Employee Relations

INTRODUCTION
The essence of this essay is to look at employee relations policies in an organisation their role how are they utilised, and what role do the employee and the employer have to play in ensuring that they are properly implemented and adhered too. Thus the focus will be on why employee relations are an important component of any organisation irrespective of its size.
WHAT IS EMPLOYEE RELATIONS?
Employee relations are systems which management uses to address and interact with employees. This system helps in the reduction of workplace conflict, raises employee morale and increases overall efficacy. It is a discipline within human resources and is accountable for the establishment of the employer-employee relationship. An employee relations practitioner executes duties which include running employee opinion surveys to identifying and deciding on appropriate actions to take for resolving workplace issues.
Factors which affect employee relations
According to Gennard & Judge, (2005:58) the following factors affect the development of a successful employee relations strategy or policy.
• The organisations business strategy in relations to employee relations.
• How management’s personal views and values can influence the organisations strategy.
• Why some employment policies are strategic.
• The type of management style as it influences employee relations.
• Issue of collective labour law and the fact that they are influenced by the legal, economic and technological factors.
Therefore employee relations cannot stand alone it has to be integrated with management and personnel tasks.
Role of employee relations
The role of an employee relations in an organisation is important as it improves   personnel administration procedures, human relations practices, including the method for project delegation, ensures positive and effective discipline, enhances the ability to prevent employee grievances and to handle those that do arise and creates improved lines...