10.DIFFERENCE BETWEENHRAND EMPLOYEE RELATIONS

 

INTROUCTION

Figure1:ER vs HR

What distinguishes employee relations from human resources may be of interest to you if you're considering a career in human resources (HR). Despite their frequent interchangeability, these phrases have different purposes and meanings in the workplace. This blog will show some  differences between employee relations and human resources, as well as the duties and abilities needed for each position and how they complement one other to support the culture and goals of the company.

HUMAN RESOURCES

Figure2:Human Resource

The vast field of human resources (HR) includes every facet of an organization's management of its people capital. HR specialists are in charge of hiring, training, developing, paying, and keeping staff members in addition to making sure that all legal and ethical requirements are met. In addition, HR specialists create and carry out programs and policies that complement the purpose, vision, values, and culture of the company. HR practitioners must possess a thorough understanding of human resource management methods and principles in addition to strategic, analytical, organizational, and leadership abilities. To plan and carry out HR programs and strategies, HR professionals frequently collaborate with external stakeholders, business partners, and senior management.

EMPLOYEE RELATIONS

The specialty area of human resources known as employee relations (ER) is dedicated to fostering and preserving a good working relationship between employers and workers. Professionals in employee relations (ER) deal with matters like labor relations, employee engagement, performance management, conflict resolution, and adherence to employment laws and rules. In addition to having a firm understanding of labor rules and regulations, emergency room (ER) specialists also need to possess good interpersonal, problem-solving, negotiating, and communication skills. In order to handle employee complaints and concerns as well as to avoid or settle conflicts, ER specialists frequently collaborate closely with managers, supervisors, and union representatives.

Employee Relations refers to the management and maintenance of the relationship between an organization and its employees. It involves creating and maintaining a positive workplace culture and environment, addressing employee concerns, grievances, and conflicts, and establishing policies and procedures that govern the employee-employer relationship.ER is a part of the broader field of Human Resources, but it differs from HR in its focus on employee relations issues. While HR covers all aspects of managing employees, including hiring, compensation, benefits, training, and development, ER is specifically concerned with managing the relationship between the organization and its employees(Jeffrey Fermin,2023).

SIMILARITY OF HR VS ER

According to Noah Mithrush (2023),Both HR and ER are concerned with the well-being of employees within an organization. They both deal with issues related to employee performance, workplace policies and procedures, training and development, employee benefits, and recruitment.

In addition, both HR and ER aim to create and maintain positive relationships between employees and their employer. They work to ensure that employees are treated fairly and that their rights are protected. Both HR and ER departments strive to create a positive organizational culture where employees feel valued, respected, and motivated to perform their best work.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HR AND ER

According to Noah Mithrush (2023),Although HR and ER share some similarities, they can differ in terms of their focus and approach to dealing with employee issues.

HR is typically focused on the administrative tasks related to managing the workforce. This can include tasks such as payroll management, benefits administration, and compliance with labor regulations. In addition, HR departments can be responsible for recruiting and hiring new employees if an organization does not have a team dedicated to Talent Acquisition (TA), and providing training and development opportunities to help employees improve their skills and knowledge.

ER, on the other hand, is focused on the employee experience within the organization. ER is concerned with building and maintaining positive relationships between employees and the organization, as well as between employees and their managers. ER departments are responsible for handling grievances, conflicts, and employee complaints, as well as promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.

According to Jaffery Fermin(2023),Employee Relations and Human Resources are two essential functions of an organization that work together to manage employees effectively. However, there are some key differences between the two:

• Focus: The primary focus of HR is managing the entire employee life cycle, including recruitment, compensation, benefits, training, and development. ER, on the other hand, focuses on managing the relationship between the organization and its employees, including conflict resolution, employee grievances, and workplace culture.
• Skills: HR professionals typically have a broad range of skills, including data analysis, strategic planning, and compliance. ER professionals, on the other hand, require strong interpersonal skills, conflict resolution skills, and the ability to communicate effectively with employees at all levels.
• Duties: The duties of HR professionals include recruiting, hiring, training, performance management, compensation and benefits administration, and compliance. ER professionals, on the other hand, are responsible for employee relations, conflict resolution, grievance handling, and policy development.
• Relationship with employees: While both HR and ER professionals work with employees, the nature of their relationship is different. HR professionals are involved in every stage of an employee's life cycle, from hiring to separation. ER professionals, however, typically interact with employees when there are conflicts or grievances to be addressed.
• Scope: HR is a broader function that encompasses several sub-functions, including talent acquisition, benefits administration, performance management, and compliance. ER, on the other hand, is a specialized function that focuses solely on managing the relationship between the organization and its employees.

HR MANAGER

A human resources (HR) manager is someone who oversees the administrative and organizational functions of a company or business. The manager usually heads the HR department, and they play an important role as a bridge between management and employees.  HR managers work in nearly every industry. As long as a company has employees, an HR manager is typically needed to oversee hiring, training, and the organization and development of the company culture(Coursera,2023).

ER MANAGER

Figure3:ER Manager

An employee relations manager provides a vital link between employees and management. You focus on problem resolution which may involve non-biased internal investigations. Your responsibilities include a wide range of duties such as oversight of employee rights; this can range from conflict to sexual harassment issues. You also provide guidance for management in regards to worker discipline and termination. You help ensure that the company complies with all required laws and regulations, and work closely with human resources for other tasks such as HR analytics. Work is typically full-time during regular business hours in an office environment. Some positions may require travel(Zip recruiter,2024).

An Employee Relations Manager is a human resources professional who specializes in managing the relationship between employees and the organization. They handle employee grievances, disputes, and disciplinary matters, ensuring fair treatment and compliance with company policies and employment laws. Employee Relations Managers play a crucial role in fostering a positive work environment, promoting employee satisfaction, and mitigating potential conflicts, contributing to a harmonious and productive workplace(Snaphunt,2024).

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, despite many parallels, HR and ER are not the same. While ER is concentrated on fostering strong relationships between employees and the firm, HR is frequently concerned with the administrative side of workforce management. The HR and ER departments collaborate to develop a supportive workplace culture that promotes worker performance, development, and well-being.

REFERNCES

Fermin, J. (2023, February 23). difference-between-hr-and-employee-relations. Retrieved 04 13, 2024, from www.allvoices.co/blog: https://www.allvoices.co/blog/difference-between-hr-and-employee-relations#:~:text=While%20HR%20focuses%20on%20managing,relationship%20with%20employees%20is%20different.

Mithrush, N. (2023, September 01). human-resources-vs-employee-relations. Retrieved April 14, 2024, from medium.com/neocase-software: https://medium.com/neocase-software/human-resources-vs-employee-relations-b111b9c41d61

Coursera. (2023, December 12). human-resources-manager. Retrieved April 14, 2024, from www.coursera.org: https://www.coursera.org/articles/human-resources-manager

ZipRecruiter. (2024, January). Employee-Relations-Manager. Retrieved April 14, 2024, from https://www.ziprecruiter.com/: https://www.ziprecruiter.com/career/Employee-Relations-Manager/What-Is-How-to-Become#:~:text=An%20employee%20relations%20manager%20provides,conflict%20to%20sexual%20harassment%20issues.

Snaphunt. (2024). mployee-relations-manager-job-description. Retrieved April 14, 2024, from snaphunt.com: https://snaphunt.com/resources/job-descriptions/employee-relations-manager-job-description

Figure1    :    ER vs HR

Figure2    :    Human Resources

Figure3    :    ER Manager

09.EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT

INTRODUCTION

Figure1:Employee Engagement

Employee engagement refers to the personal and professional relationship that employees have with their employer, coworkers, and place of employment. High levels of engagement are connected to increased job satisfaction, performance, and employee retention and are a sign of a better overall work experience. Galpin states that "having a positive attitude about their work and being willing to put in extra effort to ensure that the assigned task is completed to the best of their abilities" are indicators of employee engagement. The importance of an employee's work, their contacts with management and other employees, and the opportunities for advancement, support, and recognition that their employer offers all play a major role in determining how engaged an employee is. 

Employee engagement is a human resources (HR) concept that describes the level of enthusiasm and dedication a worker feels toward their job. Engaged employees care about their work and about the performance of the company, and feel that their efforts make a difference. An engaged employee is in it for more than a paycheck and may consider their well-being linked to their performance, and thus instrumental to their company's success(Tim Smith,2023).

Employee engagement is the emotional and professional connection employees feel toward their organization, colleagues and work. High engagement leads to increased job satisfaction, performance, employee retention and is a reflection of a positive overall employee experience.

The meaningfulness of an employee's work is a key factor in engagement, as are their relationships with colleagues and managers, and the support, recognition and development opportunities their organization offers. Truly engaged employees reflect a company's respect for its workforce, which makes it more attractive to prospective hires and can lead to increased profitability and return on investments(Nick Barney,2023).

                                                Source: You Tube(2021)

TYPES OF EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT

Here we can consider it in two different perspectives, They are ,

3 types of employee engagement based on the levels of engagement

According to Krishan Patel(2023),A great way to analyze engagement among employees is by focusing on the attitudes and performance levels of the employees when it comes to engagement and dedication. 

The 3 types of engagement based on this are:

Figure2:Employee Engagement

1. Actively engaged employees

These are employees who are passionate about their role, what they do on a day-to-day basis and are entirely dedicated to the goals of your business. Actively engaged employees spread positivity in the workplace, serve as advocates for your brand and rarely allow distractions to interrupt their work. They also serve as encouraging forces during times of distress or negativity. 

These types of employees are the biggest asset for a company. So, meet their consistency with rewards, appreciation and new goals at regular intervals. Make sure to always keep them informed.

2. Not engaged

Unfortunately, employees who are not engaged can make up a large part of a company’s workforce. They typically only complete the tasks at hand, usually one at a time, and do not take a proactive approach to do any more than required. They rarely show emotion, whether happy or unhappy, are generally disengaged and may not show interest in anything else going on in the company. 

As an employer, you might need to invest a bit of extra time and effort in getting to know these employees, finding ways to inspire them, motivate them and make them feel special. Help them see beyond each task and encourage them to push their potential not just for the growth of the company, but for their personal growth as well. 

3. Actively disengaged employees

These are the most unhappy set of employees in your company. Actively disengaged employees can encourage unhappiness, spread negative news and inspire others to abandon their jobs and tasks. They underperform and can resent those who perform better than them while struggling to find the desire to do better or more.

It can be tough to deal with, or even identify, actively disengaged employees as most stay in a company for many years without being noticed. You should attempt to overcome negativity as soon as you notice it before it proves harmful to your work culture and company.

3 types of employee engagement based on the desired end result

Another way to classify types of employee engagement is in terms of the desired end result. This framework looks at the way employees feel while at work. It takes a more holistic approach to employee engagement by looking into their psyche. The framework classifies these into cognitive, emotional and physical engagement.

Let’s take a closer look.

Figure3:Components Employee Engagement

1. Cognitive engagement 

This is when an employee is fully and keenly aware of the company’s values, goals and mission. They also are completely aligned with them and channel all their efforts into completing each task to meet the goal of their manager and company. An employee’s confidence levels and creativity play key roles in making them engage with their work at a cognitive level.

2. Emotional engagement

 

Emotional engagement refers to an emotional connection that an employee has with their work, their team, their manager or the company. It is how mentally attached the employee is to the organization and how much of their personal feelings and emotions they bring into their professional life. A happy, trusted and secure employee will be able to easily emotionally attach themselves to their work.

3. Physical engagement

This can be both physical and mental energy and can be seen in the types of activities that the employee takes part in, who they interact with and how much energy they invest in their work. Physical effort requires an employee to take an active interest and personal initiative when it comes to their job and this comes when they feel fully secure in their role and with the expectations set for them.

Benefits of Employee Engagement

1. Team-Building Workshops

2. Volunteer Opportunities

3. Employee Recognition Programs

4. Wellness Initiatives

5. Innovation Challenges

6. Office Celebrations and Workplace Parties

SOME EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES TO MOTIVATE THE WORK-FORCE

•  Recognize and reward employees for big wins and small moments
  
• Collect employee feedback — and act on it
• Try some fun, voluntary team-building activities
• Provide learning opportunities to support employee development
•  Celebrate and support diversity
• Encourage employee wellness
• Bridge the gap between leadership and staff
• Support personal interests

CONCLUSION

Employee loyalty refers to the strong emotional and professional relationships employees have with their employers, coworkers, and jobs. The level of fervor and dedication a worker has for their job is known as employee engagement. Because of its links to morale and job satisfaction, employee engagement can have a significant impact on a company's capacity to flourish. There is a greater chance of increased productivity and performance when employees are engaged.

REFERENCES

Smith, T. (2023, October 28). employee-engagement.asp. Retrieved April 13, 2024, from investopedia.com: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/e/employee-engagement.asp

Barney, N. (2022). employee-engagement. Retrieved April 13, 2024, from www.techtarget.com: https://www.techtarget.com/searchhrsoftware/definition/employee-engagement

Patel, K. (2023, March 16). employee Engagement. Retrieved April 13, 2024, from Seenit.io: https://www.seenit.io/blog/3-types-of-employee-engagement

Figure1    :    Employee Engagement

Figure2    :    Employee Engagement

Figure3    :    Component Employee Engagement

  Source    :     You Tube(2021)

08.EMPLOYEE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

INTRODUCTION

Figure1:Employee Training & development

A collection of exercises and initiatives aimed at improving staff members' expertise, proficiencies, and knowledge is known as employee training and development. It is an ongoing process with the goals of enhancing both individual and organizational performance, promoting professional development, and accommodating changing business requirements.

Employee training and development refers to the continued efforts of a company to boost the performance  of its employees. Companies aim to train and develop employees by using an array of educational methods and programs in  the past few years, training and development have emerged as a crucial element of strategy. More company owners have realized that investing in employee training and development not only serves as a motivation, but it also enables the organization to create a highly skilled workforce. This article further explains the significance of employee training and development. It also outlines the various approaches that organizations use to train their employees(CFI,2024).

Employee Training and Development can be defined as activities that aim to improve employees’ knowledge, skills, and abilities. It enables employees to do their jobs more effectively and efficiently. Furthermore, it can also include training and development that improves equality, diversity, inclusion, and mental health awareness for employees. It not only improves work effectiveness and efficiency, but can also help to create a happier, more balanced, and fairer workplace, in addition to helping employees with their own career paths and future(Symonds,2023).

Training and development programs typically involve educational activities that advance a worker’s knowledge and instill greater motivation to enhance job performance. These initiatives help employees learn and acquire new skill sets, as well as gain the professional knowledge that is required to progress their careers(IBM,2024).

MAIN OBJECTIVES OF TRANING & DEVELOPMENT

• Increased Productivity
• Quality Improvement
• Learning time Reduction
• Safety First
• Labor Turnover Reduction
• Keeping yourself Updated with Technology
• Effective Management

The objectives of training and development are not limited to just increasing productivity and efficiency, but the busy market and ceaselessly active competition of today, demands much more than that from organizations. It’s all thanks to the conditions that a company faces and the race of “growth” that has made the addition of new skills and improvement of the existing skill-set, which is an extremely important aspect of a business(Richard Daniel,2017).

TYPES OF TRAINNING & DEVELOPMENT

According to IBM(2024),Training programs can be created independently or with a learning administration system, with the goal of employee long-term development. Common training practices include orientations, classroom lectures, case studies, role playing, simulations and computer-based training, including e-learning.

Sometimes referred to as Human Resource Development (HRD), most employee training and development efforts are driven by an organization’s HRD function. These efforts are roughly divided into two types of programs:

• Employee Training and Development

A strategic tool for improving business outcomes by implementing internal educational programs that advance employee growth and retention.

• Management Training and Development

The practice of growing employees into managers and managers into effective leaders by the ongoing enhancement of certain knowledge, skills, and abilities.

BENIFITS OF TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT

Figure2:Benefits of employee training

• Increased productivity: When employees stay current with new procedures and technologies, they can increase their overall output.

• Reduced micromanagement: If workers feel empowered to perform a task, they typically require less oversight and work more independently.

• Train future leaders: Organizations must have a solid pipeline of well-trained and innovative potential leaders to grow and adapt over time.

• Increased job satisfaction and retention: Well-trained employees gain confidence in their abilities, leading to greater job satisfaction, a reduction in absenteeism and overall employee retention.

• Attract highly skilled employees: Top recruits are attracted to firms with an identifiable career path based on consistent training and development.  

• Increased consistency: Well-organized training ensures that tasks are performed uniformly, resulting in tight quality control that end users can trust.

• Increased camaraderie: Training and development helps create a sense of teamwork and collaboration.

• Bolstered safety: Continuous training and development helps ensure that employees have the knowledge and skills to perform a task safely.

• Ability to cross-train: Providing consistent training creates a knowledgeable team overall where employees can help train or assist each other as needed.

• Added innovation: Consistently trained employees can help develop new strategies and products, contributing to the company’s bottom line and continued success.

CURRENT TRENDS IN TRAINING &DEVELOPMENT

According to IBM(2024),The corporate marketplace is quickly changing, and businesses must be flexible and easily adapt to change. Technology is one of the key drivers in this rapid change, with automation and artificial intelligence (AI) in the forefront.

Here are four key trends impacting how organizations must rethink training and development.

Remote mobile training

Today’s corporations have discovered that it’s no longer just about what employees need to know, but also when, where and how the development experience enables performance. With the advancements in mobile technology, companies are relying more on mobile workforces. Training is migrating to mobile devices where apps provide “just-in-time” information and recommendations to workers across industries.

AI training

AI systems can process unstructured information in a similar way to humans. These systems understand language patterns and sensory inputs including text, pictures, and auditory cues. AI-based software can customize how training content is delivered to a learner, based on their learning style, suggest content based on a learner’s past performance and predict what information is most important for them to learn next.

Agile learning

Agile learning is a process that encourages employees to learn by doing and iterate often, inspiring organizational change and buy-in. For example, IBM® has introduced IBM Garage™, a tool for executing, scaling, and managing an organization’s multiple transformation initiatives. Companies like Ford Motor Company and Travelport are using IBM Garages around the world to create cultures of open collaboration and continuous learning. learning. https://www.ibm.com/garage

Remote flexible learning models

While distance learning has been around for a long time, the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the need for companies to have resilient, flexible, mobile workforce management. Organizations have learned that remote workforces need to be productive, engaged, and continually working toward learning and improvement.

MAIN STEPS IN THE TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT

Figure3:Steps in Training Development

CONCLUSION

Employees are the heartbeat of an organization, thus it is crucial for them to succeed in both their personal and professional lives that they receive training and development. Employee knowledge, abilities, attitudes, and other characteristics are developed through training and development. A capable worker has a direct and beneficial impact on the company's success.  Techniques like case studies, seminars, online training, and on-the-job training are utilized for this. By doing this, the business will succeed above all expectations and be able to offer excellent customer service. An effective organization starts with training and growth.

REFERENCES

CFI. (2024, January). Employee Training & Development. Retrieved April 13, 2024, from Cooperatefinanceinstitute.com: https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/management/employee-training-and-development

Symonds. (2023, February 14). Employee Training & Developmnet. Retrieved April 12, 2024, from symondsresearch.com: https://symondsresearch.com/employee-training-development

Daniel, R. (2017, July 12). Objectives of training development. Retrieved April 12, 2024, from businessstudynotes.com: https://www.businessstudynotes.com/hrm/training-development/objectives-training-development

Figure1    :    Employee Training & development

Figure2    :    Benefits of employee training

Figure3    :    Steps in Training Development

07.BENIFITS OF HAVING A GOOD EMPLOYEE RELATIONS

INTRODUCTION

Figure1:Importance of having a good employee relations

The significance of employee relations lies in their fundamental role in fostering a constructive and efficient work environment. Improved morale and work satisfaction, greater involvement and dedication to the company, lower employee turnover, and a sense of loyalty among the workforce are all benefits of having positive employee relations. Effective employee relations strategies can also contribute to the development of trust between management and staff, which fosters improved teamwork, collaboration, and communication.

Nurturing a positive and productive employer-employee relations in today's competitive job market allows organizations to enjoy higher employee satisfaction, lower turnover, and better overall performance(Kailash Ganesh,2024).

Since employees are the engine of any organization, you want to make sure that both employee-employer and cross-employee relations are well maintained(Neelie Verlindran,2023)

According to  Angshuman (2023),

The 7 Benefits of good Employee Relations

1.  Heightened Employee Loyalty

   Employees don’t leave their jobs. They leave their bosses. Most employees don’t think twice about changing their jobs if they feel the work culture is not feasible. This mainly happens when employers overlook their stand for bettering ties with the workforce.

   Ignoring the chances to improve employee relations not only costs the employers financially. But it also tarnished their brand image, thereby obstructing the flow of new talents. Thus, employers must always check how their employees feel and if their career is advancing.

2. Increased Motivation        

   Maintaining good relations with your employees is not only limited to good communication. It also involves recognizing your employees' efforts within the workplace.

   And even the employees like it when they feel praised by their higher-ups pumping up their motivation levels. As a matter of fact, motivated employees also make up as excellent team members. Also, employees with a higher level of motivation are less likely to experience burnout. Healthy workplace relations motivate employees to give their best and work harder.

3. Fewer Chances to Workplace Conflicts

   Here, the only viable solution in the employers' court is having a good relationship with the employees. This allows employers to make unbiased decisions involving their workforce and mitigate any conflict within the organization. Workplace conflicts are one of the major reasons behind unsuccessful businesses. Such conflicts usually arise due to differences between an employer and an employee. If left unattended, these differences grow further, widening any prevailing gaps.

4. Improve Trust and Confidence 

   Great employee relations sow the seed of trust and confidence in the workplace. For the same, most companies introduce an employee relations manager. These managers are entrusted with keeping the organizations' efforts for better employee relations on track.

   The degree of trust and confidence also depends on the way employers communicate with the employees. Thus, ensuring healthy workplace communication is very important. Nurturing trust and confidence in the workplace requires a lot of effort from both the employer and employees' end. It won’t be wrong to compare it to a puzzle where the most critical piece is in having good employee relations.

5. Ensures a better Workplace Culture 

   Employees and job seekers always desire to work for organizations with thriving work culture. Good work culture may be defined in various ways like trusting your employees, recognizing employees for their efforts, or coming out to support the employees in distress.

   Like all the other points, a strong employee relationship also helps in building a better work culture. When employees enjoy a good relationship with their employers, they are much inclined to adhere to the company's guidelines and principles. This is turn, reflects back in the form of a positive employee experience. Organizations are defined by their workplace culture.

6. Enhanced Work life Balance Work-life balance

   Employers these days fall prey to the hectic work culture that forbids them from having some time for rejuvenation. Owing to this, employees become demotivated and experience burnout in their jobs due to the excess workload. And the lack of good employee relations often drives them into hiding their issues.

   This, in turn, is very bad for both employers and employees. It deprives the employers of taking action regarding the issues and the employees; it disbalances their work-life. However, with the focus now shifting on ensuring great work-life balance. It’s high time for employers to rethink their approach to great employee relations. is now the buzzword of every employer and employee.

7. Better Employee Engagement 

   An engaged workforce exhibits better results and efficient workflow in the organizations they are in. Moreover, all the practices for better employee engagement ultimately pave the way for strong employee relations. Conducting employee engagement surveys and introducing new measures become much easier with healthy employee relations.

   Thus, having a decent relationship with employees is a big part of incorporating employee engagement in a firm. Because when employees can share their views openly, employers can take proper steps to ensure better engagement. Employee engagement is the term used to define the efforts of an employer to engage their employees on the job. It involves everything from ensuring better workplace communication to frequent appreciations for the top performers.

CONCLUSION

A Win-Win Situation for Employees and Employers

Employers and employees benefit from having good working relationships. They inspire workers to perform to their full potential in a happy and productive work environment, and companies gain from their dedication and loyalty. Setting a high priority on good employee relations is not just the moral thing to do, but it's also a tactical benefit that helps an organization succeed in the long run.

REFERENCES

Ganesh, K. (2024, Januay 18). Employer-Employee relationship. Retrieved from culturemonkey.io: https://www.culturemonkey.io/employee-engagement/employer-employee-relationship

Neelie Verlinden. (2024, March 03). AIHR. Retrieved March 13, 2024, from Academy to innovate HR: https://www.aihr.com/blog/employee-relations/#:~:text=Importance%20of%20employee%20relations,-Since%20employees%20are&text=This%20allows%20employees%20to%20better,their%20contributions%20make%20a%20difference.

Angshuman. (2023, April 27). Strong employee relation. Retrieved April 12, 2024, from Vanatagecircle.com: https://blog.vantagecircle.com/strong-employee-relations

Figure1:Importance of having a good employee relations

06.HOW TO IMPROVE EMPLOYEE RELATIONS

 

INTRODUCTION

Figure1:Employee Relations

When businesses have procedures in place to guarantee that leaders and employees participate in regular feedback and communication, development opportunities, recognition, and wellness, maintaining positive employee relations is much easier, and team members are typically happier.

According to Liz Strikwerda(2022),

The Core Characteristics of Great Employee Relations

• Respect

• Communication

• Transparency

• Employee commitment to core values

• Diversity, inclusion, equity and belonging

• Supportive managers and leadership

• Employee training and development

According to Jessica Cieslinsky (2023),

1.  Better equip managers to be the frontline employee relations contact :

Managers are crucial in maintaining good employee relations as they’re the immediate point of contact for most employee issues. In my experience, being the frontline employee relations contact doesn't come naturally to most managers but, fortunately, I have found it can be quickly learned.

I developed a leader toolkit that I shared as part of a larger "new leader training" in my last role, and I am working on a similar initiative currently. 

Here’s what’s included: 

• Time Management and Delegation                                                                                                Our managers are often pulled in many different directions so time management and delegation are key to managing their workload effectively so that they have time to manage their teams. Time management tools can help prioritize tasks, and platforms like Asana and Trello are great for project management and collaboration. Delegation is key to managing their time and is another aspect of management that often is a learned skill. I encourage managers to identify tasks that can be delegated to others on the team and to set clear expectations for their completion.

• Giving Feedback                                                                                                                                                                            Managers can encourage regular employee feedback by scheduling regular individual check-ins with their direct reports. 

  I remind managers to make sure to provide both positive and constructive feedback to their team members. This can help to improve employee engagement and morale on the team level by giving employees the opportunity to feel heard.

• Conflict Resolution                                                                                                                                                                         

  The process begins with an “open-door” policy where employees are encouraged to approach management with concerns. A conversation is conducted where both sides are given their turn to speak, during which they understand they will not be interrupted by the other. 

  Both sides agree to listen fully, and not prepare their rebuttal. After both sides have the opportunity to speak, together they decide how the path forward should look. 

  Everyone understands that HR or a second-level leader is brought in only after this process has been completed in good faith. 

    2.Build rapport with employees as HR and become a trusted partner

 To be effective, HR must be a trusted business partner for employees at all levels in the organization.

I achieve this by being clear and consistent in my guidance, always maintaining professional standards, and treating employees equitably. When I started a new role last year, I needed to earn the trust of several key leaders who were hesitant to partner with me. While it was sometimes frustrating, and I felt as though I was having to prove my value to them over and over, I eventually built rapport and earned their trust.

In communicating with those key leaders, I had to take the initiative to schedule time to meet with them, instead of waiting for them to come to me. 

3.Clear and continuous communication

I have found inconsistent communication to be the root of many employee relations issues. 

Encourage open communication between all levels of leadership and employees, not just front-line managers and their direct reports. 

As I mentioned above, an “open-door” policy can help facilitate this, but it is the first step in building a culture of open communication.

Other ways to facilitate open and consistent communication:

• Clear communication policies and guidelines: This includes defining the preferred channels for different types of communication (emails, meetings, internal messaging systems, intranet) and setting expectations for response times.
• Training: HR can provide training to managers and employees on effective communication skills to ensure that they are able to convey their message clearly and effectively.
• Feedback mechanisms: Implementing systems for employee feedback, such as surveys and stay interviews, allows employees to contribute their thoughts and feedback consistently.

    4.Regular Performance Reviews

Performance reviews are important for employee relations because they provide a formal platform for feedback (something employees crave).Conducting regular employee performance reviews helps identify areas for improvement and recognize achievements.

An effective performance review cycle is one where employees know what to expect and there are no surprises at the end of the year. Expectations, goals, and performance measures are made available to employees, and managers ensure that these are fully understood. Managers and employees should meet regularly throughout the year to review progress on key performance measures. The cadence of these meetings should be at least quarterly and can be more frequent if needed.

These recurring meetings are essential to a successful and effective performance review process. The year-end performance review should then be a summary of all previous reviews throughout the year. 

Performance management software like Workday or BambooHR helps formalize and streamline the process, if you don’t already have a platform as part of your HRIS suite. Other methods for ensuring regular feedback and connection:

Regular 1:1 check-ins between managers and direct reports

Providing training on administering and receiving effective feedback.

    5.Develop an employee recognition program

    Employee recognition programs facilitate acknowledgment and appreciation of the efforts of employees who contribute to the organization's purpose, mission, and values. A formal recognition program helps to improve employee morale and motivation and provides data to review the effectiveness of the program.

A good employee recognition program 

• Personalized: Allows employees to be recognized in a way they appreciate, with incentives that motivate them. Facilitates peer-to-peer recognition: This fosters a culture of appreciation across all levels and can be more meaningful as peers see each other's work closely.

• Transparent criteria and process: Clearly communicate how employees can be recognized. Transparent criteria and processes prevent confusion and ensure fairness.

• Leadership involvement: Leaders and managers actively participate in the program signifying the importance of recognition in the company culture.

    6.Ensure employee well-being

No one appreciates being worked into the dust and stress and burnout are real issues in the modern workplace.

Ways to promote well-being:

• Flexible work arrangements: Remote work, flexible hours, and job sharing are highly appreciated by employees for work-life balance.

• Provide clarity: Clarity around role and expectations helps reduce uncertainty and stress.

• Provide regular feedback: Again helps remove uncertainty and ensures employees are prioritizing correctly.

• Listen: Employee listening helps identify concerns and solicits feedback to create a better employee experience.

• Provide supportive resources: Offer resources and support that can help employees in challenging times, such as access to counseling services, mental health days, or flexibility in work arrangements.

• Monitor workloads: Ensure that employees are not consistently overburdened with work. Regularly review workloads and redistribute tasks if necessary to prevent burnout.

    7.Approach difficult situations with empathy

Showing empathy at work requires HR to be approachable, understanding, and willing to provide support to employees when they need it most.

Ways HR can promote empathy:

• Active listening: listening to employees without judgment and offering support or resources to help them address their problems or concerns. You can validate the person’s feelings and emotions without necessarily condoning their behavior.
• Inclusive policies and practices: Advocate for and implement policies and practices that are inclusive and consider the diverse needs of all employees.
• Open and approachable communication: Create an environment where employees feel comfortable sharing their concerns and issues. HR should be approachable and available for conversations, whether formal or informal. You can also make use of employee communication software.
• Cultural sensitivity: Be aware of and sensitive to cultural differences in the workplace. This includes understanding various cultural perspectives and adapting communication and support accordingly.

                                            Source(You Tube,2021)

        CONCLUSION

Ensuring that employees are content and motivated at work is the main goal of employee relations. It could seem that employee relations can wait till it's convenient because we have a lot on our plate, but it can't. As remote and hybrid work environments become more common, we must make sure that our staff members are content, engaged, and happy.

        REFERENCES

Cieslinsky, J. (2023). Improve Empoyee Relations. Retrieved April 12, 2024, from Peoplemanagingpeople.com: https://peoplemanagingpeople.com/culture/how-improve-employee-relations

Liz Strikwerda. (2022, May). stratagies for improving empl relations. Retrieved 04 12, 2024, from Workforccehub.com: https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/681014502747761889/6702289666066105517

Figure1:Employee Relations

Source(You Tube,2021)