Unitary Perspective of Industrial Relations

The Unitary perspective  of industrial relations views the organisation as a team ‘unified by a common purpose’, namely the success of the organisation. This perspective views all the people in the organisation as part of one big team. Unitarists view everyone within the organisation as part of one team with one loyalty structure. This immediately says that there are no barriers between different groups and departments which could lead to poor communication and animosity, which would go against the notion of common values and common goals as that would not be advantageous to the common goal, of the success of the organisation. The set of common goals and values that are put in place are there to try to create and maintain the order within the organisation, the ‘common’ set of values and goals are important so that all of the employees are working in unison. This is important as Continue reading

Modern Organizations and Role of Leaders

Organizations are indispensable to human and civilization progress and in meeting societal needs. Organization and civilization are interdependent twins; one could not develop without the other. Today in modern societies, organizations shape values, set structural roles and norms in civilization directions, change and determine human destinies, and perform a wide range of functions from integration and human fulfillment to disintegration and individual alienation. From their birth, organizations were simple in structure and management, but as they grew larger they became sophisticated and complex in structure and function, requiring managerial skills and techniques beyond the comprehension of many people. In modern day organization the workload is designed to promote and maintain health aspects of employees. Additionally, much importance is given to contextual factors such as the technology and the environment of the organization and the professional level of the employees. In today’s era, an organization or a workplace is not confined Continue reading

Trade Unions – Definition, Characteristics, Need, Nature and Purpose

Trade Unions prove beneficial for workers, as the main aim of forming this group is to prevent the workers from being exploited by the senior officials. For example, if a worker is unhappy with the pay he is getting he can talk to his co-workers and collectively they can raise their voice to get the pay they deserve. Trade union is even helpful for the management of the firm, as they can know the needs of the worker which helps them know workers better and provide them an environment where they are able to work efficiently and help them to maintain good standards. Decisions are taken through the collective bargaining process and negotiations between employer and unions. The relationship between trade union and employer is called as industrial relations. In general terms, trade unions satisfy their needs through negotiations peacefully, but sometimes other tough actions need to be taken by Continue reading

Type of Tests Taken in the Selection Process

Job seekers who pass the screening and the preliminary interview are called for tests. Different types of tests may be administered, depending on the job and the company. Generally, tests are used in the employee selection process to determine the applicant’s ability, aptitude and personality. The following are the type of tests taken in the employee selection process: 1). Ability tests: Assist in determining how well an individual can perform tasks related to the job. An excellent illustration of this is the typing tests given to a prospective employer for secretarial job. Also called as ‘ACHEIVEMENT TESTS’. It is concerned with what one has accomplished. When applicant claims to know something, an achievement test is taken to measure how well they know it. Trade tests are the most common type of achievement test given. Questions have been prepared and tested for such trades as asbestos worker, punch-press operators, electricians and Continue reading

Job Rotation – Definition, Objectives, Benefits and Importance

Job Rotation is a management approach where employees are shifted between two or more assignments or jobs at regular intervals of time in order to expose them to all verticals of an organization. It is a pre-planned approach with an objective to test the employee skills and competencies in order to place him or her at the right place. In addition to it, it reduces the monotony of the job and gives them a wider experience and helps them gain more insights. Job rotation is a well-planned practice to reduce the boredom of doing same type of job everyday and explore the hidden potential of an employee. The process serves the purpose of both the management and the employees. It helps management in discovering the talent of employees and determining what he or she is best at. On the other hand, it gives an individual a chance to explore his Continue reading

Role of Management in Improving Workplace Safety and Health

Perhaps more than any other HR activity, health and safety offer HR manager an opportunity to be more proactive than reactive. Read: The Concept of Occupational Safety and Health There are a number of strategies that can be used by organizations to ensure a healthy and safe workplace and ensure compliance with legal requirements. Some are: Design Safe and healthy systems of work Exhibit Strong management commitment Inspect Workplace for health and safety problems Establish Procedures and controls for dealing with health and safety issues Develop Training programs Set up Health and safety committees Monitor Safety policies Draw up Action plan and checklist 1. Design safer systems of work: The most direct approach to ensuring a safe and healthy workplace is to design systems of work that are safe and without risk to health. This can often only be done satisfactorily at the design, planning or purchasing stage. It may Continue reading