Employee Relation-Informing and Consulting - Coursework Example

Informing and Consulting Part Employees play a big part in achieving the goal of a certain business or company as they are often regarded as the heart and soul of it. They also comprise the huge number of population in a certain company. With them performing different tasks, is it necessary for them to be informed of the real scenario of the company? Since the 6th of April 2006, employees have the right to be informed with regards to information inside the companies that they are working. This makes each and every employee aware of what is taking place in the company that they are working. This also serves as their gauge of some vital concerns within the company such as Conferences, Meetings, and Memoranda. It is also a way of reminding the employees of what they should accomplish within the company such as deadlines, reports, assignments and the likes. With this, the free flow of information takes place and interaction within the member of the companies particularly the employees takes place. Upon analyzing these things, we might say that the employees are not deprived of the information that they deserve as a member of the company. Informing and consulting them will further give them hints and guides of their decisions within the company in which it will affect the latter when employees made their actions. These things are indeed vital to be considered in order to benefit both the company and the employees themselves. We all know that communication plays a big role in the operation of the company. In order to implement a certain plan of action, we need to consult and inform the people that is within the company. Same thing, in achieving the target of the company whether in sales, performance of the employees, cost-cutting scheme and others, we need to inform the people or the employees concerned needed to realize such actions. We can see here the need for the people to be informed. In these premises we can analyze a simple logic-how will they (employees) know if you would not tell them? How will you be able to tell them? It is through information dissemination through direct or indirect manner with a purpose to reach those people who are concerned. A common saying states that the only constant thing in this world is change and so is the environment on a certain company. And if that change happens, how will you be able to apply and tell your employees? It is through constant communication with them. Also, consulting the people or your workforce also helps the company for a win-win solution on how to implement such changes. Also Informing and Consulting will give way on transparency among employees to know the real score of the company interms of its economic status. With this, the employees will have the knowledge of they will look into situations with regards to the operation of the company. For example, the management issued that the company is experiencing tremendous loss in the last couple of months; each and every employee will now analyze the cause of this. This is critical for them because in one way or the other, it will affect their performance and their lives as well. In the other hand, if the company is doing well, the employees will now have the chance to explore different things beyond their prescribed work. They will also be somewhat motivated with regards to their work. These things are vital especially to a company that has more than one outlet considering the distance, situation, environment and other factors among the outlets and the employees as well. If we are to inform them, we will be sure that the needed information will be absorbed by a favorable number of employees in order for them to feel the need or the satisfaction of the company. Going back on the change in environment argument, the employees will also have their chance to create their opinion on changes that is happening within their workplace. This would ensure a healthy place of work because of such information. Also, the management will also be guided on their next step based on the reaction of the employees. It would be substantial that the management could get the side of the employees before making such a move that will somehow help them in implementing changes in the company. As we all know, the company is a cradle of both the employer and the employees united under a common goal- to gain profit. Informing and consultation is also vital in terms of filling key positions in the company. Let say there is a vacancy on a certain position in the company and there is a huge need for it to be filled. Through different forms of announcement, whether it is written or verbal or with the use of media (radio, broadsheets of Television), the employees within the organizations can vie for that positions (of course it depends on the existing policy of the company). It is also possible that competent people outside the organization can be hired and considered as one of the employees in the near future through informing and consulting because of the distribution of the information. This move will also help the employee to adjust on situations while there are no hired individual for that certain position. Of course, the operation of the company should not cease as much as possible and with this, employees should adopt on how to work without the aforementioned position temporarily. This thing will also be beneficial to the company because through these information, the time it would take in filling the position will be lessened in which in a way, the company will save time and resources. In my own point of view, Informing and consulting is a legal way of letting the employees know within the company what is happening, what they should do and what step they should take. It is also a way of showing transparency among the people inside the company and it is a practical way of showing concern for the employees and the company as a whole. All in all, if we are to apply this in the present scenario of UK companies, it is a must considering the fact that most of them do have enormous number of employees and outlets so it is vital that this thing should be put into practice and will not only affect the Company but the economy of UK as well. Informing and Consulting Part II For example, I am a human resource officer of a certain British company with 300 employees and six outlets all over UK. The companies deals with buy and sell of different brand of clothes and has 50 employees per outlet. The employees are classified based on their functions and the line of clothing that they handle for buy and sell of the products. I am tasked to disseminate information based on sales, performance of the employees, daily inventories of the products and the likes while consulting key employees for the benefit of the employees and for decision making. My assignment also includes different ways of informing the employees. Upon analyzing this task, we might say that it includes tremendous amount of effort and it is a hard thing to do. Dealing with a huge number of people in different settings of workplace is indeed a hard thing to do. It is also challenging in a sense that the information should reach the favorable number of employees in the workplace. A website competitive-solutions.net (2002) described that “Communication is a challenging issue regardless of the type or size of the industry.” (http://www.competitive-solutions.net/communication.htm); Indeed, communicating with the people around your company and having them involved in the flow of information is a tough task to handle. We all know that each and everyone inside the company are not identical and the number of the people inside the company will determine the number of approaches in terms of communicating with them in order for them to be informed. Also, the need for interaction takes place after this. So, how could I possibly handle these things? I have to consult my subordinates in order for me to have their sides. Informing the people around the company with regards to my decisions, commendations, and the likes helps the people inside the company to have an idea of what is going around the company for the employees to feel that they are indeed an important part of the company. To start the process, I have to see the availability of resources needed to realize this assignment. I have to see the funds that are available in this assignment and I should also consider the availability of the manpower needed to realize this. Also, I have to know the ability, capability and the desired means of the employee for them to know the Information that I will disseminate. First Let us take a look in the resources part. I will consider these questions in order for me to be guided on my next move. On the availability of fund issue, are the funds available can compensate advertisement spots on television, radio and news papers? If so, what approach should I take, do I have to place it in classified ads (in which, the likes of the aforementioned subject is placed) or do I have to change the treatment like a testimonial style or a news item. Does the fund needed to realize this one is capable of making database in order for the employees to be reached through their mobile phones, e-mails and other technologies? Or if I have a limited fund, do I have to go back to basics? I should place cork boards, inter-office papers and the likes. If I may be able to answer this, then I will proceed to the succeeding steps in order for them to be informed. This would also be the start of the assessment of the performance of the employees in the company. Aside from me, they would also know the real score of the company and will help them improve their performances as well. The good thing about this is that I may be able to asses their function and contributions to the company. Having assorted kind of products to sell with assorted kind of employees will mean resorting into different techniques with regards to their motivation as an employee of the company. As most companies agree that the success and failure of a company depends on the kind of people who are working within the company. Upon analyzing these things, we might say that it is really essential to interact with the employees within your company. It not only helps you to asses their performances, but they will also feel their importance within the company and me as the employer will gain their respect as well. Speaking of man powers, seeking favorable key employees to reach their fellow employees is also important in informing and consulting. The likes of Employees representatives, supervisors and team leaders can be a big help in reaching the employees and giving them the needed information. If the employees will feel their importance within the company, they will most likely perform their tasks beyond the expectations of the employer. Also, consulting with the employees will open doors for improvement within the company. With me to initiate the consultation, the employees can now say their sentiments and concerns and they will inform me the needed information towards work within the company. I should also consider that having different kind of brands to sell also means that there are a lot of things to consider in selling the company’s products. In the employees’ case, they are the ones who are dealing with the costumers so they know more of the concerns of the costumers and in selling the products as well. I will conduct a general staff meeting. As the Human Resource Officer Company, I will state to the employees my perspective and assessment with the way the company is going through the performance. Perhaps this would inform them the impact of their performance in the company and how I look into it. Presenting these things towards them would also give them the information on how I see the company and also, how I perform my duties as a Human Resource Officer. With this, the needed information of the workers is presented. After the said assessment, I will initiate an open forum in which those employees who also want to share their insights and views can now have the chance to state their side. Having the open forum will also mean that their voices are being heard and will be more likely a sort of consultation towards them. Also, if I am to make vital decisions which involve the company, I will also present my idea and claim towards the employees in the company who holds key positions in the company to get their side or to ask them if they do have better ideas. As a Human Resource Officer, I should also consider that there are times that the employees do have a much better idea on a certain subject matter. I should also, not focus on the employees who are on the top level but also those employees who are on the bottom part for I acknowledge that these kind of employees are the one who are much exposed with regards to the daily operations in the company. Also in satisfying the concerns of the employees, I should also find solutions that are functional to the company and beneficial to the workers through bargaining and the likes. I should also inform the party/parties involved and get their sides in order for me to be guided with regards on actions I should undertake. With this, the information will reach to the parties concerned and they will also be guided on actions they should take. In doing such, it would also give me a chance to further asses the situation. Also, I will also consult my colleagues in Human Resources Development Department of the company in order for me to be guided with regards to my future actions. Upon doing these actions, I should also consider that in doing these things, there will come a time that conflicts will arise while informing and consulting phenomenon is at hand. First, with the amount of employees that are in the company, it doesn’t guarantee that they do have the same sentiments and same concerns. I have to accept the fact that during consultations, tensions may arise due to different opinions of the employees while airing their sentiments. Also, if the employees do have different kinds of personality, it means that they might have clashes of principles and the likes so I have to prepare myself in facing such a scenario. Also, upon having a large number of employees to deal with, there will come a time that in information disseminations, employees might have different interpretations towards certain information that they heard or read. With this, they might interpret certain information contrary to the intended outcome of the source of information. This thing may cause a lot in a certain organization to the extent of its downfall so disseminating the information in a manner that can be understood by everybody is essential. To add to that, Burgess (1990) stated that “a lack of understanding in Organizational Communications can result in disaster.” (http://www.leaderu.com/isot/docs/orgcomm.html); In order for a certain company not to engage in miscommunications, one must have or have a better understanding of organizational communication. Also, if we are to analyze, Informing and Consulting is a part of Organizational Communication and would more likely to produce harmonious relationship between the Company and its employees. Having known all of these, I would also prefer to introduce the aforementioned practices in my company to avoid conflicts. Also, in the humanitarian side of it, the rights of my employees are not exploited and somehow further protected. Reference List: Communication (2002). Competetive Solutions Inc. Retrieved April 2, 2006 from http://www.competitive-solutions.net/communication.htm Rev. Burgess, D. (1990). Six “Laws” of Organizational Communication and Some of their Implications for Christian Workers. Retrieved April 3, 2006 from http://www.leaderu.com/isot/docs/orgcomm.html Read More