EMPLOYEE RELATIONS
“There was a time when the contractual relationship between the employer and the employee was supposed to be none of the public’s business. That time has passed.” – Frank Murphy
The reality of employing people in your business is that you will have to build relationships with them. Often, they are not the only ones. You may have to interact with workplace forums or a trade union (or even more than one).
There will also be times that you go through changes, maybe you are growing or maybe you must change how you operate (because money is tight, or you get new machines or equipment) – this may mean you need to reduce your workforce (or retrench your people). You may also have to discipline people from time to time.
In South African (but also further afield) we are highly regulated, and this is a tricky road to navigate. It is critical that you have a sound ER/IR strategy as this may mean the difference between having turbulent or smooth relationships with staff and / or the unions.
“Employees who believe that management is concerned about them as a whole person – not just an employee – are more productive, more satisfied, more fulfilled. Satisfied employees mean satisfied customers, which leads to profitability.” –Anne M. Mulcahy
