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DevelopingDeveloping

EmployeeEmployee

RelationsRelations

Chapter 13Chapter 13

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• Outline how good employee relations and Outline how good employee relations and communications can contribute to business goalscommunications can contribute to business goals

• Describe the three types of programs used to facilitate Describe the three types of programs used to facilitate employee communicationsemployee communications

• Explain the various appeals procedures through which Explain the various appeals procedures through which employees can challenge management actionsemployees can challenge management actions

• Gain an awareness of how employee assistance Gain an awareness of how employee assistance programs can help employees deal with personal programs can help employees deal with personal problems that may interfere with job performanceproblems that may interfere with job performance

• Summarize the technological innovations that allow Summarize the technological innovations that allow managers to disseminate information quickly and explain managers to disseminate information quickly and explain how information dissemination influences an how information dissemination influences an organization’s employee relationsorganization’s employee relations

Chapter 13 OverviewChapter 13 Overview

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• In this chapter we explore how managers In this chapter we explore how managers and employee relations specialists can and employee relations specialists can work together to coordinate an employee work together to coordinate an employee relations program. Next, we present a relations program. Next, we present a model of communication and explore model of communication and explore specific policies that give employees specific policies that give employees access to important information. Finally, access to important information. Finally, we examine some programs for we examine some programs for recognizing employees’ individual and recognizing employees’ individual and team contributions to company goals.team contributions to company goals.

The Management PerspectiveThe Management Perspective

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• And the employee relations specialist…And the employee relations specialist…• Employee relations representativesEmployee relations representatives – A member – A member

of the HR department who ensures that of the HR department who ensures that company policies are followed and consults with company policies are followed and consults with both supervisors and employees on specific both supervisors and employees on specific employee relations problems.employee relations problems.

• Employee relations policyEmployee relations policy – A policy designed to – A policy designed to communicate management’s thinking and communicate management’s thinking and practices concerning employee-related matters practices concerning employee-related matters and prevent problems in the workplace from and prevent problems in the workplace from becoming serious.becoming serious.

The Roles of the ManagerThe Roles of the Manager

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Developing Employee Developing Employee CommunicationsCommunications

• Types of Types of Information: Facts Information: Facts and Feelingsand Feelings

• How How Communication Communication Works: Downward Works: Downward and Upward and Upward CommunicationCommunication

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The Communications ProcessThe Communications Process

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Information Dissemination ProgramsInformation Dissemination Programs• Knowledge workersKnowledge workers• The employee handbookThe employee handbook• Written communications: memos, Written communications: memos,

financial statements, newsletters, and financial statements, newsletters, and bulletin boardsbulletin boards

• Audiovisual communications: Audiovisual communications: teleconferencingteleconferencing

Encouraging Effective Encouraging Effective CommunicationCommunication

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• Voice mail (e-mail)Voice mail (e-mail)

• Limit message capacityLimit message capacity

• Do not leave people in limboDo not leave people in limbo

• Do not allow voice mail to be used as a Do not allow voice mail to be used as a crutchcrutch

• Make sure everyone understands the Make sure everyone understands the systemsystem

• Respect the callerRespect the caller

Encouraging Effective Encouraging Effective CommunicationCommunication

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A Question of Ethics - A Question of Ethics -

• Should companies have the right to Should companies have the right to read and monitor their employees’ read and monitor their employees’ e-mail?e-mail?

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Electronic CommunicationsElectronic Communications

• Multimedia Multimedia technologytechnology

• MeetingsMeetings

• RetreatsRetreats

• Informal Informal communicationscommunications

• MBWAMBWA

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Employee Feedback ProgramsEmployee Feedback Programs

• Employee attitude Employee attitude surveyssurveys

• Appeals procedureAppeals procedure

• Employee Employee Assistance Assistance Programs (EAPs)Programs (EAPs)

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International Comparisons of International Comparisons of Employee SatisfactionEmployee Satisfaction

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• INSERT: Figure 13.8 (see 13-21B)

An Employee Assistance An Employee Assistance ProgramProgram

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• Focus on specific behaviorsFocus on specific behaviors

• Keep the feedback impersonalKeep the feedback impersonal

• Give the feedback at the appropriate time Give the feedback at the appropriate time and placeand place

• Focus negative feedback on behaviors Focus negative feedback on behaviors that can be controlled by the employeethat can be controlled by the employee

How to Communicate Useful How to Communicate Useful Feedback to EmployeesFeedback to Employees

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Employee Recognition ProgramsEmployee Recognition Programs

• Suggestion Suggestion SystemsSystems

• Recognition Recognition AwardsAwards

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• The roles of the manager and the The roles of the manager and the employee relations specialistsemployee relations specialists

• Developing employee Developing employee communicationscommunications

• Facilitating effective communicationsFacilitating effective communications

• Employee recognition programsEmployee recognition programs

Summary and ConclusionsSummary and Conclusions