(Solution) Assessment ID / CIPD_7HR01_24_01 7HR01- Strategic Employment Relations

Solution

Question 1(1.1)- 1099 1098 1035

The employment relations are inclusive of different areas which are essential in the modern world of working (CIPD, 2024). These areas include economies, legal issues, social, psychological and political relations where the employees are able to exercise their capacity and execute functions as assigned by the administration/management (Keller & Kirsch, 2020). This is with the employees being offered with financial and non-financial rewards. The perspectives of employment relations include;

Unitarist

This is a perspective which evidence the employment as a form of relations of members of a group having a common/shared goal(s) (Mishra et al., 2020). Also, BELLA (2023) identify this perspective as anchored on view that workplace conflicts emerge as a result of varying interests. In order to achieve this, organisations are required to be investing on quality-based resourcing strategy, succession planning to embrace fairness and equity achieved. For example, in Riyad Bank, conflicts had emerged as a result of existence of personality difference, ineffective resourcing and miscommunication.

For appropriateness of use of unitarist perspective, Kaufman et al. (2021) identify  it as important to be embrace in organisations which operate as significantly tight production target/focus.

Further, Bray et al. (2020) identify organisations competing in low-cost based and involving limitedly skilled employees lacking core knowledge and expectations of expressing the organisation voice could embrace unitarist perspective.

In my organisation Saudi Aramco, unitarist approach is adopted. Similar to Boxall (2021) recommendations, in the verge of conflicts emerging, their resolution is profit-based as opposed to pursuing oil and gas dominance in KSA. The disadvantage of use of unitarist to an organisation include insufficiency in realising and managing power inequality or imbalance by management or employees. The rationale of this is evidenced by BELLA (2023) as the unitarist approach prioritise on different members shared interests and different engaged stakeholders expectations. The importance of the strategy is guided by need of improving compatibility, executing similar goals and single unitary interests under holistic management with entities in harmony and co-existence (Kaufman et al., 2021).

Pluralist

This is identified as viewing the employment as being strategic relations amongst strangers (Ackers, 2021). In contemporary business environment, different people work in groups in the same environment despite possessing different believes and opinion. Therefore, for embracing goo employee relations, the existing complex and immense social constructures of different interests core (Dundon et al., 2023). In Saudi Aramco, the organisation use of pluralistic approach is evidenced by the administration and employees having varying expectations and their functions implementation with varying goals and objectives in place.

For strengths of use of pluralism, Mitchell and Alexandrova (2021) identify it as characterised by highly skilled individuals with immense knowledge and interacting directly with customers hence valuable insights offered despite of having varying views. In Saudi Aramco case, when the disputes emerge/conflicts, positive outcomes are obtained which include newly develop products, offering services and improving customers utmost value.

In regard to Riyad Bank in KSA banking sector, cooperating and employment relations conflicts are informed by necessity for integrating roles to third parties to handle distributive factors. This also include integrating bargaining process, management of faced issues and common challenges impacting them collaboratively. The disadvantages of this entail how the strategy is framed hence not relevant for small organisations owing to face-to-fact engagement for administration and staff. Also, with the various issues management successfully, they can lead to occurrence of an attitude of “them vs us” therefore disputes. Besides, Sepahvand and Bagherzadeh Khodashahri (2021) highlight that employees are well placed in providing valuable insights, increasing engagement and hence increased performance and retention rates. This is as opposed to employees leaving their jobs with competing organisations providing an increase in employee voice opportunities.

Radical

The employment relations is informed on the perception that workplace relations are as opposed to their history (Duggan et al., 2020). Through a focus on capitalist society, inequality recognition in employment relations power and entire society is holistic. The perspective is core since the priority is to increase inequality as they influence organisations competitiveness. The importance of the process is a lot of time being adopted for success in employment relations which could otherwise be employed for promoting organisations performance levels.

For advantages, Caruso and Cini (2020) note the social conflicts as leading to natural results for capitalism. In Saudi Aramco, this is not evident in the organisation as they are appreciating conflicts sources due to their capitalist society not evident in KSA. Also, by developing a relevant platform in conflict management, Riyad Bank organisation make sure they employ relevant employment relations initiate by trade unions for supporting effective management of conflicts. This also note on existence of a significant limitation of the radical perspective due to being inadequate to enhance flexible operations in the significantly changing academic world.

In regard to influence of these perspectives for the work of people professionals include;

Unitarist

As identified previously, this strategy for employment relations is informed by view that organisations operate in collaboration and harmony with all team members having same objectives an interests. Hence, according to Mishra et al. (2020) people professionals work for the benefit of the employees and resolve all conflicts which are disruptive. Also,  the people professionals are supposed to improve  all the relations with all employees brought together for their general will. According to Caruso and Cini (2020), this is while ensuring development of policies and initiatives for staff engagement, commitment scope and motivation levels.

Pluralistic

The people practice professional roles could entail ensuring collective bargaining is instrumental in employment relations and fostering positive change strategy. According to Ackers (2021), existing research evidence the strategy as achieved by evidencing all tensions for identifying and addressing them in detail. Further, people professionals can work to enhance communication by management and staff.  This is meant to evaluate entire points of view and to resolve emerging challenges. In regard to limitations, owing to the interests which vary in place and varying expectations, people professionals cannot use it effective.

Radical

As noted earlier, the radical perspectives in terms of employment relations is guided by people professionals working with employees for maximising profits by balancing the facilitation and rewards issued. According to Duggan et al. (2020), people professionals monopolise employees management and resolving incurred issues in the capitalist environment and staff. Also, Caruso and Cini (2020) note that employees as end user of this employment relations are managed well. This is with people professionals required to ensure they manage overall relations, enrol in right trade unions and negotiate for pay, working hours and environment of working conditions. The outcome of this is people professionals reducing capitalist characteristic of employers hence improving employment relations.

The unitarist perspective considers the organisation as a whole and emphasise that shared goals exist amongst all employees, managers, and other actors within the organisation. The approach is consistent with Saudi Aramco’s goal to maintain uninterrupted operations for its extensive oil and gas network. Its large scale gives the need for a unified goal in order to coordinate effectively and to be efficient at performance outcomes. Unitarist model promotes a cohesive work environment as team focuses on the collective goals, emphasises team than individual agenda and puts organisational interest above individual interest (Kaufman et al., 2020).

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