Labor Relations Specialist - Essay Example

?In Search of The Next Labor Relations Specialist This paper is my plan on how I can find the most suitable replacement to fill up the position of Labor Relations Specialist that I vacated in our company. Being promoted to a supervisory position is a great opportunity for me to grow professionally, leading me closer to the achievement of my dreams. In accepting such honor and huge responsibility, I am left with the task of finding my replacement so as not to disrupt the smooth flow of operations in our company. I am fully aware of the sensitivity of that position because it directly deals with workers in the company. Thus, I should exercise due diligence in the selection of the most suitable candidate for the position. Job Analysis/ Job Description I am tasked to do a job analysis for the Labor Relations Specialist post. Heathfield (2011) defines job analysis as “the process used to collect information about the duties, responsibilities, necessary skills, outcomes, and work environment of a particular job” (para. 1). It reflects the knowledge, skills, abilities and competencies that workers need in order to be efficient at work (SHL, 2001). Safdar et al. (2010) conclude that individuals with higher levels of knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA) tend to be better job performers. They also suggest that jobs need to be analyzed for the nature of the job and the nature of the relationships that the job entails as well as the job outcomes. The job of a Labor Relations Specialist covers a wide range of responsibilities. Basically, his or her job is to “resolve disputes between workers and managers, negotiate collective bargaining agreements, or coordinate grievance procedures to handle employee complaints” (Career Planner.com, para 1). Specifically, his job requires him to have a vast knowledge of company policies, labor laws and employee rights. His numerous tasks include but are not limited to the following: Ensure that the company policies adhere to labor laws and monitor its adherence to labor agreements. Review employer practices or employee data to ensure compliance with contracts on matters such as wages, hours or conditions of employment. Advise management on matters related to employee contracts, discipline or grievance procedures. Prepare and submit required governmental reports or forms related to labor-related matters. Prepare reports or presentations communicating employee satisfaction or other related information to management. Develop methods to monitor employee satisfaction with company policies, working conditions, grievance or complaint procedures. Train managers or supervisors on labor-related topics like working conditions, safety or equal opportunity practices. Negotiates between workers’ unions and the company on labor-related issues. (Career Planning.com, 2012) Qualities/ Qualifications Needed for the Job It can be said that a Labor Relations Specialist should have a neutral stand so he will be able to be more objective in the performance of his work. In arbitrating labor problems, he needs to see both sides of the issue and ensure that they justly enforce whatever consequence necessary. Hence, my replacement be so, and should possess the knowledge and skills necessary to carry out his important role with efficiency. Applicants to the position should be a college graduate, preferably with an MBA degree and an intensive background in industrial and public relations (Jain, 1975). Apart from the knowledge of industrial and labor relations and laws, he should be personable and approachable by both management and workers. He should be effective in his communication skills both in oral and written communication as these skills will always be called upon in his work. It is highly preferable that he has adequate experience in handling labor problems. Recruitment Finding the right candidate will entail a series of tests. Aside from the usual ones given by the Human Resources division, a panel interview should be set up with some managers and myself as part of the panel. To test the candidate’s knowledge, he will be given hypothetical situations of labor issues to deal with. I will be observing how calm and composed he is and how quick he can think up of possible solutions. On top of that, his communication skills and professional demeanour will likewise be observed. Orientation to the Job I shall personally orient the selected candidate on the job expectations as well as the company’s philosophy and policies and culture. Klein (2000) defines orientation programs as “a form of employee training designed to introduce new employees to their job, the people they will be working with, and the larger organization” (p. 48). These may take the form of formal training programs, informal orienting activities by peers or supervisors or a combination of both. Organizational-level orientation intends for employees to feel welcomed and that they are now part of the organization; learn more about the organizational mission and vision, culture, language, history and structure. Employees come to better understand the basic workplace principles and policies (Klein, 2000). Without a proper orientation, the new hire may feel unwelcomed and at a loss. Even a trained professional can feel abandoned when left to survive alone and unaided in a new and possibly strange environment (McConnell, 2006, n.p.). Introducing the company to the new Labor Relations Specialist should include its known practices in terms of motivating employees as well as its processes for consequences for negative behavior and committing offences. That way, he can assess the current situation. If there are pending labor issues, then I discuss its development and ask for his opinion to see if we are in sync. I shall also endorse him to the agencies he will be dealing with. In our discussions, I will continually assess if he shares the same values as the company’s. They must be aligned because differing values create conflict and will impede goal achievement. Mishra and Morrissey (1990) claim that trust should be established and the ways to propagate it are through open communication; giving workers a greater share in decision making; sharing of critical information and true sharing of perceptions and feelings. From the start, these must be communicated to the new employee. Performance Evaluation Since I will be the one training him, I will eventually loosen my rein as I see he is capable of the tasks involved. Little by little, I would give him more responsibilities until such time that he can be totally independent and do everything himself. I will also be responsible for evaluating his performance. Based on my research, there are various approaches to evaluating the performance of a worker. One is the task-oriented approach wherein each job is broken down into more basic units called tasks (Cornelius, 1979). The focus of analysis for this approach is the work activity itself. I can screen if all his tasks are done well and to my high standard. Another is the worker-oriented job approach where the unit of analysis is not the task but the human behaviours involved in completing the work. I will evaluate him as to his work attitude, work ethics and how he relates with his co-workers and supervisors. I need to see that he has the professionalism and objectivity necessary for a Labor Relations Specialist. Jobs are described by the processes undertaken by the workers. Third and last is the abilities-oriented approach proposed by Fleishman (1972, 1975). This approach focuses on the underlying abilities and aptitudes of the worker – the qualities he possesses that make him suited for the job. This corresponds with the competency-focused approach (Siddique, 2004). It gives special attention to competencies such as “interpersonal skills, conflict resolution skills, innovative thinking, flexibility, decision-making ability and self-motivation” (Siddique, 2004, p. 226). Compensation and Benefit Package The new Labor Relations Specialist should be given the remuneration that is commensurate to his position and the tasks he is entrusted with. He is entitled to a sum that is higher than the regular employee but not quite at a managerial level of salary. His is a great responsibility. More than just being a go-between for both the employees and management, he needs to set up preventive strategies so that labor problems are kept at bay and both workers and management get along well. His position should ensure that workers achieve job satisfaction so that the company benefits from their productivity. Settling labor issues quickly as they arise prevents prolonged disruption of employees’ work, which may prove to be costly to the company. As a new hire, he is also given the same company benefits as the rest of the employees such as medical insurance, social security, sick and vacation leaves, plus more opportunities for professional growth. Professional Development In order to develop and hone the competencies of the employees such as the newly-hired Labor Relations Specialist, it is necessary to engage him in continuous training and development. Employee development has been identified as key to improving overall organizational effectiveness. Jones and Washington (2003) have defined it as: “Employee development refers to an integrated set of planned programs, provided over a period of time, to help assure that all individuals have the competence necessary to perform to their fullest potential in support of the organization’s goals” ( 344). In addition to the on-the-job training that I supervise, periodic updating of skills in keeping with new developments in the field is essential for employees. The Labor Relations Specialist should be given opportunities to attend courses on collective bargaining preparation, labor legislation, etc. (Jain, 1975). Training and development should be approached in a holistic manner in order to efficiently enhance one’s knowledge of the craft. Knowledge management is always linked to a learning dimension. This includes having the ability to sense patterns in things and situations, reflect on information and decisions, develop new knowledge, improve oneself and extend support to others by sharing knowledge (Wright, 2007). Wright (2007) came up with a personal knowledge management plan for adult learners consisting of four interrelated dimensions - analytical, information, social and learning. The competencies under the Analytical dimension of Knowledge management are the abilities to interpret and make sense of problems encountered, envision solutions, apply techniques and models to understand and address problems, create new options to redefine issues and contextualize system elements and complexity of problems. The competencies listed under the information dimension include sourcing high quality information and assessing the value of such information as useful or not. It also includes organizing information and making it accessible for future use, synthesizing information gathered and communicating it to others effectively (Wright, 2007). In sum, it comprises how one finds information and makes it useful in his life. Social dimension of knowledge management include finding people who can help an individual address problems and collaborate with him in searching for information and/or solutions. Developing and maintaining trust within certain networks formed in the pursuit of knowledge is essential. To do so, one needs to develop skills in asking the right questions as well as sharing knowledge with others (Wright, 2007). All four dimensions are necessary for the Labor Relations Specialist to learn since he moves across departments and divisions of the company and become exposed to a wide variety of work issues, so it would be good for him to be prepared for anything. Of course, at the right time and circumstance, if the new Labor Relations Specialist does well in his work, then I would make sure he will be rewarded either with a promotion or a salary increase among other additional benefits. Providing incentives motivates employees to strive better toward his own as well as the company’s goals. Indeed, it would be a difficult task to find the most qualified Labor Relations Specialist to replace me. Perhaps it is because I know the job so well and would want someone who can also come up to my standards, as I am confident I was able to perform very well in that position. That person who will be selected should be someone I can work easily with, one who is eager to learn and easy to train with a pleasant personality to match. Under my mentorship, I will make sure that there will be a smooth transition in the passing of the torch so as not to disrupt company operations. I know it will be a challenge for me too, while adjusting to my new supervisory position. However, I believe it is this dedication and commitment to the company that has landed me my own promotion. I shall try my best to pass on the same zeal to the one who will replace me. As always, due diligence will be worth it. References Career Planner.com (2012) Labor Relations Specialist, Retrieved from 06 October 2012 from http://job-descriptions.careerplanner.com/Labor-Relations-Specialist.cfm Cornelius, E.T., Carron, T.J., Collins, M.N. (1979), Job Analysis Models and Job Classification , Personnel Psychology, Vol. 32, pp. 693-708. Fleishman, E. A.(1972) On the relation between abilities, learning, and human performance. American Psychologist, Vol. 27, pp. 1017-1032. Fleishman, E. A.(1975) Toward a taxonomy of human performance. American Psychologist Vol. 30,pp. 1127-1149. Heathfield, S.M. (2011) Job Analysis, Retrieved on October 5, 2012 from http://humanresources.about.com/od/jobdescriptions/g/job_analysis.htm Jain, H. (1975) The Training of Labor Relations Specialists Training of Management Specialists in Labor Relations, Labor Law Journal, August issue, 1975 Jones, R.L. & Washington,C. (2003) Employee development and organizational performance: a review of literature and directions for future research, Human Resource Development International, Vol. 6 Issue 3, p343, 12p Klein, H.J. (2000), “The Effectiveness Of An Organizational-level Orientation Training Program In The Socialization Of New Hires”, Personnel Psychology Vol.53 McConnell, C.R. (2006) “When to Establish an Employee Orientation Program”, Small Business Toolbox. Retrieved on October 05, 2012 from http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_29294?templateID=315%202. Mishra, J., & Morrissey, M. A. (1990).Trust in employee/employer relationships: A survey of West Michigan managers. Public Personnel Management, Vol.19, No.4, 443-463 Safdar, R., Waheed, A., Quaid-e-Azam, Rafiq, K.H. (2010) Impact Of Job Analysis On Job Performance:Analysis Of A Hypothesized Model, Journal of Diversity Management, Volume 5. Number 2 SHL (2001) “Guidelines for Best Practice in the Use of Job Analysis Techniques”. Retrieved on April 30, 2011 from http://www.shlgroup.com/uk Siddique, C.M. (2004) Job analysis: a strategic human resource management Practice, International Journal of Human Resource Management Vol. 15, No. 1 pp. 219– 244 Wright, K. (2007) Personal Knowledge Management Planning Guide. Knowledge Resources Inc. Read More