Master of Business Administration-MBA Semester 3 MU0012 Employee Relations Management Assignment Set- 1 Q.

1 Explain how the strategy of an organisation influences its employee policies? Ans:- The strategy of a firm is a match between what it can do (internal capabilities) and external relationships. Added value (a measure of the business's success) is created by competitive advantage based on distinctive capabilities. Few capabilities are distinctive, but effective systems of regulation and relationships within the firm that are based on mutual trust and committment is one area. For personnel/HRM specialists to be valued members of the strategic manager group they must be able to offer expertise - value added - which will contribute to the development and implementation of the firm's strategic policies and programmes. If they contribute such expertise and if this is valued by the senior management of a firm - then personnel will be accepted into the strategic decision-making circle. This essentially is a membership and power/influence issue. What does the firm need? the right people in the right place at the right time at the right cost.

The labour factor of production is a cost and the commercial, market-forces argument is that it must give value for money. Many propositions may now stem from such a position. the firm grows and prospers with the people it has or it can get hold of these at the time it needs them the behaviour of its members should not jeopardy the firm. Individuality is important but loose, unco-ordinated collections of individuals who just go their own way and do not support each other or demonstrate trust and loyalty - are unlike to work so well people in the organisation must want to be members and want to perform for it with effort and creative ingenuity. The organisation in return (part of the social and economic exchange) needs to value its members are their contribution. If it does not demonstrate such value - materially and socially - then members will become detached.

Strategy requires long-term goals, broad programmes and allocations designed to achieve these. Each programme represents a policy for action. Funds, assets and people must be allocated or assigned to programmes. Of course every time we employ someone - this has to be resourced. Strategic plans are

typically informed by the organisation's mission and purposes - what those who own the business want to achieve. Owners can be sole proprietors, partners, majority shareholders, instititional shareholders, small shareholders. The stakeholder notion is important - for suppliers, collaborating firms, government, the local community and of course employees - are all stakeholders. developed in response to the external and internal influences that the organisation finds itself subject to.

So what then are examples of human resource strategies and programmes? containment of trade union influence? recruiting the best keeping costs down. Becoming flexible and lean but empowering our crew with the best training, rewards and equipment to do the job developing a culture within the organisation which enables each member to contribute creatively, competitively with their best effort and ability becoming a learning organisation training everyone to be competent in their present job at a level of mastery and to extend beyond this for continued occupational development - the future (but not so far intothe future that the firm wll never be able to take advantage of it!) down-sizing. Changing the relationship between the organisation and those which provide it with services - buy in rather than employ our own linking rewards to measured performances staying clear of the pitfalls offered by employment law. being an equal opportunities employer through our behaviour rather than imposed and expensive systems of control make sure that when we employ people we do so in ways that are systematic, reliable, cost effective and properly administered to be seen by our employees and others to be a good employer

Many influences are outside the control of an organisation's managers. Government may pass laws. A firm's products and services may be under pressure from international competition. The industry may be in decline. The economy may be in turmoil. Key staff may leave. Responses are however needed to meet these contingencies. The organisation has to cope/adapt to opportunites and threats if it is to retain its position and prosper. Thus we can speak of contingency management.

The business strategies which take precedence when boards of companies meet are: finance company competitiveness and positioning product and market development

Matters relating to the labour force may be lower down on the agenda rather than being front running items - unless they are cost cutting items. Yet managers may endeavour to define HRM strategies particularly where there is a belief that investment in the quality and enthusiasm of the work force will add to competitiveness, quality and overall business performance. Management's actions may belie what they say their HRM strategy is. The danger is that declarations about human resource intentions are only lip-service statements. Employees may see a disparity between what is said and managerial action/ inaction. Compare programmes promoting training and a participative company culture when in the same breath redundancies are anticipated associated with down-sizing. Strategy and Tactics, Maintenance and Improvement Strategic management involves ambiguity, the non-routine, complexity, organisation wide implications and significant rather than small-scale change. Circumstances are driven by environmental pressure, imposed changes and perceived positions. Strategic needs must be analysed, objectives agreed and translated into everyday programmes which devolve to line managers for implementation. They must be communicated, resourced and controlled. Information systems are needed with staff involved and committed. Yet if market turbulence and competitive forces are so intense, policy and programme forming and reforming can be so rapid as to make tactical and strategic levels confused. Having good feedback about progress of tactical (operational) programmes is essential. Programme results must be evaluated and components adjusted. As time frames become shorter, plans may only be half completed before a rehash or U-turn is needed. So the best strategies may be outlines only with objectives and specific programmes changing to fit operational circumstances. A strategy (the game plan) will involve particular tactics - their form mostly represented by operational programmes and projects - DOING. Departmental arrangements and programmes of work are manifestation of tactics. Each business unit has its budget i.e. allocations of money and staff organised to secure day-by-day results. Tactics can be maintenance tactics (keep the thing going) or improvement tactics. Maintenance - so that performance does not slide/atrophy - requires organising and resourcing. An operational unit may need to address a number of projects (tactics for improvement). A sales campaign, market research project, a training course or quality control programme are examples.

A new operational unit may need to be established. Its project or projects represent tactics that contribute to the strategic objectives of the business. One such programme to drive both maintenance (market entry strategy) and improvement (orderwinning strategy) might be to secure ISO 9000 accreditation. The ISO 9000 Organisation In a smaller organisation, business and HRM strategy may be indistinguishable however for large and small organisations a commitment to quality may be defined by the corporate missionand implemented via ISO 9000 accreditation (the tactical programme). Other tactics may be in support: employee training and communications, marketing promotions and investment in better working methods and equipment. The organisation may forego shortterm profits and even seek further capital funds to secure ISO accreditation The ISO requirements may spread through the firm as policy, procedure and controlling mechanisms. Even say-to day operations in the personnel section may be defined by ISO 9000 specifications of standards and procedures e.g. governing wage administration, delivery of training services, excellence in recruiting or staff communication and consultation. Explain the type of strategic concerns and objectives that may exist for human resource management in TWO of the following organisations. What form might strategic programmes of policy and action take (give examples).

a small entrepreneurial business a UK owned multi-national a foreign owned multi-national with UK operations a secondary school a National Health hospital trust a local authority

Seven dimensions of organizational culture that influence the employee reflection process that ultimately leads to whistleblowing behavior are presented. These include : 1. vigilance 2. engagement 3. credibility 4. accountability 5. empowerment 6. courage, and

7. options. Key considerations within each dimension are discussed and a compliance framework is used to identify strategies for encouraging a culture that supports employee communication, questioning, and reporting of illegal, unethical, and illegitimate practices within organizations.

Q.2 Define Employee Engagement. What are the different factors that influence employee engagement? Ans: - Employee Engagement is the means or strategy by which An organisation seeks to build a partnership between the organisation and its employees, such that:

Employees fully understands and is committed to achieve the organisations objectives, and The organisation respects the personal aspirations and ambitions of its employees.

It is seen largely the organisations responsibility to create an environment and culture conducive to this partnership. The 3 aspects of employee engagement Global studies suggest that there are three basic aspects of employee engagement:

The employees and their own unique psychological make up and experience. The employers and their ability to create the conditions that promote employee engagement. Interaction between employees at all levels.

Employee engagement creates greater motivation within employees for the work they do and increases their commitment to the organisation. It is about creating an enthusiasm for their roles, their work and the organisation, and ensuring they are aligned with the values of the organisation, well informed and well integrated with their colleagues and the fabric or culture of the organisation.

Ffactors influence employee engagement

Research by the Institute of Employment Studies (IES) identifies a number of factors which influence employee engagement:

Source: IES Survey, 2003

Many other factors exist that might apply to your particular business and the importance of these factors will also vary within your organization. Q.3 Write notes on the following decision making model: a. Incremental Model b. Garbage Can Model

Ans:- a. Incremental Model The incremental model is an intuitive approach to the waterfall model. Multiple development cycles take place here, making the life cycle a multi-waterfall cycle. Cycles are divided up into smaller, more easily managed iterations. Each iteration passes through the requirements, design, implementation and testing phases.

Example A working version of software is produced during the first iteration, so you have working software early on during the software life cycle. Subsequent iterations build on the initial software produced during the first iteration.

l Incremental Life Cycle Model

Advantages

Generates working software quickly and early during the software life cycle. More flexible less costly to change scope and requirements. Easier to test and debug during a smaller iteration. Easier to manage risk because risky pieces are identified and handled during its iteration. Each iteration is an easily managed milestone.

Disadvantages Each phase of an iteration is rigid and do not overlap each other. Problems may arise pertaining to system architecture because not all requirements are gathered up front for The entire software life cycle.

b. Garbage Can Model The garbage can model is a theory within the science of public administration that explains organizational decision making from a systemic-anarchic perspective. Decision-making is accidental and is the product of problems and solutions that get associated randomly. Development of the garbage can model

The Garbage Can Model of organizational theory was developed in 1972 by Michael D. Cohen, James G. March and Johan P. Olsen. It was developed in reference to "ambiguous behaviors", i.e. explanations/interpretations of behaviors which at least appear to contradict classical theory. The Garbage Can Model was greatly influenced by the realization that extreme cases of aggregate uncertainty in decision environments would trigger behavioral responses which, at least from a distance, appear "irrational" or at least not in compliance with the total/global rationality of "economic man" (e.g. "act first, think later"). The Garbage Can Model was originally formulated in the context of the operation of universities and their many inter-departmental communications problems. The Garbage Can Model tried to expand organizational decision theory into the then uncharted field of organizational anarchy which is characterized by "problematic preferences", "unclear technology" and "fluid participation". "The theoretical breakthrough of the Garbage Can Model is that it disconnects problems, solutions and decision makers from each other, unlike traditional decision theory. Specific decisions do not follow an orderly process from problem to solution, but are outcomes of several relatively independent stream of events within the organization." The model was based on a computer simulation coded in FORTRAN. The coding was included as an appendix in the original 1972 article , which was the first time a coding sequence appeared in a social science article.

Garbage Can Model

Streams of events within the Garbage Can Model Four of those streams were identified in Cohen, March & Olsen's original conceptualization: Problems : Problems require attention, they are the result of performance gaps or the inability to predict the future. Thus, problems may originate inside or outside the organization. Traditionally, it has been assumed that problems trigger decision processes; if they are sufficiently grave, this may happen. Usually, however, organization man goes through the "garbage" and looks for a suitable fix, called a "solution". Solutions : They have a life of their own. They are distinct from problems which they might be called on to solve. Solutions are answers (more or less actively) looking for a question. Participants may have ideas for solutions; they may be attracted to specific solutions and volunteer to play the advocate. Only trivial solutions do not require advocacy and preparations. Significant solutions have to be prepared without knowledge of the problems they might have to solve.

Choice opportunities: There are occasions when organizations are expected (or think they are expected) to produce behavior that can be called a decision (or an "initiative"). Just like politicians cherish "photo opportunities", organization man needs occasional "decision opportunities" for reasons unrelated to the decision itself. Participants;They come and go; participation varies between problems and solutions. Participation may vary depending on the other time demands of participants (independent from the particular "decision" situation under study). Participants may have favorite problems or favorite solutions which they carry around with them. They may carry these around until they are able to share them with others and either get assistance in resolving the problem or providing a solution to a problem. Why "garbage cans"? It was suggested that organizations tend to produce many "solutions" which are discarded due to a lack of appropriate problems. However problems may eventually arise for which a search of the garbage might yield fitting solutions. Probably the most extreme view (namely that of organizational anarchy) of the Carnegie School. Organizations operate on the basis of inconsistent and ill-defined preferences; their own processes are not understood by their members; they operate by trial and error; their boundaries are uncertain and changing; decision-makers for any particular choice change capriciously. To understand organizational processes, one can view choice opportunities as garbage cans into which various kinds of problems and solutions are dumped. The mix of garbage depends on the mix of labeled cans available, on what garbage is currently produced and the speed with which garbage and garbage cans are removed. Critiques of the Garbage Can The Garbage Can model was criticized by Bendor, Moe, and Shotts in their 2001 American Political Science Review article, "Recycling the Garbage Can: An Assessment of the Research Program." In addition to a number of substantive critiques, the paper notes that the informal theory and the computer model are dramatically inconsistent with one another.It is more discription than prescription of the decision-making, and it just deals with part of the whole process of decision-making.

Q.4 Sanjay is a trade union leader with twenty years of experience in an industrial organisation. One of the laborers in the organisation met with an accident while on duty. What will be the different means by which he will ensure that the laborer is well compensated for the work-related injury? Ans: - If you have been injured at work, your employer's workers' compensation insurance carrier is responsible for medical bills and costs associated with your work injury. If there is a period of time in which the carrier has not accepted your claim as work-related, some medical bills may be subject to reductions. Benefits : If the workers' compensation insurance carrier accepts that your injury is related to work, you will be entitled to medical and money benefits. These may include medical bills, prescription costs, bills for physical therapy and rehabilitation, travel to and from medical appointments and payment for any permanent disability arising from your work injury. Considerations : There may be a period of months or years between your injury and the carrier accepting it as work-related. During this time you may be liable for your own medical bills and should pay these bills before seeking reimbursement from the insurance carrier. If you do not have your own health insurance, an uninsured patient discount of roughly one-third may be offered by the medical facility. This is similar to the bill reduction or discount typically offered to insurance companies. Expert Insight : Dealing with medical bills and a workers' compensation insurance carrier simultaneously can be expensive and time consuming. You may wish to seek representation by an experienced and qualified attorney; this can speed up the process of having your claim accepted and your medical bills paid by the carrier. Your workers compensation attorneys from Madison Law Group have seen a lot of people suffer and even die because of work-related accidents. Your workers compensation attorneys definitely understand the physical pain and mental anguish it can give to you or your family. Without proper workers compensation insurance, you won't have any money to support your loved ones when you will stop receiving wages because of your disability. Without your workers compensation claims, you won't be able to recover the costs of your medical expenses.

The California Worker Compensation Law aims to offer protection to workers that suffer from personal injuries while in their respective jobs. The worker compensation can be used to cover for the basic medical bills as well as support disability benefits of employees.

Anyone can ask for worker compensation claims as long as he works as an employee for another person or company. This also means that he must be covered with worker compensation insurance just in case he meets an accident while in the workplace. It also doesn't matter if you're only an independent contractor of the company. You are still entitled to worker compensation claims. Benefits of Worker Compensation

There are different types of benefits that you can get out of worker compensation. It depends on the severity of the injury that you've sustained. First we have temporary total disability. The worker compensation insurance is given to any person who is unfit to report to work and is currently under medical care. Once he has already recovered, he can start working on light duty and his injury will no longer be under the total disability worker compensation insurance. You also have temporary partial disability. A person can obtain his worker compensation claims even if he is still under medication or currently in the process of healing. The amount of work that can be performed will be less than what he used to do before his personal injury. On the other hand, permanent partial disability worker compensation insurance covers for the permanent medical conditions sustained by the worker in the course of the injury. However, this doesn't really stop him from reporting to work. You may have to work with a workers comp lawyer as there are a lot of statutes that govern permanent disability. To ensure that you will be able to receive the right worker compensation insurance, you must talk to workers compensation attorneys right away. Your workers comp lawyer will be the one to deal with your worker compensation claims. A slight variation of the above disability insurance is the worker compensation insurance for permanent total disability. Before he can obtain this, though, the employee still needs to prove to his employee and his workers comp lawyer that he will never be able to report to work because of his medical condition. Your worker compensation claims may depend on a number of factors, including your age, training, education, and experience. These will be used to determine if you can no longer find a more suitable employment for your condition. Lastly, you have worker compensation insurance for mutilation or disfigurement. As the name implies, the worker compensation claims will be used for those who suffer form permanent scarring.

Why You Should Work with Workers Compensation Attorneys Your workers compensation attorneys from Madison Law Group are here to ensure that your rights as an employee are being protected. When you're in a workplace, you can still meet an accident. You need not only the time to recover but also financial assistance for your disability, whether temporary or permanent. Moreover, the worker compensation law is in accordance to the California law. We've met a lot of workers who are apprehensive with fighting for their rights. You should not be. They are required to provide worker compensation insurance to their employees. Workers compensation attorneys can also help you seek civil damages, along with your worker compensation benefits. There are times when the injuries are caused by the negligence or harmful acts of your co-workers or employers. You can claim your worker compensation damage by pursuing a civil case. With their expertise, legal background, and resourcefulness, your workers compensation attorneys in Madison Law Group can assist you in determining who's at fault and how much you can receive out of your worker compensation claim.

Q5. Describe the process involved in collective bargaining Ans: - Collective bargaining is the process of negotiation between unions and employers regarding the terms and conditions of employment of employees, and about the rights and responsibilities of trade unions. It is a process of rule making, leading to joint regulation. A collective bargaining process generally consists of four types of activities- distributive bargaining, integrative bargaining, attitudinal restructuring and intra-organizational bargaining. Distributive bargaining: It involves haggling over the distribution of surplus. Under it, the economic issues like wages, salaries and bonus are discussed. In distributive bargaining, one partys gain is another partys loss. This is most commonly explained in terms of a pie. Disputants can work together to make the pie bigger, so there is enough for both of them to have as much as they want, or they can focus on cutting the pie up, trying to get as much as they can for themselves. In general, distributive bargaining tends to be more competitive. This type of bargaining is also known as conjunctive bargaining. Integrative bargaining: This involves negotiation of an issue on which both the parties may gain, or at least neither party loses. For example, representatives of employer and employee sides may bargain over the better training programme or a better job evaluation method. Here, both the

parties are trying to make more of something. In general, it tends to be more cooperative than distributive bargaining. This type of bargaining is also known as cooperative bargaining. Attitudinal restructuring: This involves shaping and reshaping some attitudes like trust or distrust, friendliness or hostility between labor and management. When there is a backlog of bitterness between both the parties, attitudinal restructuring is required to maintain smooth and harmonious industrial relations. It develops a bargaining environment and creates trust and cooperation among the parties. Intra-organizational bargaining: It generally aims at resolving internal conflicts. This is a type of maneuvering to achieve consensus with the workers and management. Even within the union, there may be differences between groups. For example, skilled workers may feel that they are neglected or women workers may feel that their interests are not looked after properly. Within the management also, there may be differences. Trade unions maneuver to achieve consensus among the conflicting groups. Collective bargaining procedures and structures Collective bargaining in conducted at two levels:

sector or branch level, where so-called 'higher-level collective agreements' are concluded between representatives of the appropriate employers' and trade union organisations; and enterprise or organisation level, where collective agreements are concluded between local trade union organisations and the management of the enterprise or organisation.

Contents of bargaining The scope of sectoral or branch collective agreements scope is usually focused on the following main topics.

Cooperation and communication between the trade union organisation and the management. This covers matters such as: employers duties to consult, inform and decide in cooperation with the union; confidentiality clauses; and employers' support for trade union activities by providing them with technical facilities etc. Employment and working conditions. This covers matters such as: employment contracts and termination of employment; principles of redundancy policy in collective redundancies; working time and working time schedules; and holiday and paid leave. Wages and remuneration. This covers matters such as: the wage system and minimum wage tariffs; payment for working overtime and for working on holidays; extra payments for difficult and risky working conditions and night work; and severance payments in the event of collective redundancies. Occupational safety and health. This covers matters such as: employers' duties and cooperation with trade unions in safety and health issues; preventive and corrective

measures to improve working conditions and to reduce risk at work; and the establishment of trade union safety and health delegates in companies. Human resource development and other social issues. This covers matters such as: training and human resources development activities; and the creation and utilisation of the Social Fund in enterprises (the Social Fund is financed - under Act No. 152/1994 in the Collection of Laws, as amended - by a minimum levy of 0.6% of paybill, and is most commonly used to subsidise the cost of meals provided for employees). Resolution of conflicts between management and trade unions. This covers the procedures to be applied in the event of serious disagreements between the social partners,

Q.6.Expalin the role of Human Resource Information System (HRIS) in people management Ans:- The Human Resource Information System (HRIS) is a software or online solution for the data entry, data tracking, and data information needs of the Human Resources, payroll, management, and accounting functions within a business. Normally packaged as a data base, hundreds of companies sell some form of HRIS and every HRIS has different capabilities. Pick your HRIS carefully based on the capabilities you need in your company. Typically, the better The Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) provide overall:

Management of all employee information. Reporting and analysis of employee information. Company-related documents such as employee handbooks, emergency evacuation procedures, and safety guidelines. Benefits administration including enrollment, status changes, and personal information updating. Complete integration with payroll and other company financial software and accounting systems. Applicant tracking and resume management.

The HRIS that most effectively serves companies tracks:

attendance and PTO use, pay raises and history, pay grades and positions held, performance development plans, training received, disciplinary action received, personal employee information, and occasionally, management and key employee succession plans, high potential employee identification, and applicant tracking, interviewing, and selection.

An effective HRIS provides information on just about anything the company needs to track and analyze about employees, former employees, and applicants. Your company will need to select a Human Resources Information System and customize it to meet your needs. With an appropriate HRIS, Human Resources staff enables employees to do their own benefits updates and address changes, thus freeing HR staff for more strategic functions. Additionally, data necessary for employee management, knowledge development, career growth and development, and equal treatment is facilitated. Finally, managers can access the information they need to legally, ethically, and effectively support the success of their reporting employees.

Master of Business Administration-MBA Semester 3 MU0012 Employee Relations Management Assignment Set- 2 Q.1 Elucidate the importance of employee reward and also explain the various types of employee rewards.

Ans; - Many large companies today spend excessive amounts of money trying to make their employees more productive. However, investing money in the productivity of your employees is useless if the leaders do not understand how to recognize and reward those who are under them. In addition to money, most people love receiving large amounts of praise and recognition for their accomplishments. A good leader will make his followers feel important. They will seek to create environments where their followers are rewarded for their hard work and success. While the concept of rewards and recognition is not new, it is an indispensable tool for leaders who want to succeed. To be a great leader, you will need to inspire your followers. They should understand your principles and goals, and should be willing to follow them. You must build a strong bond with them, and the best leaders are those who will inpsire their followers to do more than they thought they were capable of. When you are a good leader, those that will follow you will be capable of achieving virtually anything. However, this will not happen if you do not make them feel valuable. It should be easy to see that monetary rewards are not enough. Many large companies spend millions of dollars each year trying to make their employees more productive, and many of these same companies have high employment turn over rates. The reason for this is because it is not enough to simply throw money at a problem in order to solve it. There is something more tangible that must be done. The first thing a good leader will want to do is pay attention to those that follow them. You will want to start by doing something as simple as greeting your employees when they come to work. Ask them how they feel. While this may sound like common sense, it is a good way to begin building a strong relationship, because it shows that you care about the well being of those beneath you. It is always important to listen to what your followers have to say. Even if you are a talented leader, it is important to remember that you are not omnipotent. Your followers may have thoughts and opinions that can be valuable for your organization and beliefs. A failure to listen to employees is one of the primary reasons why many businesses fail. If you fail to communicate, you will fail to succeed. A leader can't lead if they don't have someone to follow them. Listen to your followers and give them your full attention. It is also important for you to use positive language when speaking to those that follow you. Thank them for work they've done, and make it clear that you could not have succeeded without their help. When you speak to them in a language like this, it conveys a message to them that they are valuable. They will feel important, and will want to work hard to help you succeed. They will understand that your success is connect to their own success. But it isn't just enough to tell them how much you appreciate your work. You will want to show it. How do you do this? One way you can accomplish this is by writing it down. Giving a "thank you" card to your employee will make them feel valued. It is also important to make sure you fulfill any promises you make. For example, never schedule a meeting with an employee that you are not able to attend. If you promise to give an employee a pay raise, make sure it is done. Failing to make promises will show that you are a weak leader who does not stick to your commitments. If you don't stick to

your commitments, how can you expect your followers to stick to theirs? The only time you should not be able to fulfill a promise is a situation where you are physically or mentally incapable of doing it. Other than that, you should always fulfill your promises. When you reward your followers, you will create a positive domino effect. Other employees will witness the reward, and will naturally want the recognition for themselves. This will give them an incentive to work harder, which will benefit you and your organization. Types of Employee Rewards Whether advancement is based on seniority or merit, rewards for employees fall into three categories:

Financial Non-financial Psychological

It easy for us to understand financial rewards which include health and retirement benefits, pay raises, bonuses, paid vacation and sick days. But what non-financial and psychological rewards make a difference in the lives of the employee? Here are a few to consider:

Appreciation for employee's work by co-workers and management Receiving compliments for their work from others Little presents and recognition Job security Opportunity to learn new skills

Keep lines of communication open. This involves listening to employees but communication goes both ways. Managers should not only listen, but tell employees when they are doing a good job and are appreciated. Take the time to answer employee questions and even explain to an employee what needs to improve. Setting aside time to talk uninterrupted shows them that they are a necessary element in the workforce. When they walk out of your office, they'll know what's expected, what needs to improve and what they are doing right. Effective communication offers non-financial rewards that benefit both employer and employee. Employers must offer employee rewards that the company's employees find meaningful. Wellmanaged employee rewards programs have tangible affirmative effects on the employer's bottom line in several ways. Retention: One effect a good employee rewards program has is a positive impact on employee retention, as mentioned at Loyaltyworks.com. Health and Safety: Solid employee rewards programs also have measurable positive effects both on safety and workplace health, thus reducing overall health-care costs for both employee

and employer. Motivation: A crucial outcome of a good employee rewards program is enhanced motivation among personnel, including helping the employees to make connections between professional goals and personal goals, as described at Maritz.com. Engagement : A solid employee rewards program also increases employee engagement in the workplace, a factor that converts into improved performance and better customer experience. Return on Investment: Employee reward programs provide a concrete return on investment (ROI). Research has shown that employee recognition and rewards of a nonmonetary basis show a greater return on investment than do cash awards, according to Loyaltyworks.com. Bottom Line : Ultimately, from the employer's viewpoint, employee reward programs have a positive effect on the bottom line for reasons such as the positive effect on health care costs, performance, and workplace engagement.

Q.2 Explain what is Employee empowerment? What are the effects of employee empowerment? Ans:- Employee empowerment is a term used to express the ways in which non-managerial staff can make autonomous decisions without consulting a boss/manager. These self-willed decisions can be small or large depending upon the degree of power with which the company wishes to invest employees. Employee empowerment can begin with training and converting a whole company to an empowerment model. Conversely it may merely mean giving employees the ability to make some decisions on their own. There are employee empowerment workshops, books and articles. There is even a magazine called Empowerment that can help a company converting to employee driven decision-making. The thinking behind employee empowerment is that it gives power to the individual and thus makes for happier employees. By offering employees choice and participation on a more responsible level, the employees are more invested in their company, and view themselves as a representative of such. For employee empowerment to work successfully, the management team must be truly committed to allowing employees to make decisions. They may wish to define the scope of decisions made. Building decision-making teams is often one of the models used in employee empowerment, because it allows for managers and workers to contribute ideas toward directing the company. Autocratic managers, who are micromanagers, tend not to be able to utilize employee empowerment. These types of managers tend to oversee all aspects of others work, and usually

will not give up control. A manager dedicated to employee empowerment must be willing to give up control of some aspects of work production. When employees feel as though they have choice and can make direct decisions, this does often lead to a greater feeling of self-worth. In a model where power is closely tied to sense of self, having some power is a valuable thing. An employee who does not feel constantly watched and criticized is more likely to consider work as a positive environment, rather than a negative one. One easy way to begin employee empowerment in the workplace is to install a suggestion box, where workers can make suggestions without fear of punishment or retribution. However, simply placing a suggestion box somewhere is only the first step. Managers must then be willing to read and consider suggestions. They might provide a forum where questions or suggestions receive a response, like a weekly or monthly newsletter. In addition, managers can hold a once monthly meeting open to employees where all suggestions are addressed. At least some suggestions have to be approved in order for employees to feel that they are having some impact on their company. Failure to approve or implement any suggestions reinforces that all the power belongs to the managers and not the workers. Employee empowerment of any form can only work when managers are willing to be open to new ideas and strategies. If no such willingness exists, employee empowerment is likely to be non-existent. The Effects on the Differentiation Process of the Employee Empowerment In todays competitive work conditions, existence of a strong connection between the continuation of existence of company and the competences that provide the satisfaction to the customers, between gaining this competence and modern management philosophy and practices, this theory seems to be getting more obvious. Differentiation has become a vital competence that companies should possess in their competitive conditions. Employee empowerment is a philosophy and arrangement that will help companies gain this vital competence. Differentiation, is a risky process that provides changes or innovation in the process, outputs, product marketing and after sales service of company for the purpose of gaining/getting extra value which affect the customers priority for company and its products. In the light of this definition, principal points which should be emphasized related to differentiation are as follows:

Differentiation is a process which involves metamorphosing, changing and innovating. Differentiation is not a one time action but rather a process which is repeated systematically Differentiation is a process where with the way of taking into consideration the permanent and systematic risks/ and opportunities supporting the companies in getting harmony to changing environment and successful in the global competitive environment.

Differentiation is risky process; risk management based approach can be usefull to achieving aims by differantiation. The purpose of differentiation is to gain extra value that can affect the customers preferences to company and its products Differentiation is based on a communicative system where the internal and external dimensions of company work co-operatively. Differentiation is based on the philosophy of learning organization and on management philosophy that is supporting, developing and encouraging creativity

The following are mainly differentiation fields : a. Management philosophy : This is an area of differentiation of the managerial philosophy and application b. Input: All the raw material, semi finished goods, the inputs in the form of human resource qualifications are differentiation areas. c. Processes: All processes which are related to business management functions are areas of differentiation (The procurement of inputs, the processes that transforms these inputs into outputs, the marketing processes, the management process, human resources management process, etc.) d. Outputs: The outputs of all the process of company and the outputs in the form of goods or services presented to customers are differentiation subjects. The effect on the differentiation process of employee empowerment can be summarized as follows: The shortening of differentiation process: With empowerment, employees attain the power to take decisions related to their work directly. Hence changes that answer customers demand/need (the structure of products, packaging, condition of payment etc.,) are done directly in a short time by the employees doing the work.(Jhul et.al., 1997 : 103) Hence differentiation process to increase customers satisfaction gets shortened. 2. To create common responsibility philosophy in the differentiation: Employee empowerment, is giving authority to managing of self work to employees and thus to spread Deming Cycle of (planning, application, control, precaution) which is constituted of fundamental of Total Quality Management philosophy to lower organizational level. (Jhul et al., 1997 : 103 ; Prybuto & Kappelman; 1995 : 16). The taking over of the differentiation responsibility by every employee of company of their purpose of work, their inputs, the process, the results by continuously improving them; the differentiation of company is not limited to some units or individuals but rather a team work that spreads to the whole company and can be provided/done by a team concept and responsibility. 3. The multiplying of the differentiation choices: Employee empowerment is to benefit from all employees in company, as level of their authority in the work done by employees, gain from different competence and point of view to maximum. Thus, it can
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provide important richness in differentiation choices to many employees who have different competences and they are given opportunity to take role in the process of differentiation To constitute an available employee infrastructure to the differentiation process: In order to have employees empowerment there is a need for employee qualifications, such as being open to development, having the skill of critical thinking, having high self confidence. These qualifications constitute the infra structure of the employees available in the process of differentiation. Provision of Organizational Learning support: Empowerment at specialization dimension is empowerment dimension that the supportive and simplifying of using effective authority given to employees. Specialization of employee is expected by following news, scientific publications, meetings and researches relevant to work done continuously. The management also is to support, facilitation and encouragement for learning and self development efforts relevant to work of employees through different means, methods and opportunities. For example, the use of wage system based on skill, the use of self development, the following of the developments related to work, Self- development types of criteria for performance appraisal, supporting employees through participation in scientific meetings like seminars and conferences and so on. This learning system which works throughout the organization is a strategic element of differentiation process. The increasing of the creativity: In the empowerment, the working of the employees in meaningful, important jobs where they feel sufficient is a pre-condition. This application is an indispensable basic element of creativity that constitutes most important source to support differentiation. The increasing of Motivation and Work satisfaction: Empowerment provides an atmosphere where employees feel efficient and as owners of the work; serving a need for self-actualization and accomplishment of employees. This atmosphere increases employees self respect, work motivation and work satisfaction. (Robins et al., 2002: 442; Jhul et al., 1997: 103; Chu, 2003: 507). By being in the management of work, employees would have high job satisfaction, which will eventually facilitate making changes that will increase customers satisfaction

Q.3 Write notes on: a.Payment of Wages Act 1936 b.Employee State Insurance Act 1948 Ans;- Payment of Wages Act, 1936: The Payment of Wages Act was passed in the year 1936 for a certain class of persons employed in the industries. It is meant only for certain classes of employees. This act was passed because of the reasons of injustice done to the employers in the way o

1. Wrongful Deductions. 2. Untimely Wages. 3. Unreasonable Deductions. 4. Payment of Wages in Kind. or any other problem associated with the Payment of Wages. This act also provides for the remedies available to employees in such cases. This act states in what form the employee should be remunerated and also that he should be paid at regularly intervals. Applicability:
According to Sec. 1 of the Payment of Wages Act, 1936 its applicability is: 1. It is applicable to the whole of India. 2. It is applied on any person employed in a factory OR employed in any railway by a railway administration, including the persons employed directly or through a sub-contractor by a person having a contract with the railway administration. 3. The state Government may apply the provisions of this act to the persons employed in any Industrial or other establishment by giving a 3 months notice. 4. In case of Industrial establishment owned by central government, with objectives not confined to one state, such notification can be issued in consultation with the Central Government. 5. In various shops, this Act has been extended to shops and establishments also.

Non-Applicability:According to Sec. 1(6) of the Payment of Wages Act, 1936 as this act is meant for the benefit of Industrial employees not getting high wages, therefore this Act does not apply to persons whose wages exceed Rs. 1600 per month. This act does not make any distinction between employees with reference to nature of work carried on by them. Wages:According to Sec. 2(vi) wages can be defined as, Wages means all remuneration (whether by way of salary, allowance or otherwise) expressed in terms of money or capable of being do expressed which would if the terms of

employment, express or implied were fulfilled be payable to a person employed in respect of his employment or of work done in such employment. Rules Relating to Payment of Wages:1. Responsibility for Payment of Wages (Sec. 3). 2. Fixation of wages periods and time of payment of wages (Sec. 4 & 5). 3. Mode of payment of wages (Sec. 6). 4. Deductions which may be made from wages (Sec. 7). 5. Deductions for absence from duty (Sec. 9). 6. Deductions for damage or loss (Sec. 10). 7. Deductions for services rendered {Sec. 11 & 7(2)}. 8. Deductions for recovery of advances (Sec. 12). 9. Deductions for recovery of loans (Sec. 12-A). 10. Deductions for payments to co-operative society and insurance schemes {Sec. 13 & 7(2)}. 11. imit on deduction {Sec. 7(3)}.

aintained regarding: Work performed by employee. Wages paid to them. Deductions from their wages. Receipts given by them. (According to Sec. 13-A). Their must be in the form prescribed. They shall be preserved for 3 years from the last date of entry. Finding:

The industry we visited was the Chandrika firm

It was an S-S-1 producing looms it had about 500 workers working among whom about 70% were unskilled and illiterate and only about 30% were skilled. There workers were paid wages in the range of 3000-6000 They were paid on the monthly basis and the payments are strictly in cash. These workers are given or paid the expenses for housing i.e. rent they get loans during Emergencies These loans are to be returned back within a maximum period of one year They are provided with all the basic amenities required like fresh dinking water etc The workers are provided with a very friendly atmosphere to working. As the worke Completes 90days he is subject to ok bonus and on completion of 1 year they are also given extra service.

Following is the process used to produce there product.

b.Employee State Insurance Act 1948 The Employees' State Insurance Act, 1948 (ESI Act) provides for health care and cash benefit payments in the case of sickness, maternity and employment injury. The Act applies to all nonseasonal factories run with power and employing 10 or more persons and to those factories which run without power and employing 20 or more persons. The appropriate Government may after notification in the Official Gazette, extend the provision of the Act to any other establishment or class of establishments, industrial, commercial, agriculture or otherwise. Under the Act, cash benefits are administered by the Central Government through the Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), whereas the State Governments and Union Territory Administrations are administering medical care. The Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) is the premier social security organization in the country. It is the highest policy making and decision taking authority under the ESI Act and oversees the functioning of the ESI Scheme under the Act. The corporation comprises members representing Central and State Governments, employers, employees, Parliament and the medical profession. Union Minister of Labour functions as the Chairman of the Corporation. A Standing Committee constituted from among the members of the Corporation acts as the Executive Body for the administration of the Scheme. The basic provisions of the Act are :-

Every factory or establishment to which this Act applies shall be registered within such time and in such manner as may be specified in the regulations made in this behalf.

It provided for an integrated need based social insurance scheme that would protect the interest of workers in contingencies such as sickness, maternity, temporary or permanent physical disablement, death due to employment injury resulting in loss of wages or earning capacity.

It also provided for six social security benefits:

Medical Benefit

Sickness Benefit (SB)

Maternity Benefit (MB)

Disablement Benefit

Dependants' Benefit(DB)

Funeral Expenses

The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, establish a Corporation to be known as the 'Employees' State Insurance Corporation' for the administration of the scheme of Employees' State Insurance in accordance with the provisions of the Act.

The Corporation may, in addition to the scheme of benefits specified in this Act, promote measures for the improvement of the health and welfare of insured persons and for the rehabilitation and re-employment of insured persons who have been disabled or injured and may incur in respect of such measures expenditure from the funds of the Corporation within such limits as may be prescribed by the Central Government.

The contribution payable under this Act in respect of an employee shall comprise contribution payable by the employer and contribution payable by the employee and shall be paid to the Corporation. The contributions shall be paid at such rates as may be prescribed by the Central Government.

All contributions paid under this act and all other moneys received on behalf of the Corporation shall be paid into a fund called the 'Employees' State Insurance Fund' which shall be held and administered by the Corporation for the purposes of this Act.

Whoever, for the purpose of causing any increase in payment or benefit under this Act, or for the purpose of causing any payment or benefit to be made where no payment or benefit is authorised by or under this Act, or for the purpose of avoiding any payment to be made by himself under this Act or enabling any other person to avoid any such payment, knowingly makes or causes to be made any false statement or false representation, shall be punishable with imprisonment or with fine or with both.

If the person committing an offence under this Act is a company, every person, who at the time the offence was committed was in charge of, and was responsible to, the company for the conduct of the business of the company, as well as the company, shall be deemed to be guilty of the offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly.

Q.4 Texas is a U.S. based multinational company. Now it is planning to enter emerging Asian market. Being an international player what are the various challenges Texas might face in managing international employees. Ans:-

U.S. companies continue to expand globally, benefits programs for their international workforce grow in importance. Global benefits executives face a range of challenges including delivering benefits in diverse environments and cultures, offering competitive benefits programs to help retain employees, controlling costs and streamlining administration. Todays economic
Texas is

conditions pose additional challenges and make it more important than ever that benefits programs are leveraged as effectively as possible to meet business objectives. Through qualitative and quantitative research, this paper examines the key global benefits challenges facing multinational employers and provides recommendations and action plans to help meet their benefits needs. Challenges include: Developing a global benefits strategy while providing benefits that meet the varied needs of multinational employees. Creating a competitive benefits program to help attract and retain talent. Finding cost-effective ways to attain and administer multinational benefits. Building recognition for the value that global benefits management brings to a company.

Challenge 1 Developing a global benefits strategy while providing benefits that meet the varied needs of multinational employees Multinational business is the key to the future for many companies and is often a main opportunity for growth. In some cases, the size of their multinational employee base equals or eclipses that of their U.S. employee population. Most of the benefits executives interviewed experienced their share of benefits challenges as they expanded globally, either through establishing new offices or acquisition. Many want to ensure their employee benefits programs run smoothly and efficiently and are compliant with current government regulation. Many recognize the need for flexibility and how government mandates and cultural factors can shape local benefits programs and employee expectations around benefits: Action Planning for Employers: Understand your current benefits programs Research your current domestic and international programs. Make reviewing your plans a continuous process and not a reactive exercise. Define what will drive your global benefits strategy and be sure it can be clearly articulated Include all individuals within your organization that are involved in global benefits and financial decisions and ensure you have their commitment. Establish a management structure Clearly define roles and responsibilities at both headquarter and subsidiary levels. Make sure your strategy provides employees with a framework for understanding management decisions affecting benefits. Communicate, execute and monitor Educate all employees across the organization around the details of the new strategy. Execute and monitor the effectiveness of your strategy. Fine-tune your strategy Remember your strategy should be flexible; there is always room for improvement. Feel comfortable modifying your strategy based on best practices or lessons learned.

Challenge 2

Creating a competitive benefits program to help attract and retain talent: The benefits executives interviewed gauge the competitiveness of their local benefits the same way they do in the U.S: by comparing their compensation and benefits packages offered in each country to those of their competitors, as well as to those offered by other local and global employers who hire the same type of talent. Most benefits executives interviewed aim to offer benefits that are in line with market standards. They want to ensure that the total compensation and benefits they offer stay within their target zone for a given country and talent segment. Employers are seeking ways to structure compensation and benefits that are fair and flexible enough to accommodate the unpredictable multinational career paths their employees may follow. Employers who set their multinational benchmarking goals well above the median or strive to be a global employer of choice, do so for one or more of these reasons: They have a global image to uphold. They fall under the magnifying glass of regulatory or public scrutiny, or their businesses (life-saving medical products or technologies, for example) depend on high levels of public trust. They face extraordinary competitive challenges. A healthcare company that is a late entrant to several key international markets says it must aim above the median to attract and retain top sales talent, in order to compete with its long-established, well-known competitors. They rely on talent with special skill sets (engineers, healthcare specialists, etc.). They cannot risk talent shortages and want their employees lives to be secure and comfortable enough that they can work comfortably and productively. They compete in areas where multinational competition can be intense and turnover rapid. Comments from the executive interviews also suggest that hiring competition is likely to be more intense in low-cost high-competition regions. The 7th annual MetLife Study of Employee Benefits Trends found that multinational employers anticipate greater competition for talent over the near-term: Action Planning for Employers: Work with your local subsidiaries to obtain country specific benefits information. This data will help educate you on what benefits employees value at the local level. Research the benefits offerings of your direct competitors to help ensure your package meets or exceeds market standards. Think more broadly on how to obtain data by leveraging networks, consultants and associations.

Challenge 3 Finding cost-effective ways to attain and administer multinational benefits Even for U.S.-based companies that have operated multinationally for years, global benefits are often treated as an add-on responsibility of existing human resources teams until that structure becomes unworkable due to sheer growth, or until problems emerge that reveal the need for greater global benefits planning and administrative expertise. Employers interviewed shared examples of the growing pains experienced by their companies when demands for multinational benefits exceeded their internal expertise or managerial bandwidth: There are a number of financial benefits including where you get a dividend. But putting the financial aspect on the side, what I like about it, especially if youre in a large multinational organization, is having not only consistency, but having the data available at your fingertips from the provider that youre working with. Action Planning for Employers: Continue to further your relationships with your global benefits counterparts. Work with them to obtain data around local government regulations and trends that will help you improve you global benefits program. Consider leveraging brokers, consultants, TPAs and other resources for ideas about ultinational benefits and outsourcing. Become more familiar with your current global benefits programs to see where multinational pooling can benefit your overall strategy. Engage your broker or benefits consultant to begin an RFP process with global benefits networks to determine the best provider for a pooling solution. Periodically refresh the RFP process to ensure these networks are providing the best possible solution and partnership. Constantly evaluate and continue to grow your pool by recruiting more subsidiaries. This will help further streamline administration and possibly increase your potential dividend. Challenge 4 Building recognition for the value that global benefits management brings to a company Global benefits decision-makers believe they bring great value to their companies by finding efficiencies, keeping actionable information and insights flowing between local and global decision-makers and helping employees understand and appreciate the value of their benefits. Many know that upper management recognizes the value that global benefits management can bring to solving problems and finding efficiencies, Action Planning for Employers: Focus on the importance of a central unit for overseeing benefits programs across all locations. This will help develop a clearer picture of what is working and where there are areas for improvement. Communicate how centralized global benefits management is facilitating the birth of innovative ideas across borders.

 Highlight the importance of having one central team to access data for multiple countries (current trends, government mandates, etc). Discuss how adding multinational pooling and different global benefits techniques can benefit your company and improve your benefits strategy. Quantify the cost savings that can be achieved. While business across borders is a norm, a global approach to multinational benefits is only recently coming into focus as an issue deserving increased attention. Developing a global benefits strategy is a critical step in moving beyond the piecemeal methods that have largely characterized multinational benefits in the past. Once in place, key to deploying a strategy will be continuously gathering current information about government-mandated benefits and benefits offered by local and regional competitors. During these challenging economic times, effective management processes will be required to leverage internal staffs and benefits solutions more efficiently. Companies that implement a global benefits strategy may see results on many levels: more effective administrative controls and information flows; employee retention in an increasingly competitive world economy; economies of scale through multinational pooling; and a competitive advantage through local and global recognition as a desirable employer. Q.5 Conflict Management is a skill that helps in resolving, employee relation issues more efficiently; in the light of the statement suggest few measures for effective conflict management. Ans: - Conflict when properly managed, is a positive source of competitiveness and collaboration in a workplace. On the other hand, when unmanaged, conflict can create division, low morale, and chaos in the same environment. Executives and managers must learn to identify constructive conflict and manage it effectively. Conversely, leadership must identify negative conflict and deal with it decisively and completely. For leaders to manage conflict effectively, they must understand all aspects of it. Identifying the causes and exploring the effects of conflict is critical. Fortunately, managers can adopt strategies for minimizing conflict and learn useful ways to arrive at solutions by observing conflict management practices in successful corporations. Understanding and identifying the sources of conflict as well as positive and negative aspects of conflict is the first step to good leadership. Causes of Conflict in the Workplace All managers and executives at some time have had to deal with conflict. The way that each one handles discord is a determining factor of success. Initially, he or she must communicate to gain a clear understanding of what is actually causing the conflict. Rebecca Hastings explains the need for communication in the workplace in Conflict Management Contributes to Communication. Hastings states that most conflicts stem from poor communication in which one party misinterprets the words or actions of another party. She notes that communication problems are particularly exaggerated when departments are competing for resources or when

they have unique subcultures. A critical step in solving conflict is for managers to understand that communication is one of its roots (Hastings). With that in mind, Hastings addresses some of the key issues that can trigger conflict. Different work method Employees often have the same goal but different approaches for achieving it. Neither employees approach may be incorrect, nor may one approach be less productive than the other may. As Hastings notes, the ownership of the approach, or idea, is what gives each employee pride. When approaches collide, a simple step toward resolution is for managers to encourage employees to develop more fully their approaches. Next, managers should ask employees to propose their respective plans and review them as a group. According to Hastings, employees will find that often a combination of the approaches is actually the best solution. Different goal Often in organizations, separate business units may drive towards different goals. For example, the goal of a security controls department is to ensure the security of the corporation and its customers. This goal often affects performance and work output to other business units, such as one that focuses on generating revenue. As an executive or manager, it is imperative that goals be set at the corporate level and fully communicated to all areas of business. Jeff Weiss and Jonathan Hughes write, One of the most effective ways senior managers can help resolve crossunit conflict is by giving people the criteria for making trade-offs when the needs of different parts of the business are at odds with one another (96). Therefore, if executives and managers communicate goals and criteria effectively, two things will happen in this scenario. First, business units will understand the basic role and importance of security. Second, security will understand how corporate decisions impact revenue. Clearly, management can overcome differences in goals through effective communication Personalities Differences between employees and managers personalities often are a source of issues. People are sometimes annoyed by one another simply because of their looks or actions. A persons inherent biases are often contributing factors. Because everyone has biased opinions, management should not expend resources attempting to change them. However, avoiding personality conflicts altogether can significantly affect productivity. When two team members dont get along, they tend to exert a bare minimum of effort on one anothers behalf. This has a negative effect on your project, as well as on team morale (Robinson). As a result, effective leaders must understand employee biases and personality differences and partner teams and individuals to maximize productivity. Stress Stress is a huge motivator of conflict. Every employee has a breaking point, and every employee will reach his or her breaking point at some time or another. On a good day, employees can let issues and differences roll off their backs. However, as stress from home and

work deadlines collide, often tempers will flare. When increased stress levels are combined with time pressures, good people reach the limits of composure and civil behavior, writes Anna Maravelas (23). With that in mind, leaders must learn to recognize the warning signs of stress in each employee and attempt to alleviate it. Offering employees something as simple as a break or, in more severe cases, an afternoon off can go a long way toward relieving work-related stress. Different viewpoints or perspectives Individual perspectives are what give a business environment its edge. In fact, clashes between parties are the crucibles in which creative solutions are developed, write Weiss and Hughes (97). As a result, employers are looking for diversity in people in order to ensure different perspectives are considered. Leaders in this situation must carefully and clearly listen to and understand the different perspectives. This one area can be the trickiest for managers. Since managers also have perspectives, often perspectives different from their own are misunderstood or pushed aside. Managers and leaders must remember that at least some of their employees will likely have different perspective Effects of Conflict in the Workplace In addition to understanding the causes of conflict, managers need to understand its effects. The effects of conflict in the workplace are often wide reaching and consuming. Further, they can be useful and beneficial or destructive and damaging. Effective leaders must differentiate between conflict that will boost productivity and build stronger teams and conflict that will decrease output and hinder teamwork. Clearly, managers must resolve conflict and channel it into positive competition and collaboration One of the most damaging effects of workplace conflict is the personal toll it takes on employees. Research clearly shows that employees routinely take their work home with them. A recent poll at Williams Energy asked 75 employees, How often do you bring work home with you? Interestingly, 58% responded that they bring work home with them weekly, 11% bring work home only monthly, and 10% bring work home daily. In addition, 21% respondents said that they never bring work home with them. When the poll asked the same 75 people how often conflict and stress at home causes them to lose sleep or feel anxiety, 91% responded, Often, at least weekly. The results of these two polls clearly show that employees take their work home with them a significant amount of time. While taking work home has a damaging effect on employees, ineffectively managed conflict also affects employees personally through: Anxiety Loss of sleep Lowered morale Decreased job satisfaction

In addition to taking a personal toll on employees, conflict also has adverse effects on the workplace. Consider these benefits of managed conflict compared to the damage resulting from out of control conflict: Managed Conflict Strengthens relationships and builds teamwork Encourages open communication and cooperative problem-solving Resolves disagreements quickly and increases productivity Deals with real issues and concentrates on win-win resolution Makes allies and diffuses anger Airs all sides of an issue in a positive, supportive environment Calms and focuses toward results Creates enemies and hard feelings Is frustrating, stress producing and energy draining Is often loud, hostile and chaotic Out of Control Conflict Damages relationships and discourages cooperation Results in defensiveness and hidden agendas Wastes time, money and human resources Focuses on fault-finding and blaming

The importance of managing conflict is evident. Reducing the negative effects and increasing the positive impacts is critical in a balanced workplace. Leaders must skirt the fine line of reducing conflict and allow conflict to foster good results. Clearly, leadership must manage some conflict to reduce its impact while allowing some conflict to remain unmanaged in order to increase overall results.

Q. 6 Describe the disciplinary procedure commonly followed in Organisations. Ans; - disciplinary procedures
Purpose and scope This procedure is designed to help and encourage all employees to achieve and maintain standards of conduct, attendance and job performance. The company rules (a copy of which is displayed in the ffice) and this procedure apply to all employees. The aim is to ensure consistent and fair treatment for all in the organisation. Principles

Counselling will be offered, where appropriate, to resolve problems.

No disciplinary action will be taken against an employee until the case has been fully investigated. At every stage in the procedure the employee will be advised of the nature of the complaint against him or her and will be given the opportunity to state his or her case before any decision is made. At all stages of the procedure the employee will have the right to be accompanied by a trade union representative, or work colleague. No employee will be dismissed for a first breach of discipline except in the case of gross misconduct, when the penalty will be dismissal without notice or payment in lieu of notice. An employee will have the right to appeal against any discipline imposed. The procedure may be implemented at any stage if the employee's alleged misconduct warrants such action. The minimum three-step statutory procedures will be followed if an employee faces dismissal or certain kinds of action short of dismissal The Procedure Stage 1 - improvement note: unsatisfactory performance If performance does not meet acceptable standards the employee will normally be given an improvement note. This will set out the performance problem, the improvement that is required, the timescale and any help that may be given. The individual will be advised that it constitutes the first stage of the formal procedure. A record of the improvement note will be kept for ... months, but will then be considered spent - subject to achievement and sustainment of satisfactory performance. Stage 1 - first warning: misconduct If the conduct does not meet acceptable standards the employee will normally be given a written warning. This will set out the nature of the misconduct and the change in behaviour required. The warning should also inform the employee that a final written warning may be considered if there is no sustained satisfactory improvement or change. A record of the warning should be kept, but it should be disregarded for disciplinary purposes after a specified period (eg, six months).

Stage 2: final written warning If the offence is sufficiently serious, or there is a failure to improve during the currency of a prior warning for the same type of offence, a final written warning may be given to the employee. This will give details of the complaint, the improvement required and the timescale. It will also warn that failure to improve may lead to action under Stage 3 (dismissal or some other action short of dismissal), and will refer to the right of appeal. A copy of this written warning will be kept by the supervisor but will be disregarded for disciplinary purposes after ... months subject to achievement and sustainment of satisfactory conduct or performance. Stage 3 - dismissal or other sanction If there is still a failure to improve the final step in the procedure may be dismissal or some other action short of dismissal such as demotion or disciplinary suspension or transfer (as allowed in the contract of employment). Dismissal decisions can only be taken by the appropriate senior manager, and the employee will be provided, as soon as reasonably practicable, with written reasons for dismissal, the date on which the employment will terminate, and the right of appeal. The decision to dismiss will be confirmed in writing. If some sanction short of dismissal is imposed, the employee will receive details of the complaint, will be warned that dismissal could result if there is no satisfactory improvement, and will be advised of the right of appeal. A copy of the written warning will be kept by the supervisor but will be disregarded for disciplinary purposes after ... months subject to achievement and sustainment of satisfactory conduct or performance. Statutory discipline and dismissal procedure If an employee faces dismissal - or certain action short of dismissal such as loss of pay or demotion - the minimum statutory procedure will be followed. This involves: - step one: a written note to the employee setting out the allegation and the basis for it - step two: a meeting to consider and discuss the allegation - step three: a right of appeal including an appeal meeting. The employee will be reminded of their right to be accompanied. Gross misconduct The following list provides examples of offences which are normally regarded as gross misconduct: 1 theft, fraud, deliberate falsification of records 2 fighting, assault on another person 3 deliberate damage to organisational property

4 serious incapability through alcohol or being under the influence of illegal drugs 5 serious negligence which causes unacceptable loss, damage or injury 6 serious act of insubordination 7 unauthorised entry to computer records. If you are accused of an act of gross misconduct, you may be suspended from work on full pay, normally for no more than five working days, while the alleged offence is investigated. If, on completion of the investigation and the full disciplinary procedure, the organisation is satisfied that gross misconduct has occurred, the result will normally be summary dismissal without notice or payment in lieu of notice. Appeals An employee who wishes to appeal against a disciplinary decision must do so within five working days. The senior manager will hear all appeals and his/her decision is final. At the appeal any disciplinary penalty imposed will be reviewed.