Unit 20 Assignment on Employee Relations copy NHS

Introduction

Employee relations copy NHS assignment delves with the aspect of employee relations that is associated with understanding the significance of good employee relations regarding the success of the business, nature of industrial conflict as well as mechanisms for resolution, collective bargaining as well as processes for negotiation and the concept of staff participation as well as involvement. The changes in trade unionism need to be assessed as well as role of key players in employee relation are required to be explained.

Task 1

1.1

Unitary frame of reference: According to me, I believe that the unitary frame of reference regarding a company can be viewed as an assimilated as well as harmonious entity in which the managers as well as the other employees are sharing common interests as well as goals. The organization portrays an image as a team having common loyalty bases that are associated with focusing on effort as well as acceptance of leadership and every staff from the senior level to the junior level are working towards a common organizational objective. I believe that the perception of conflict is regarded as unsettling as well as unnatural and can be more clearly stated with the help of poor communications, personality clashes as well as the functioning of the agitators. (Daft, 2015)Trade Unions are viewed as unnecessary evil and if a company is allowing the formation of a trade union that is only functioning in respect of developing the process of employee and organizational communication and allowing the staffs for taking part in the process of  decision making , then the unity frame of reference is giving precedence regarding the personal and professional development of the staffs in the organization.

Pluralistic frame of reference: According to me, I believe that the pluralistic frame of reference is viewing the company to be comprising of influential as well as competing sub-groups management as well as trade unions having their individual rightful loyalties, goals as well as leaders. The pluralistic frame of reference does the encountering of differences as well as concerns to share profitability as well as matters of the organization in respect of the managers as well as the staffs. (Daft, 2015) The management of conflicts is generally done with the help of the collective bargaining method and it can assist in bringing a positive change internally as well as externally. I believe that, in respect of the pluralistic frame of reference manager’s role will be less imposing as well as enforcing and there will be an increase in the aspects of persuasion as well as coordination. Moreover, a significant role is being played by the trade unions in this approach.

1.2

Trade Unions are regarded as association of workers and their formation occurs with the purpose of safeguarding the staffs from getting exploited by the employers as well as improving the condition of the staffs working in an organization. I believe that the Industrial Revolution that took place in England as well as in other countries as well as the arrival of the factory production system are having huge responsibility towards the surfacing of the trade unions. The modern industrial establishment is employing the workers in circumstances making them vulnerable to bargain in an individual manner towards the improvement in their conditions for work. (Daft, 2015) The workers are disorganized, and are being subjected to exploitation by the staffs.

The working class for resenting the employer’s exploitation and safeguarding themselves from getting exploited formed the trade unions. Therefore, I believe that the trade union movement started in respect of defending the rights of the staffs, towards the improvement in their livelihood as well as conditions for work as well as safeguarding the interest of the staffs. In UK, the characterization of the trade union organization takes place with the help of huge number of small unions that co-exists with a limited number of bigger trade unions. They are having varied strategies for recruitment. The trade unions that are occupationally based are focusing on the recruitment of staffs that are performing certain tasks. Other trade unions are confining their recruitment towards rank of staffs that are having employment with a specific industry. (McDonald, 2012)

Moreover, I believe that labor relation is describing the relationship within management as well as industrial staffs and in that respect at times it is described as relationship between employers and employees. It also does the embracing of the relationship within the staffs as well as employer in an industrial enterprise and there occurs the development of  employability skills  for making adjustments as well as having cooperation between the staffs and also amongst the staffs and the employers. The designing of the labor relations are mainly done for safeguarding the employee’s interest as well as management with the help of shared understanding as well as relationship and moreover for improving the work quality towards the avoidance of industrial disagreements for developing a healthy environment for work.

Lastly, I believe that with the growth of trade union, the various establishments will be able to do the maintenance of an improved industrial relationship for ensuring that production is continuing as well as for the reduction in industrial conflicts. (McDonald, 2012)Moreover, it assists in the promotion of cooperation amongst the management as well as the staffs of the organization.

1.3

The role of the key players in employee relations are mentioned as under,

• Employer– The employers provide the written employment contract to the staffs depending on their description of work, and I believe, they are accountable to ensure that there is safety in the place of work. The employers are also having the responsibility for the payment of the wages, providing induction training, providing tools as well as equipments in respect of work. The employers are required communicating with the staffs if any change is occurring and provide fairness as well as similar scope in respect of every staff from their companies. The employers are also having the authority of firing the staffs if there occurs unpleasant misbehavior from the latter’s end.
• Employee– I believe that the employees are also playing the role of key players in respect of employee relations in which their main part is performing the job as it needs to be done such as following the processes, reporting on time, working in an efficient manner, following the contract for avoiding the problems associated with employee relation, roles as well as regulations are needed to be abided by the employees, problems need to be discussed with the managers and having effective communication for sorting the problems before they get more complex. (McDaniel, 2011)
• Trade Unions– These are considered as the organizations that are representing individuals at work. I believe that the main role of the trade unions is to safeguard as well as fight for the improvement of various individual’s payments as well as employment conditions. The trade unions are also campaigning in respect of laws as well as policies that will be benefitting working individuals. The function of the trade unions in respect of an organization is fighting for the staff’s right, ensuring they are negotiating on their behalf for the achievement of a common objective like safeguarding the truthfulness of the trade of the establishment, actualizing higher pay as well as benefits like health care as well as retirement that assists in the increase in the staff’s number that are assigned by an employer for completing the work, standards of safety, as well as better conditions for work. (McDaniel, 2011)
• Government- It is their responsibility in creating very significant laws for ensuring that the staffs are safeguarded at work and not facing any kind of discrimination related to work in relation to the minimum wage act, working hours, health and safety at the place of work as well as equity-equal scope.

Task 2

2.1

There is the existence of various kinds of conflicts at NHS employer that are known as intrapersonal, strategic, structural and interpersonal conflicts. NHS employer makes sure that diversity as well as supervision is involved in every strategic aspect towards resolving conflicting situations of any kind. Therefore, through the involvement of supervision as well as diversity, NHS employer will be having the ability for maintaining a place of work comprising of faith as well as affability. Regarding these kinds of strategic aspects, there is the involvement of various stages in the process. (McCalman, 2015) The stages are mentioned as under,

• Compromise– This is a considered a major step that is being referred as attempts will be made to solve as well as do the settlement of a conflicting situation thorough compromise as well as arriving at a  familiar spot. Both the parties will not receive precisely what they need but they will not lose either.
• Conflict situations can give rise to unpleasant circumstances therefore at certain moments individuals might be attempting towards avoiding unpleasant circumstances.
• A senior in the organization will make endeavors for making direct approaches for ending a conflict situation. This might become possible through the enforcement of a solution referring to the fact that a person or a group possesses the power to decide upon the ultimate outcome. (Lind, 2014)
• There are situations that are considered to be most difficult to solve and in that respect NHS employer needs to confront the problematic situation and resolve it. This is considered to be the major step in the process regarding conflict management that is termed as conflict resolution. In respect of confronting the matter, there is the requirement towards listening to both the parties as well as maintaining an attempt to create an understanding rather than playing the blame-game. Afterwards, the parties are required focusing on identifying areas in respect of the point of agreement and the means that can be considered effective regarding both the parties from the solutions that are having the most positive potential. (Lind, 2014) The two parties then should take time in resolving the conflict situation by finding an effective resolution.

2.2

The key features of employee relations in respect of the conflict situation are mentioned as under,

• Communication– To communicate with a clear as well as honest perspective will be playing a major part in the overall resolution process. There is the requirement towards acquainting themselves in respect of what is being taken as well as opened in respect of the matter. The individuals should be allowed to express their feelings. (Furnham, 2012) Some feelings in relations to anger as well as the ones associated with hurting another person mainly do the accompanying of the conflicting situation. Prior to the commencement of finding a solution to the problem, there is a requirement to express as well as acknowledge such kinds of emotions.
• Mediation– This is another key feature that is taken into consideration as an important option for providing assistance to resolve as well as manage conflicting situations at the earliest. This will be contributing towards a setting that is considered neutral and confidential so that they are having the ability towards fixing a meeting to discuss the matters and to develop mutual solutions that every party will be accepting. Being a leader as well as team mediator, an individual is required focusing on the responsibilities to encourage competition that is considered healthy at the workplace. (Furnham, 2012)

In addition to this, a very important part is being played by the trade unions as well for maintaining employee relations. These are being presented in the  business environment  to resist the dominating characteristics of the employers getting enforced on the staffs as well as to represent the worker’s interest within the employment relationship.

2.3

Conflict, at certain times is being identified as a positive factor that can assist to bring significant changing aspects. The conflict situations at NHS employer are resulting in possessing a number of negative outcomes as well. In respect of the two parties viz. British Medical Association (BMS) as well as NHS employer there are various types of conflicting situations like intrapersonal, strategic, structural and also interpersonal. There is the need to involve diversity as well as supervision in all the strategic aspects in respect of resolving any kind of conflicts. (Frydman, 2013)

As the conflict situation is still continuing, there are possibilities that the representatives of the British Medical Association might get very much emotional in respect of the conflict situation that will resulting in creating a number of difficult situations in the method of conflict resolution. Preparations need to be made for resolving the conflict situations as well as there should be the creation of completing understanding for knowing what can be termed as a conflict situation. There should be creation of focus regarding the behavioral aspect that can be changed by the individuals and not on components like personalities that remain unchanged. (Freeman, 2010)

For managing the conflict situation effectively, there is a need for being a communicator having strong abilities and this is very much required for both, British Medical Association (BMS) as well as NHS employer. These take into consideration the aspect of creating an open communication environment within the particular unit towards encouraging the staffs towards communicating specific work related matters. Taking into consideration the employee’s concern will be resulting in nurturing an open environment for ensuring that there is a perception in regard to the doubts as well as queries of the staffs as well as creating a focus regarding the viewpoint of the matter.

Task 3

3.1

Collective bargaining is considered to be the negotiation process amongst the staffs as well as the employers that is focused towards reaching agreements for regulating working conditions. The aspects of negotiation as well as  business strategy  for collective bargaining have influenced the issue related with NHS employer as well as British Medical Association and it helped in resolving the conflict situation. In the absence of negotiation, both the parties will be unable to find solution to any of their problems.

There is also a very significant aspect that needs to state here that, there was the involvement of Trade Unions in respect of this negotiation or else the rights of the staffs for NHS employer would not get actualized. (Dwyer, 2012)

The role of negotiation in collective bargaining in respect of the conflict situation is mentioned as under,

• A negotiation team was composed and there were representatives from both NHS employer as well as British Medical Association having sufficient knowledge as well as negotiation skills.
• The two parties discussed on the various aspects that will assist in guiding the negotiations and in respect of that an environment of mutual trustworthiness as well as understanding also happened for reaching the agreement in respect of collective bargaining.
• Then, there occurs the step of exchanging messages as well as the viewpoints of the two parties were taken into consideration.
• Then, proper bargaining has been done between NHS employer as well as British Medical Association to adopt an attitude of finding solution to the problems and the drafting of agreements occurs. (Dwyer, 2012)
• Settlement- After the bargaining process gets completed, both the parties reach a consensual agreement and agree to a common decision in respect of the conflict situation. There occurs effective collective agreement implementation with the help of visions that are shared, strategic planning as well as negotiated changing aspects.

3.2

Negotiation strategies are considered as the interactive patterns used by both parties having an involvement in the conflict situation in respect of achieving the resolution. Various strategic aspects regarding negotiation at NHS employer can be utilized that can have high dependence regarding the relevancy of the crises that needs to get negotiated as well as the present relationship amongst the two parties regarding the negotiation. Two common aspects that can be undertaken by NHS employer in relation to the negotiation strategies in the traditional context that are being used in respect of various negotiation strategies are the competitive strategies as well as collaborative strategies. (Daft, 2015)

The strategic aspect of collaborative negotiation does the promotion towards the information sharing with the other party regarding negotiation. This information sharing is contributing to enable a collaborative negotiator towards evaluating the requirements as well as precedence of all the people that are having the involvement and not exploiting the distinguishing factors. (Fernando, 2011) The strategic aspect regarding competitive negotiation is being taken into consideration as an attempt to resolve the conflict situation by the explicit as well as implicit use of threats, punishments as well as influential kinds of arguments.

Conclusion

This assignment delves with the aspect of employee relations that is associated with explaining the processes an organization is required following when dealing with different situations of conflicts, then explaining the key features of employee relations as well as evaluating the effectiveness of procedures followed by the two parties. Also, the role of negotiation in collective bargaining has been explained as well as the impact of negotiation strategies adopted by both the parties has been assessed.