MM3111 Human Resource Management Lecture Notes (2024)

MM3111 Human Resource Management LEC10 Employee Relations and Ethical issues Work Safety & Health, Employee Engagement Juley XIAO Department of Management and Marketing The Hong Kong Polytechnic University  Learning Objectives Define Employee Relations, and the ways to mana...

MM3111 Human Resource Management LEC10 Employee Relations and Ethical issues Work Safety & Health, Employee Engagement Juley XIAO Department of Management and Marketing The Hong Kong Polytechnic University  Learning Objectives Define Employee Relations, and the ways to manage it Create Ethical Environment in the Organization Manage Employee Discipline Safety Issue and Prevent Accidents at Work Occupational Security and Risk Management Employee Engagement  Define employee relations and LO1 the ways to manage it  What Is Employee Relations? Employee Relations The activity that involves establishing and maintaining the positive employee–employer relationships that contribute to satisfactory productivity, motivation, morale, and discipline, and to maintaining a positive, productive, and cohesive work environment. Build positive employee relations Good training, fair appraisals, competitive pay and benefits Employee relations programs Ensuring fair treatment, Bullying and Victimization, Communications Programs, Employee Recognition/Relations Programs, Employee Involvement Programs, etc.  Employee Relations Programs Ensuring Fair Treatment Reflects concrete actions such as “employees are treated with respect,” and “employees are treated fairly” Research insight Procedural justice Distributive justice  Employee Relations Programs Workplace Unfairness: Bullying and Victimization Imbalance of power Intent to cause harm Repetition Forms of Bully Verbal: name-calling, teasing Social: spreading rumors, leaving people out on purpose, breaking up friendships Physical: hitting, punching, shoving Cyberbullying: using the Internet, mobile phones, or other digital technologies to harm others  Employee Relations Programs Communication Programs Focus groups, Ombudspersons, Suggestion boxes, Hotlines, Exit interviews, Open-door policies Organizational climate surveys Employee Recognition/Relations Programs Service award program Reviewing tenure of existing employees Establishing meaningful award periods Recognition program  Employee Relations Programs Employee Involvement Programs Employee relations tend to improve when employees become involved with the company in positive ways (Focus groups, Social media) Using employee involvement teams Suggestion teams (temporary teams work on specific analytical assignments, e.g. cut costs) Problem-solving teams (semi-permanent teams develop solutions to work-related problems) Quality circle (formal team with trained employees who meet frequently to solve program) Self-managing/self-directed work team (with little or no outside supervision) Using suggestion systems Org. adopted ideas, produce significant saving Employee like these programs  Employee Relations and Gig Workers Employers can take steps to improve employee relations with gig workers (on-demand workers/independent contractor). Don’t treat gig workers like they’re disposable. Make signing on as frictionless as possible. Give them a brief background on your company and/or project, and make them feel part of your business. Share company news with and seek feedback from your gig workers. LO2 Ethical Organization  The Ethical Organization Ethics are “the principles of conduct governing an individual or a group”. Morality (and ethical decisions) always involves the most fundamental questions of what is right and wrong, such as stealing, murder, and how to treat other people. Reason of addressing ethic in HRM Ethics is not theoretical. People face ethical choices every day. Unethical company typically struggle with positive employee relations. Many serious ethical work issues were HR-related (e.g., workplace safety)  What Shapes Ethical Behavior at Work? Three factors combine to determine the ethical choices we make People (Bad apples) Situations (Bad cases): People seemed more likely to “do the wrong thing” in “less serious” situations Company environment (Bad barrels) Pressures Organizational culture  Create Ethical Environments Reduce job-related pressures Make it clear what’s okay and not okay Model the behavior (“walk the talk”) Reinforce the desired behavior, not the undesirable behavior Take it seriously  HRM Create Ethical Environment Institute ethics policies and codes Enforce the company rules Encourage Whistleblowers (report ethical conduct) Hire right Use ethics training Use rewards and discipline Institute employee privacy policies LO3 Managing Employee Discipline  Managing Employee Discipline The purpose of discipline is to encourage employees to behave sensibly at work (where sensible means adhering to rules and regulations). Positive employee relations Legal concerns  Managing Employee Discipline The manager builds a fair discipline process on three pillars A set of clear disciplinary rules and regulations The rules should cover problems (e.g., drinking on the job) The purpose of the rules is to inform employees ahead of time what is and what is not acceptable behavior. A system of progressive penalties The severity of the penalty depends on the offense and the number of times it has occurred Appeal process Ensure that supervisors mete out discipline fairly  Managing Employee Discipline Fair Discipline Guidelines Make sure the evidence supports the charge of employee wrongdoing. Make sure to protect the employees’ due process rights. Maintain the employee’s right to counsel. Keep dignity in place. Listen to what the person has to say. Burden of proof (employer). Get the facts. Don’t act while angry The rule that allegedly was violated should be “reasonably related to the efficient and safe operation of the particular work environment.” Objectively investigate the matter. The investigation should produce substantial evidence of misconduct. Apply applicable rules, orders, or penalties without discrimination. Make sure to protect the employees’ due process rights.  Discipline without Punishment Nonpunitive Discipline Process 1. Issue an oral reminder. 2. Issue a formal written reminder and place in the personnel file. (if another incident arise within a period of time, e.g. 4 weeks) 3. Give paid “decision-making leave.” 4. Dismissal or Purge the paid suspension if no further incidents.  Safety Issue LO4 Prevent Accidents at Work  What Causes Accidents at Work? Chance Occurrences Beyond management’s control What Causes Unsafe e.g. work schedules and fatigue, Accidents ? Conditions org. safety climate climates Unsafe e.g. running Acts Unsafe Acts will undo the efforts to banish unsafe conditions  What Causes Accidents at Work? Unsafe Conditions: the main cause of accidents, include Improperly guarded equipment Defective equipment Solution: Hazardous procedures around machines or equipment Identify and eliminate the unsafe conditions. Unsafe storage—congestion, overloading Improper illumination—glare, insufficient light Spills on floors Tripping hazards, such as blocked aisles Working from heights, including ladders and scaffolds Electrical hazards like frayed cords  Prevent Accidents at Work ❖Reduce Unsafe Conditions (employer’s first line of defense) Job hazard analysis: a systematic approach to identifying and eliminating workplace hazards before they occur Aspects to consider: the worker, the task, the tools, and the work environment Questions to ask What can go wrong? What are the consequences? How could it happen? What are other contributing factors?  Prevent Accidents at Work ❖Reduce Unsafe Conditions (employer’s first line of defense) Operational safety reviews Whether comply with all the applicable safety laws, regulations, orders, and rules. Personal protective equipment (PPE) Getting employees to wear PPE like hard hats is famously difficult Wearability is important (e.g., fit properly, easy to maintain) HK housing authority  What Causes Accidents at Work? Unsafe Acts (e.g. running): undo the efforts to banish unsafe conditions No easy answers to what causes people to act unsafely Sometimes the working conditions prompt unsafe acts Sometimes employees don’t get the required training, nor learn safe procedures  Prevent Accidents at Work ❖Reduce Unsafe Acts Screening: identify the traits and screen candidates ✓ e.g. job simulation tasks, physical capability tests, behavioral interviews Training: employees must demonstrate what they learn Posters, incentives, and positive reinforcement Foster a culture of safety Create a supportive environment (organization, supervisors) Establish a safety policy Setting specific loss control goals Behavior-based safety and safety awareness programs Employee participation LO5 Security and Risk Management  Occupational Security and Risk Management Workplace Safety: risks of injury or illness to employees Workplace Security: protect employees from internal and external security risks Enterprise Risk Management How to manage risks depends on the class of risk Internal preventable risks (e.g., employees’ illegal conduct, accidents) Strategy risks (e.g., a banker’s decision of loan and the borrower defaults) External risks (e.g., political and natural disasters and terrorism)  Preventing and Dealing with Violence at Work Several steps to reduce the incidence of workplace violence Heighten Security Measures Improve Employee Screening Establish a zero-tolerance policy toward workplace violence Use Workplace Violence Training Guidelines for firing a high-risk employee Violence Toward Women at Work  Securing the Facility Protecting employees from internal and external risks often starts with facilities security Setting Up a Basic Security Program 1. Analyze current level of risk 2. Installing mechanical security systems (e.g., locks, surveillance system) 3. Installing natural / Architectural security systems (e.g. reduce number of entrances) 4. Installing organizational security systems (training security staff)  Terrorism and Cyber Security Terrorism: The employer can take several steps to protect its employees and physical assets from a terrorist attack 1. Screen the identities of everyone entering the premises. 2. Check mail carefully. 3. Identify ahead of time a lean “crisis organization” that can run the company on an interim basis after a terrorist threat. 4. Identify in advance under what conditions you will close the company down, as well as the shutdown process. 5. Institute a process to put the crisis management team together. 6. Prepare evacuation plans and make sure exits are well marked and unblocked. 7. Designate an employee who will communicate with families and off-site employees. 8. Identify an upwind, off-site location near your facility to use as a staging area for all evacuated personnel. 9. Designate in advance several employees who will do headcounts at the evacuation staging area. 10. Establish an emergency text-messaging policy and procedure to notify affected individuals that an emergency may exist.  Terrorism and Cyber Security Cyber Security Basic guidelines Data security is everyone’s responsibility “old data is bad data” Encrypt Monitor  Business Continuity and Emergency Plans One source estimates that 40% of companies never reopen after suffering business disruptions from a major catastrophe. Emergency Plans Develop a plan Identify key responsibilities Make sure all employees are aware of the plan Train employees regularly LO6 Employee Engagement  Employee Engagement How companies become “Best Companies to Work for” The Great Place to Work Institute defines a great workplace –Cultivate trust –Ensure fair treatment of employees –Respect employees –HR philosophies may well be the “magic sauce” that explains why great companies to work for are great  The Supervisor’s Role TIP Do not Threaten, Interrogate, make Promises to, or Spy on employees FORE You may give employees Facts, express your Opinion about unions, explain factually correct Rules, and share your Experiences about unions.  Summary Employee Relations Fair treatment, Communication / Recognition / Involvement Program Creating Ethical Environment in the Organization What is Ethic and its role in HRM; Why unethical behavior; How to manage it Managing Employee Discipline Fair discipline process, Nonpunitive Discipline Process Safety Issue and Prevent Accidents at Work Chance Occurrences, unsafe condition, unsafe Acts, Security and Risk Management Employee Engagement