I.

EMPLOYEES RELATIONS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE ORGANIZATION

1. The approach to and effectiveness of employee relations and employee
engagement
a. Definition of employee relations and its effects

The management of the employment relationship as well as the psychological contract is the
focus of employee relations. Employers' techniques and methods for dealing with employees,
whether collectively through trade unions or individually, are referred to as approaches and
methods. Giving employees a voice and improving communication between them and
management are examples of this.[ CITATION Arm14 \l 1033 ]

Employee relations encompass a broader range of issues than industrial relations, which are
primarily concerned with interactions between management and trade union representatives
and officials, including collective bargaining, collective bargaining agreements, and dispute
resolution. In the manner in which workers relate to their employers, this broader definition
reflects the shift away from collectivism and toward individuality. [ CITATION Arm14 \l 1033 ]

Furthermore, Armstrong and Taylor (2014) also stated that employee relations are based on
the pay–work bargain, which is an agreement between employers and employees in which the
former agrees to pay for the work done by the latter. Many companies, according to this
theory, merely want employees who will do what they're told without spending too much. They
want to be able to participate and commit on their own terms. They desire job stability,
excellent working conditions, a healthy and safe workplace, and the ability to air and address
concerns. On these topics, there might be conflicts of interest between employers and
employees, and when there are unions, these conflicts are handled through different industrial
relations procedures. As a result, employee interactions must be handled in accordance with
policies and strategies that are well-understood and communicated.

According to Abbott Laboratories Sustainability Report 2019, the company is dedicated to

creating an environment that is welcoming to people of all races, genders, ages, sexual
orientations, disabilities, and nationalities. Abbott establishes nine employee networks that
play a critical role in fostering an inclusive culture across the company. They engage with our
Diversity and Inclusion team to help their more than 8,500 members from minority and other
potentially disadvantaged groups get more exposure and opportunities. An Abbott corporate
officer acts as an executive sponsor for each of these networks, assisting in the alignment of
their goals with Abbott's commercial goals.

The nine networks include:

• Advancing Professionals Network (APN)

• Asian Leadership and Cultural Network (ALCN)

• Black Business Network (BBN)

• Flex Network (employees with part-time and flexible schedules)

• LA VOICE Network (supporting Hispanic and Latino employees)

• PRIDE (supporting LGBTQ employees)

• Veterans Network

• Women Leaders of Abbott (WLA)

• Women in STEM

These employee networks offer support, help in professional advancement, and contribute to
personal growth in the workplace. They provide a positive environment and assist in bringing
people together. It allows every employee to engage with their coworkers outside of work on
subjects and concerns that are important to them, and it provides specialized groups a voice.
Furthermore, through these networks, employees in Abbott can express their feelings or ideas
about a topic that are related to the company, their working environment or even what might
affect their future at the company[ CITATION Abb20 \l 1033 ]. With the attempt to listen to
employees’ ideas as much as possible, Abbott is showing that they are creating one of the best
working environment in the world.

Furthermore, Abbott is trying to improve employee-manager experience by many interesting

updates. According to Jayakumar, Abbott India has added one of its most recent features,
SMART HR, a smart chatbot via which employees may provide feedback and candid opinions to
the human resources team and company executives. Jayakumar quoted Deepshikha Mukerji,
Regional Human Resources Director at Abbott India, "The main theme of our employee connect
programmes is 'Your Voice Counts'. We have also launched a 'career connect' initiative for
employees to grow up the ladder."

b. How employee relations influences on recruitment, selection and retention

Employee relations have a humongous effect on workers’s decisions of recruitment, selection

and retention. Below are some of the factors that can be taken into account when it comes to
employee relations

 Values:

Employees that have similar values have a better chance of assimilating into a company.
Workplace values that are similar may lead to greater retention rates since employees can
relate to one another. Describe the company's and employees' fundamental values while
interviewing. Work ethic, competence, professional responsibility, and integrity are some of the
values highlighted. Outlining expectations throughout the recruiting process will enhance
employee relations once you've hired someone since expectations will be clear from the
start[CITATION Vog19 \l 1033 ].

 Competence:

If the workers' levels of competence are dramatically different, it may be more difficult for
them to operate together. Hiring individuals with similar creativity, learning curves, and
potential may improve retention rates, since relationships between employees with matching
talents and abilities may be less strained. This will allow for a more productive and efficient
work environment in which one or two workers do not pick up the slack for team members who
are underperforming[CITATION Vog19 \l 1033 ].

 Appreciation

Employees who are acknowledged have a good impact on corporate relations. Because
employees are "most happy when they perceive assistance," this can influence the kind of
applicants you can recruit for new roles and the level of workers you keep across your
company. Greater compensation, public acknowledgement of a job well done, or increased
assistance and the proper tools to help staff do a better job are all ways to show your
appreciation for your employees[CITATION Vog19 \l 1033 ].

 Appropriate Instruction

Managers that head various teams in your organization may exist, depending on the structure
of your organisation. Employee perceptions of their bosses, positions, and responsibilities in
your business may be influenced by poor management training, which can have a detrimental
impact on your retention rates. Employees speaking with potential candidates about the work
environment might also have a detrimental impact on recruitment. It is advised that you
communicate your expectations to your managers and provide them with the tools they need
to fulfill assignments. Also, meet with your supervisors on a regular basis to discuss difficulties
or concerns that certain teams are experiencing, as well as potential solutions [CITATION Vog19 \l
1033 ].

Abbott’s Recruitment

Abbott applies both internal and external recruiting method. By using multiple ways to employ
new workers, Abbott wants to attract as many talents as possible to work for the firm, as long
as to create competitiveness with other rivals in the labor market.

- Internal recruiting method is used in Abbott through internal employees’

recommendation and former candidates, whose data and CVs are stored in the
company’s database and always available for change and update. Though maintaining a
 lower price compared to external recruitment, internal one has the drawbacks of lacking
various recruiting sources.
- In Abbott, external employees are employed through many sources, such as internship
programs, universities, recruitment agencies, job advertisements, company official
website and so on. This method gives the company more options to choose, as long as
an amount of new ideas for the company to develop. However, its disadvantages are
employees through this method will be lack of knowledge of Abbott, and it somehow
creates more costs for the firm, as money has to be allocated in agencies.

Abbott’s Selection

The process of selection for Abbott depends on the position you applied for, but usually
contains three parts. First round is Preliminary Interview with HireVue. Not many employees go
through this round, but some candidates still report that they go through an small talk before
interviewing with Abbott. Second is phone interview, where candiadates are asked about their
background, experience, and knowledge of Abbott Laboratories. Finally, if you make it through
the last two rounds, in-person interview will be the final challenge. This will be the place you
show Abbott if you have what it takes to be a part of Abbott[ CITATION Abb19 \l 1033 ].

On one of the company's blogs, Abbott recruiters disclose the fundamental traits shared by
successful applicants. They claim that deciding whether or not to pursue a career at Abbott
boils down to two fundamental questions: Are you the perfect person for Abbott? Is Abbott the
perfect fit for you? Making the most of the business interview is one of the greatest methods to
discover whether a position is a mutual match. The importance of preparation cannot be
overstated. Candidates may be cool and confident and offer interviewers a realistic impression
of what it's like to work with them if they think about probable questions and rehearse replies
that illustrate their talents ahead of time[CITATION Abb19 \l 1033 ].

c) Practices for building and improving employee relations and engagement and their effects
on recruitment and selection at Abbott
Abbott takes a comprehensive approach to employee happiness. Many of the company's
initiatives encourage work-life balance and promote excellent health, and many of them are
open to employees' family members. The company also pays special attention to the mental
wellness of its personnel. Abbott adopts a holistic approach to stress management that involves
managing stressors both within and outside the workplace. Employees and their families can
receive free expert mental health help through one-on-one counseling, seminars, online
courses, crisis intervention services, and workplace emergency response through the company-
funded employee assistance program (EAP)[ CITATION Abb20 \l 1033 ].

Exercise Across Abbott is Abbott's most popular and long-running physical wellness initiative,
which encourages employees to form teams with coworkers and compete for rewards by
monitoring how many minutes they exercise each day. In 2019, over 24% of Abbott employees
from 82 countries took part. Over the course of six weeks, 75% of teams continuously increased
their weekly activity[ CITATION Abb20 \l 1033 ].

Flexible working is frequently a key facilitator of employee well-being, according to Abbott.

Flexible work schedules, such as flex time, summer hours, part-time arrangements, job sharing,
shortened work weeks, and telecommuting, are available in 60 nations. Abbott's Freedom to
Work program, which is offered to U.S. employees, allows individuals considering retirement to
reduce their work hours and responsibilities without impacting their benefits. Since the
program's inception in 2008, more than 1,700 employees have registered in Freedom to
Work[ CITATION Abb20 \l 1033 ].

On-site daycare, parenting and counseling services, as well as nationwide childcare discounts
and backup care options are all part of Abbott's extensive childcare programs. For new parents,
the company provides maternity and paternity leave, with maternity leave increasing by two
weeks in 2019. For business-traveling moms, Abbott offers Milk Stork® breast milk delivery
services. Abbott has also offered up to $20,000 in financial assistance for adoption since
2015[ CITATION Abb20 \l 1033 ].

Overall, with many policies and benefits offered for employees, especially in the field of
medical, Abbott shows that they really know how to keep their employees loyal to the firm.
These advantages help the company to work in a friendly and healthy environment, while
đeicating their best for the company without having to worrying much about their families,
because Abbott is doing it for them.

2. Key aspects of employment legislation in the area of recruitment and

selection on which the organization must work
a) The purpose of employment law

b) Key legal issues and constraints