Description
Solution
Post COVID-19 pandemic, the employee relations issues have increased. To support this, People Management (2023) noted that employees had recorded employee relation issues linked with increased grievances with complaints on wellbeing (39%), management since working from home/hybrid arrangement (36%) and diversity and inclusion issues (19%). In order for people practice professionals to initiate appropriate employees wellbeing initiative, CIPD (2022) note that they would need to consider the Great Resignation Theory. Post-COVID-19 pandemic, individuals no longer put up with bad work. This contribute to an increased voluntary and non-voluntary turnover rates. The COVID-19 disruption has also contributed directly to disruptions of labour market hence issues to recruit and retain highly qualified employees.
One of the approaches that people professionals can adopt as an effective approach to managing the employee relations issues is human relations approach. By referencing on Human Relations theory, Omodan et al. (2020) identified the human relations approach as prioritising on achievement of organisation goals by recognition of relevance of staff attitudes, interpersonal relations, group dynamics and leadership styles. Also, according to AlHamad et al. (2022) the theory is based on the view that as a best practice in improving employee relations, the staff should not be handled as only factors of production but equally as an important stakeholder or player in the organisation. Through the application of human relations approach, people professionals would improve employee relations through the following;
Improving employees recognition– The importance of prioritising on this practice by people professionals is informed by Sull et al. (2022) study which identified that employees recognition initiate a positive workplace culture and employee experiences. This has a positive implication on increasing the retention levels and resourcing highly qualified employees. Through a reference on the Expectancy Theory, Mehboob and Othman (2020) hypothesised that employee relations can be increased by offering strategic rewards. This is with an intention of driving an increased motivation, hence boosting performance. For instance, in Saudi Aramco case, this is achieved through the organisation initiating recognition programs which are practical and oriented towards personalised needs of the diverse workforce.
Inspiring positive group-based relations– A critical determinant of success in enhancing employee relations is ensuring that employees work in collaboration to achieve organisation functions. This is supported by the Social Identity Theory which is based on view that a person social identification surge in an event such an organisation is socially responsible, reputable and legitimate (Steffens et al., 2021). The outcome of this is people not only appreciating other emotions and offering them with sufficient opportunity for their expression without judging. In Saudi Aramco for example, the management set appropriate/achievable expectations in their group dynamics. This is by evidencing effectiveness of the organisation in initiating two-way communication.
Prioritising on Employees Feedback– The importance of this practice is informed by Paul and Criado (2020) which identify 75%..
Please click the following icon to access this assessment in full
Related Papers
(Solution) MCIPD Experience Assessment Your Strengths and Development Areas
(Solution) CIPS ADNOC APGCM Module: Contract & Category Management in P&S
- Implement one AI-driven analytics platform by Q4 2024, integrating with existing systems and training staff to enhance forecasting accuracy and negotiate a 10% reduction in supplier costs, led by the IT, procurement, and finance departments. Despite potential initial costs and staff adaptation challenges, this initiative aims to achieve a 15% increase in forecasting accuracy.
- Fully deploy advanced supply chain management software by Q2 2025, partnering with a leading provider and training teams to reduce disruptions by 20%, thus increasing overall supply chain efficiency by 5%. This effort involves collaboration between supply chain management, IT, and vendor management teams, despite initial disruptions and high upfront costs.
- Establish a cross-functional compliance team by Q3 2024 to develop three new policies annually, ensuring 100% compliance with regulations and enhancing reputation metrics by 15%. Led by legal, compliance, and HR departments, this initiative aims to overcome resistance to policy changes and resource-intensive monitoring efforts.
- Implement three financial instruments (futures, options, currency swaps) by Q3 2024, collaborating with financial experts to reduce financial risks by 20% and achieve a 10% increase in financial stability. This effort, led by finance, risk management, and external advisors, addresses potential challenges in market volatility and regulatory constraints.
- Engage multiple suppliers and form five strategic partnerships by Q4 2024, increasing supplier diversity by 30% and improving supply chain reliability metrics by 10%. Led by procurement, vendor management, and supply chain analysts, this initiative aims to mitigate dependency risks and manage supplier relationships effectively. Potential challenges include maintaining consistency in product/service quality across diverse suppliers and increased administrative burden in managing multiple partnerships.
- Conduct market and competitor analyses twice a year starting Q3 2024, aiming to increase procurement cost savings by 15% through better negotiation strategies and timely market insights. This effort, involving procurement, and strategy departments, addresses challenges in data availability and competitive analysis capabilities. Potential challenges include delays in obtaining and analysing market data and difficulty in predicting competitive moves accurately.
