Makite Solutions. Employee relations have become difficult between Makite and their staff and conflict is starting to become commonplace. Employees have mentioned “differences in personality styles”, “lack of respect” and “lack of support”. There is currently industrial unrest within the organisation, with instances of go slow tactics and talks of strikes.
As the HR manager, you have been tasked to create a policy document of key legal aspects and their implications, for Makite’s intranet library. You will also generate an advisory briefing note to senior managers facing industrial unrest in the organisation.
Preparation for the Tasks:
Refer to the indicative content in the unit to guide and support your evidence.
Pay attention to how your evidence is presented, remember you are working in the People Practice Team for this task.
Ensure that the evidence generated for this assessment remains your own work
Task One – Policy Document
You are required to produce a policy document containing key legal aspects and their implications. This should be designed to sit on the company’s intranet and should be formal in style.
The policy document can be broken down into two sections:
Section 1
a) A review of emerging developments to inform approaches to employee voice and engagement.
b) Differentiate between employee involvement and employee participation and how it builds relationships.
c) Assess a range of employee voice tools and approaches to drive employee engagement.
d) Critically evaluate the interrelationships between employee voice and organisational performance.
e) Explain the concept of better working lives and how this can be designed.
Section 2
a) Explain the principles of legislation relating to unfair dismissal in respect of capability and misconduct issues.
b) Analyse key causes of employee grievances.
c) Explain the skills required for effective grievance and discipline-handling procedures.
d) Advise on the importance of handling grievances effectively.
Task Two – Advisory Briefing Note
This task requires you to produce an advisory briefing note to senior managers facing industrial unrest in the organisation.
The advisory note should contain:
Distinguish between organisational conflict and misbehaviour, and between informal and formal conflict.
Distinguish between official and unofficial employee action.
Assess emerging trends in the types of conflict and industrial sanctions.
Distinguish between third-party conciliation, mediation and arbitration.
Explain the main provisions of collective employment law.
Compare the types of employee bodies, union and non-union forms of employee representation
Evaluate the purpose of collective bargaining and how it works.
Introduction
As the HR Manager for Makite Solutions, a small-medium sized logistics company, you have been tasked with creating a policy document and advisory briefing note to address the current industrial unrest and conflict within the organization. This policy document and advisory briefing note are designed to provide guidance to senior managers on key legal aspects and their implications related to employee voice, engagement, discipline, and grievances.
Policy Document
Section 1
Employee voice and engagement have become increasingly important in the workplace as organizations recognize the value of employee participation and involvement in decision-making processes. Employee involvement refers to the participation of employees in discussions and decisions related to the workplace, while employee participation refers to employees actively engaging in the decision-making process.
To build positive relationships between employees and the organization, it is important to assess a range of employee voice tools and approaches to drive employee engagement. These tools and approaches may include surveys, suggestion boxes, town hall meetings, and focus groups, among others. By providing employees with a voice, organizations can improve employee engagement, satisfaction, and performance.
The interrelationships between employee voice and organizational performance are complex, but studies have shown that a positive and engaged workforce can lead to increased productivity, innovation, and profitability. Therefore, it is important to critically evaluate the interrelationships between employee voice and organizational performance to design better working lives for employees.
Section 2
Unfair dismissal is a key area of legislation that organizations must adhere to. Capability and misconduct issues are two common reasons for dismissal, and it is important to understand the principles of legislation relating to unfair dismissal in respect of these issues. Failure to follow proper procedures can result in costly legal action against the organization.
Employee grievances can also lead to industrial unrest and conflict within an organization. Key causes of employee grievances may include poor communication, lack of recognition, and unclear job expectations. Effective grievance and discipline-handling procedures require specific skills such as active listening, empathy, and problem-solving skills.
It is important to handle grievances effectively to maintain positive employee relations and prevent industrial unrest. Effective handling of grievances can lead to increased employee engagement, satisfaction, and retention.
Advisory Briefing Note
Organizational conflict can take many forms, including misbehaviour, informal conflict, and formal conflict. It is important to distinguish between these types of conflict to effectively address and prevent them. Misbehaviour refers to an employee’s violation of organizational norms or standards, while informal conflict refers to disagreements or tensions between individuals or groups within the organization. Formal conflict refers to legal disputes between an employee or group of employees and the organization.
Official and unofficial employee action can also be a source of conflict. Official employee action refers to actions taken by employees through their union or workplace representative, while unofficial employee action refers to actions taken by employees without the support of their union or representative.
Emerging trends in the types of conflict and industrial sanctions may include increased use of social media to raise grievances and communicate with others, as well as increased use of non-traditional forms of industrial action such as work-to-rule and sickouts.
Third-party conciliation, mediation, and arbitration can be effective tools for resolving disputes between employees and organizations. These methods involve a neutral third party who facilitates communication and negotiation between the two parties.
Collective employment law outlines the rights and obligations of employees and employers in collective bargaining, trade union recognition, and industrial action. Understanding the main provisions of collective employment law is important for senior managers to effectively address industrial unrest.
There are different types of employee bodies, including union and non-union forms of employee representation. Unions are organizations that represent the interests of employees in the workplace, while non-union forms of representation may include employee councils or committees. It is important to compare the types of employee bodies to determine the most effective form of representation for the organization.
