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SESSION7:EMPLOYEE RELATIONS,
GRIEVANCE AND DISCIPLINE
Lecturer: Shelly-Ann Daniel. MSc., GRP, WLCPPROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATE IN HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
THE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS & COMPUTER SCIENCE
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EMPLOYEE RELATIONS
All jobs have the potential to be alienating, making the jobholder indifferent or hostile both to the job and to themanagement, who are seen as responsible for obliging theemployee to continue doing the job.
Employee relations is largely concerned with preventing oralleviating that type of alienation. Because the issues are oftencollective, concerning a number of people in a similar situation,
many procedures incorporate the recognition of trade unionsand ways of making that recognition productive for bothparties.
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MANAGEMENT STYLE
Table 20.2 Categories of management styles in employee relationsSource : J. Purcell and K. Sisson (1983) Strategies and practice in the management of industrial relations, in G.S. Bain (ed.), Industrial
Relations in Britain . Oxford: Blackwell, pp. 112 18
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MEANING OF GRIEVANCE AND DISCIPLINE
Describe breakdown of mutual confidence between theemployer and employee
Mutual expectations form the basis of the workingrelationship
When the working relationship goes wrong:
Employee dissatisfaction = grievanceEmployer dissatisfaction = disciplinary
Intended to avoid sanction of dismissal, but to provide
the grounds for that if necessary
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HR ROLE
Facilitate and administer grievance and disciplinary issues
Devise and negotiate the procedural framework or
organisational justice
Involved in interviews and problem-solving discussionsMaintain viability of the whole process
Monitor and make sure grievances are not overlooked
Oversee disciplinary machinery
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FORMS OF DISCIPLINE
Figure 25.1 Three forms of discipline
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WHAT DO WE MEAN BY GRIEVANCE
Dissatisfaction anything that disturbs an employee,whether or not the unrest is expressed in words
Complaint a spoken or written dissatisfaction broughtto the attention of the supervisor
Grievance a complaint that has been formallypresented to a management representative
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TYPES OF COMPLAINTS
Factual and can be easily tested
Based on partly subjective reactions
Involving the hopes and fears of employees
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THE FRAMEWORK OF ORGANISATIONAL JUSTICE
Figure 25.2 The framework of organisational justice
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ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE
Affects behaviour of people
Develops norms that are hard to alter
Provides a pattern of conformity
Affects the freedom and candour with which people
discuss dissatisfaction
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RULES
Every workplace has rulesRules need to be clear and readily understoodNumber of rules should be sufficient to cover all
obvious and usual disciplinary mattersHelpful if rules are jointly determinedEasy access to rules
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TYPES OF RULES
1. Negligence
2. Unreliability
3. Insubordination
4. Interfering with rightsof others
5. Theft
6. Safety offences
1. Provision of information
2. Induction
3. Placement or relocation
4. Training5. Review
6. Penalties
ENSURING RULES AREKEPT
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TYPES OF PENALTIES
Rebuke
Caution
Warnings
Disciplinary transfer
Demotion
Suspension
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FEATURES OF A GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE
1. Fairness
2. Representation
3. Procedural steps
4. Promptness
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OUTLINE GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE
Figure 25.3 Outline grievance procedure
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DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURE
Procedures similar to grievance
Depends on fairness, promptness and representation
Additional features authorisation of penalties,investigation, information and explanation
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OUTLINE DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURE
Figure 25.4 Outline disciplinary procedure
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OUTLINE DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURE
Figure 25.4 Outline disciplinary procedure (Continued)
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GRIEVANCE AND DISCIPLINARY INTERVIEWS
Least popular of all management activities
Required when things go wrong in the working relationship
Involves at some point a meeting between
a dissatisfied manager and an employee who is seen as thecause of the dissatisfaction (or)
a dissatisfied employee and a manager representing theemploying organisation
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PRESENT-DAY VIEWS ON DISCIPLINE
Connected with the idea of punishment
Can make a problem-solving approach difficult
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THE LATIN DERIVATION
Discere to learn
Discipulus a learner
In a disciplinary interview, the manager is attempting tomodify the working behaviour of a subordinate, notnecessarily via punishment
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IDEA OF GRIEVANCE
Can have problems of definition and ethos
A convenient technical classification is dissatisfaction
complaint grievance
Dictionary definition a real or imaginary wrong causingresentment
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AIM OF THE INTERVIEW
Achieve an adjustment in attitude
Changed attitude being confirmed by subsequent
experience
Conflict in interest between the parties is resolved
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METHODS
Analytical
Constructive
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PROCESS (1 OF 4)
Figure 5.1 (Focus on Skills) The grievance and disciplinary interviews
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PROCESS (2 OF 4)
Figure 5.1 (Focus on Skills) The grievance and disciplinary interviews (Continued)
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PROCESS (3 OF 4)
Figure 5.1 (Focus on Skills) The grievance and disciplinary interviews (Continued)
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PROCESS (4 OF 4)
Figure 5.1 (Focus on Skills) The grievance and disciplinary interviews (Continued)
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PROCEDURAL POSITION
Important to understand the procedural position Ensure the impending interview is appropriate Critical in disciplinary matters as penalties may already
have been set up by warnings, etc. Who needs to attend? What facts need to be determined? What advice may be required? Where will interview take place?
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INFORMATION THAT SHOULD BE SOUGHT
Subject of grievance/disciplinary Aspects of working performance disciplinary Factual collaboration
General information working arrangements,relationships, etc.
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SUITABLE PLACE FOR THE INTERVIEW
Formality of location can have an impact on assessment ofsituation
Informal versus formal
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GRIEVANCE INTERVIEW STEPS
Understand the nature of the grievanceExplain the management positionFocus on the problem
Discuss possibilitiesDecide action
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THE GRIEVANCE INTERVIEW IN SEQUENTIALTERMS
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DISCIPLINARY INTERVIEW STEPS
Explain the management position
Understand employees position focus on the problem
If this does not produce satisfactory result progress tomore steps persuasion, showing disapproval or invokingpenalties
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DISCIPLINARY INTERVIEW MOVES TODISENGAGEMENT
1. View accepted and parties seek a solution
2. Persuasion
3. Disapproval
4. Penalties
Ultimate penalty: disengagement
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SUMMARY
Grievance and discipline interviews are central to theprocess of sorting out problems
One means whereby people at work achieve self-discipline and autonomy
Different steps involved depending on whether it is agrievance or a disciplinary interview
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