Unit 20 Employee Relation Assignment NHS

Program	Diploma in Business
Unit Number and Title	Unit 20 Employee Relation NHS
QFC Level	Level 5

Introduction

Employees are been considered to be the most important assets of an organisation as they contribute in the achievement of the desired goals of the business. It has become a necessity for the organisations to focus on the employee relations which is basically defined as the relationship between the employer and the employees within the organisational framework. The present unit 20 employee relation assignment NHS is thus carried out with the intention to gain an enhanced understanding about the employee relationship and its related aspects in detail. The report would be focusing on the implication of unitary and pluralistic framework within the organisation along with the major concerns of the employee relation management specifically. It would even identify the procedures to be followed while dealing with the diverse situations of conflicts at the workplace. The report would also highlight the role of negotiation in collective bargaining in the conflicts at the workplace. Furthermore, the report would be even assessing the impacts of the negotiation strategies being adopted by the conflicting parties to solve the conflicts effectively. In addition to this, the influences of EU on the industrial democracy in UK would be assessed in this report. The report would then assess the impacts of human resource management approach on the employee relations effectively.

Task 1

Reflective Essay

Conflicts are the most common situation at the workplace which takes place due to various reasons or disagreements among the specific group or the individuals. There are wide numbers of perspectives being stated on the conflicts at the workplace. Unitary and pluralistic frames are the most common perspectives of the conflicts. It has been identified that the unitary frame is basically referred as an integrated frame work. The unitary frames of references includes the ways of assumption, thinking, attitudes, practices and values concerned with the organisational and managerial aspects within the organisation. The framework is basically a harmonious system which allows the staff members and the management in an organisation to share uniform objectives, goals, interest, etc. and works towards a shared mutual goal. It has been found that the unitary framework mainly demands the loyalty of the employees towards each other (Millward and Brewerton, 2015). As per my observation, it has been found that the unitarist perspective of the conflicts largely focuses on the analysis of the workplace to identify the reason behind the conflict and evaluate the situation at the workplace. On the contrary to this, the pluralistic frames of references states that the managers and the employees acquire diversified interests over a common aspect. This perspective focuses on the analysis of the bargaining contract and basically includes collective bargaining conflicts into it.  The perspectives of these frameworks towards the conflicts imply diverse ways and tend to resolve the issues accordingly (Fernando, 2014). The unitary perspective frame is mainly concerned with the sole involvement of the staff members in the area such as the leadership responsibility, conflict negotiation, etc. and on the other hand the pluralistic framework states that the involvement of the stakeholders in those area of an organisation.

With respect to the effects of changes in the trade unionism on the employee relations, it has been found that there had been remarkable influences which had influenced the employee relations to the great extent. It has been seen that the trade unionism are basically the group or union that works for the betterment of the employees and towards the social acts against them. The trade unions play an important role in developing a relationship between the employers and the employees as they are the links between them and make them work for the profitability of each other (Ocampo, 2015). In context to the changes in the unionism and its effect on the employee relation, I believe that there are both positive and negative influences being made on the employee relation as if the trade union is working for the sake of employees and works in a positive manner then it would surely lead towards the development of the employee relations with the management and make them work for the achievement of the set objectives. On the contrary, if the trade unions are not making any of the directives towards the employee welfare and do not contributes in the conflict resolution of the employee then it would have an adverse impacts on the same. It has been identified that the major role of trade unionism is to meet the conflicts raised among the employees and provide them with the better resolutions. The conflicts such as lockouts, strikes, etc. are also been controlled by the trade unions which would help the organization to maintain the issues and acquire the desired sustainability in the business strategy  effectively (Seifert, 2013).

Along with this, I explored that there is a vital role of the key players in the employee relations. Employee relation is basically defined as the interaction between the management and the employees of any of the organization concerning the resolutions to the problems, decision making, grievances, etc.  With respect to the employee relations, the key players in my opinion are the managers, employees, government, organization, etc. which plays either direct or indirect roles in the employee relations. The employees are been considered to be the most important and major driving forces of employee relation and directly influences the decisions or the actions being taken in the organization (Woodrow and Guest, 2014). The workers contributes in the making various solutions and the decisions of the management within an organization. The managers are then major parts of employee relation as they acquire a supreme power of making any of the decision over the any of the situations. The employees are not provided with the rights to change the decision and could only protest by raising their voices against them in the forms of various movements. The role of organization in the employee relation largely depends on the patterns and size of the business. it has been found that there are no such collective bargaining power for the trade unions in the non profits organization as compared to the profit organization. Additionally, government has also a major role in the employee relation as it levies various regulations, rules and assistances for the employee relation specifically (Bach, 2015).

Task 2

2.1 Procedure to be followed by NHS employer for dealing with the different conflict situation

Conflicts are generally the disagreements between two or more individual and groups concerning a specific situation. According to the present case, NHS employer could mitigate with the conflicts by making use of different initiatives and resolve the conflict effectively. It has been identified from the case that BMA i.e. British medical association had disagreed with the negotiations on the contract of junior doctor with the government and the  business envieonment of NHS employer.  With the purpose to resolves the issues, NHS employer should follow some specific procedures for dealing with the different conflict issues. The organizations could make use of the negotiation for resolving the conflict and reach to the levels of agreement effectively (Jones and Saundry, 2016). However, by following these ways also the conflict could be resolved:

• Fact finding: The initial stage of resolving a conflict is when a third party is been asked to evaluate and find out the actual facts behind the conflicts and review the evidences and the fact of the conflicting situation specifically and then report the observations made by the review to the conflicting groups.
• Conciliation: Here, the third party individually consults with the disputing parties with the intention to decrease the stress and collect the perception of both of them on the single conflict. The third party then develops a resolution based on the facts found and compared from both the conflicting areas and states a final procedure which would be agreed by everyone (Palm.et.al, 2015).
• Mediation: In mediation, the third party gets involved in the negotiation process and initiates to guide both the disputing parties i.e. NHS employer and BMA to reach towards a mutual agreement. However, the third party do not acquire any authority over the final decision taken by them.
• Arbitration: Here, the conflicting parties mutually select a third party to review the facts and evidences and makes relevant decisions over it. The decision made by the third party had to be agreed by NHS employer and BMA both (Woodrow and Guest, 2014).

2.2 The key features of employee relations

In context to the present conflict of NHS employer and BMA, the key feature is the negotiations which would help them reach to a mutual agreement and resolve the conflict effectively. Negotiation is basically a way of settling the differences among each other and reaches to the desired levels of resolutions. Negotiating with the BMA, NHS employer could resolve the issues and avoid any of the losses due to the conflicts. It has been identified that the organisation would be able to communicate with the association and compromise or get agreement on their aspects which would lead to the ending up of the conflict (Shields.et.al, 2015). The issues on the contract of junior doctors could also be resolved by making use of the collective bargaining which would also contribute in resolving the issues effectively. In addition to this, it is very important to have an effective communication between the conflicting parties so that to convey the perceptions of both the parties and make them reach to the levels of agreements.

It has been identified that for acquiring a good employer and employee relationship, it is very much important to have a clear and honest communication which would help in conveying the actual intentions being the disagreements and would help in negotiating upon the issue.  Mediation is also a feature of employee relation which could help in resolving the conflict with the organisations (Geppert.et.al, 2014). Mediation would allow a third party to review the situation and consult with BMA and the NHS employer to reach towards a mutual agreement over the contract of junior doctors and resolve the conflicts effectively.  

2.3 Evaluation of the effectiveness of procedures followed so far from both parties in this conflict situation

Resolving any conflict is a critical task, in case of the conflict between the trade union and the employer. The present case of the conflict between the British medical association and the NHS employer had taken a severe phase with the strikes against the employer. However, with the help of various initiatives made against the conflicts by negotiation, mediating, collective bargaining, etc. the conflicting situation had been considered to be under control but not yet resolved completely. The procedures being used to resolve the issues involves negotiation which solve the conflict by finding out the origin of the conflict and the conflict costs with the reference to both the NHS employer and the trade union (Sidaway, 2013). It has been found that this initiative could prove to be negatively impacting as it is not sure that the entire group of employees agrees to the negotiation and could not be satisfied with the resolution at the end.

On the other side, negotiating with the demands of the employees and making them satisfied could resolve the conflict and but would not meet the demands of the employer and thus could lead to severe misunderstandings within both the parties. With respect to the effectiveness of the procedure used to resolve the conflict, it has been found that the negotiation could be carried out by gaining the consents of both the parties and even involving a third party to make a decision over the solution. This would have a mutual consent from both the conflicting parties and would make them adopt the decision made by the third party eventually (Young, 2015). Thus, the conflicts would be resolved between the NHS employer and the British medical association effectively.

Task 3

3.1 Explain the role of negotiation in collective bargaining as in the above conflict.

Negotiation is been considered as superior means for collective bargaining and helps the organization to reach the desired agreements. The collective bargaining is generally seen when the trade union deals with the management for the betterment of employees and protect their rights of compensation, employment, working conditions, incentives, etc. Negotiation plays an important role in collective bargaining as it helps in carrying out an effective communication between the conflicting parties and reach to the resolutions effectively. In reference to the collective bargaining, it has been observed in most of the cases that the bargaining situation could lead to the dismissal of the situation rather than effective solution as both the conflicting parties demands their requirements and desires to accomplish the same (Rubin and Brown, 2013). In the present case of disagreements by junior doctors with the government and NHS employers, it is required to negotiate in a collective bargaining so as to avail a final effective solution which benefits both the parties particularly. The negotiating party could be identified from either external or internal source of organization and make the solution effectively.

3.2 Assessment of the impact of the negotiation strategies adopted by both parties

With respect to the present case, it has been found that the negotiation could lay either a positive or negative impact as might not be found equally favorable by any of the party involved in the conflict. There is a remarkable impact of making use of the negotiation strategy as it helps in satisfying both the conflicting parties and make them reach to the mutual agreements. With reference to the NHS employer and BMA, it has been found that the negotiation had made them reach to the levels of agreements over the contract of junior doctors and make an effective agreed solution over the conflicts. However, the conflicting parties could make use of the remarkable types of negotiating strategies such as distributive strategies and integrative strategies. These strategies would helps in establishing a mutual consent and agreement over the disputes and resolve the conflicts effectively (Jackson.et.al, 2016). It has been even found that negotiation had proved to be helpful to NHS employer and BMA in terms of profits to both the parties by stating the rights of the employees and the regulations of the employer. In addition to this, it has been even found that negotiation had made the conflicting parties communicate and convey their demands specifically which could contribute in making an effective decision over any situation with a mutual agreement and in a favorable manner.

Task 4

4.1 Assess the influence of the EU on industrial democracy in the UK

The industrial democracy concepts basically represent the democratic practices being carried out by the employees and the employer of the organization specifically. It has been identified that the relationship between the employer and employee is been mainly managed and regulated by the European Work councils (EU) which allows the employer to involve the employees in the decision making process and activities related to the working conditions and other aspect at the workplace. The industrial democracy validates the involvement of the employees and the employers to make relevant decisions by sharing the responsibility and power among both. The European Union had contributed in the enhancement of the industrial democratic situation in UK. It has been identified that EU had empowered the employees to make actions towards their demands and the rights at the workplace effectively. It has even defined the  marketing communication patterns along with the business processes in UK (Heywood, 2015). The industrial democracy is been influenced by EU to the great extent as it contributes in the achievement of the effective decision making process as the requirements and the demands of the employee could be included in the decisions. In addition to this, the NHS employer would be helped in carrying out a negotiation with BMA in an effective manner.

4.2 Comparison of the methods used to gain employee participation and involvement in the decision making process in organizations

Decision making process is been considered to be the most important activity in any of the organization as it includes various important actions and initiatives to be made by the organizations towards any of the situation. Involving the employees helps in gaining enhanced ideas and perceptions which increases the effectiveness of the decision and leads towards the profitability. The employee participation is basically a form of consultation with the employees on particular aspect which helps in reaching to the end results. There are various methods which could be employed by the organization to involve the employees in the decision making process (Eden and Ackermann, 2013). The NHS employer could make use of the industrial democracy based leader which would help in presenting the employees in the decision making process. The leader would help in carrying out a formal communication between the management and the employees concerning their rights and duties towards the organization. This method is been considered to be an effective way of involving the employees but includes a risk related to the strategic approach of organization. On the contrary to this, NHS employer could select specific group of employees having adequate skills and knowledge in the specific fields and are capable of contributing in the decision making process (Pettigrew,  2014). It is very much important to evaluate the capabilities of the employees and involve them in the group of decision makers and gain effective outcome from the same.

4.3 Assess the impact human resource management approach has had on employee relations.

The human resource management approach lays a remarkable impact on the employee relations as it includes the responsibilities of managing the requirements of the employees and meets their demands effectively. It has been found that the human resource management of an organization contributes in motivating the employees and provides them with the proper guidance over their roles so as to make them put efforts towards the achievement of the desired objectives. The management makes appropriate decisions over the policies related to the wages, salary, safety, working hours, etc. which could not meet the wills of each and every individual at the workplace (Kehoe and Wright, 2013). Another impact being laid by the human resource management authorities could be influencing the perceptions or the ways of thinking of the employees and trade unions towards the organization so that to make them work peacefully and with mutual agreements over the procedures. The HRM could also make use of effective practices to motivate and influence the employee relation between the higher management and the workers at the workplace and develop a positive attitude among the whole. These initiatives help the organization to carry out effective working practices and avoid the conflicts at the workplace.

Conclusion

With the above report it could be concluded that the conflicts are most common situation at the workplace which takes place due to various reasons or disagreements among the specific group or the individuals. The report revealed that the major key players of employee relations are the managers, employees, government, organization, etc. which plays either direct or indirect roles in the employee relations. It has been even found that NHS employer should follow some specific procedures for dealing with the different conflict issues. Negotiating with the BMA, NHS employer could resolve the issues and avoid any of the losses due to the conflicts. The report observed that it is very important to have an effective communication between the conflicting parties so that to convey the perceptions of both the parties and make them reach to the levels of agreements. Moreover, it has been also found that the negotiation between NHS employer and BMA had made them reach to the levels of agreements over the contract of junior doctors and make an effective agreed solution over the conflicts.

References

Books and journals: