Unit # 31: Employee Relations

● Introduction to the unit’s content and Unit Assignments.

Scheme of Work

Week Minutes Session LO Topic Sample Activities

● What is meant by Employee
Number Relations ?

1 120 1 1 Introduction to the Unit’s Content

and Assessment

1 120 2 1 External Influences on the ● The role and influence of globalisation, government,
Employment Relationship 1 international bodies, employer and employee representative
groups, advances in Information
Communication Technologies (ICT) and increased competition.
2 120 3 1 External Influences on the ● Changes in the societal context, diversity in the workplace
Employment Relationship 2 and employee expectations.

The Law and Employment ● Contractual relationships, terms and conditions of

2 120 4 1 employment, the rights and obligations of employers and
Legislation 1
employees.

3 120 5 1 The Law and Employment

Legislation 2 ● Collective employment law.
● Contractual arrangements in different types of organisations,
including those that operate in the gig and sharing economy.

● The changing nature of work and the employment

3 120 6 1 Nature of Work & Employement 1 relationship
● Workforce diversity, changing employer and employee
expectations and ethical behaviours.
4 120 7 1 Nature of Work & Employement 2 ● The impact of agile working, remote working practices,
flexible contracts and portfolio careers.

● Individualisation of the employment relationship and

4 120 8 1 Nature of Work & Employement 3 contractual arrangements in different types of firms, e.g. small
family businesses, multinational corporations (MNCs), firms in
the gig and sharing economy.

● Managerial legitimacy and authority, power relationships and

5 120 9 1 Nature of Work & Employement 4 the right to
manage.
5 120 10 2 Perspectives of the Employment ● Guitarist and pluralist perspectives of the employment
Relationship 1 relationship.

6 120 11 2 Perspectives of the Employment ● Strategic choice in managing with or without collective
Relationship 2 employee representation, e.g. trade unions, works councils,
joint consultative committees. Benefits and drawbacks of
collective representation.

● The concept of employee voice and its significance.

6 120 12 2 Employee Participation ● Employee participation via collective bargaining, works
councils and joint consultative committees.

● Employee involvement approaches and mechanisms.

7 120 13 2 Employee Involvement ● The role of communication and consultation in influencing
employee engagement and performance.
7 120 14 3 Understanding Conflict 1 ● Sources of conflict in the workplace, individual and collective
forms of conflict.
8 120 15 3 Understanding Conflict 2 ● The psychological contract and relational forms of conflict
within employee relation systems.

● Breach of contractual terms and collective agreements.

8 120 16 3 Understanding Conflict 3 ● Positive and negative impacts of conflict, including
productivity, job satisfaction, employee engagement.

9 120 17 3 Managing Conflict and Resolving

Disputes 1 ● Mediation and negotiation as mechanisms for resolving
conflict. Negotiation skills, e.g. communication skills,
interpreting and utilising verbal and non-verbal language.
9 120 18 3 Managing Conflict and Resolving ● Information handling skills such as presenting arguments and
Disputes 2 justifying position.
10 120 19 3 Managing Conflict and Resolving ● Discretionary judgement skills, knowing when to change
Disputes 3 position, when to ask for adjournments.
10 120 20 3 Managing Conflict and Resolving
Disputes 4 ● Collective conflict resolution via collective bargaining, joint
consultative committees, negotiation and partnership working.

11 120 21 3 Managing Conflict and Resolving

Disputes 5 ● Individual conflict resolution via grievance and disciplinary
policy and procedures. Good practice in these areas.
11 120 22 4 Analysing the Employee Relations ● Guitarist and pluralist perspectives influencing managerial
Approach 1 style and employee relations preferences.
12 120 23 4 Analysing the Employee Relations ● Business strategy and employee relations strategy,
Approach 2 implications for strategic choice in employee relations.
12 120 24 4 Analysing the Employee Relations ● Ways in which employee relations practices support business
Approach 3 performance and growth.
13 120 25 4 Analysing the Employee Relations ● Benefits of positive employee relations as opposed to
Approach 4 negative employee relations.

13 120 26 4 Analysing the Employee Relations

Approach 5 ● Measuring performance using key performance indicators,
e.g. job satisfaction, levels of employee engagement, incidents
of conflict, absenteeism and staff turnover

14 120 27 4 Employee Relations & Conflict 1 ● Employee relations practices and areas of potential conflict.
● Managerial ideology and management style.

● Issues arising out of the psychological contract, trust and

14 120 28 4 Employee Relations & Conflict 2 expectations.
● Employees not being valued nor seen as partners in the
organisation.

● Issues relating to employee involvement and participation,

15 120 29 4 Employee Relations & Conflict 3 communication and consultation.
● Individual grievances and collective disputes
 Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria
Pass Merit Distinction
LO1 Analyse how changes and developments in society, the work
context and employment have influenced the employment
relationship

D1 Draw valid conclusions

on the extent to which the
P1 Analyse how creation of a positive
employment relationships M1 Critically analyse the employment relationship
in specific types of impact of developments has been affected by
organisations have been in society and the work developments in society
affected by developments context on the employment and the work context.
in society and the work relationship.
context.
P2 Examine the fundamentals of
employment law applied
to specific organisational
examples.

LO2 Devise mechanisms of employee communication and

consultation for different types of organisations D2 Justify effectiveness of
communication and
consulting mechanisms
P3 Design appropriate M2 Design a range of for enhancing employee
mechanisms for communicating appropriate communication voice and levels of
and and consultation mechanisms engagement.
consulting with employees for to facilitate employee voice and
different organisations. levels of engagement.
LO3 Apply negotiation skills to workplace disputes for
effective conflict management approaches

P4 Utilise negotiation
skills to resolve workplace
disputes and conflicts.
P5 Reflect on the
utilisation of negotiation
skills for effective conflict
management approaches.
M3 Utilise negotiation
skills to resolve both
individual and collective
disputes and conflicts
effectively.
D3 Evaluate personal
performance to identify
strengths and areas for
further development

LO4 Develop HR solutions for an organisation’s employee

relations approach and practices in order to improve D4 Provide justified HR
performance. solutions and
recommendations for
improving an organisation’s
P6 Assess the employee M4 Devise valid HR employee relations strategy
relations approach and solutions that address and practices in order to
practices in an organisation to issues and challenges to improve performance.
develop HR solutions in order to improve performance.
improve performance.
 Assessment Brief 1
Student Name/ ID Number:
Unit Number and Title
Academic Year
Unit Tutor
Assignment Title
Issue Date
Submission Date
IV Name & Date
Submission Format

The submission is in the form of a case study. The casestudy should be written in a concise style to
summarise and highlight key information and data. You are required to make use of headings,
paragraphs and subsections as appropriate, and all work must be supported with research and
referenced using the Harvard referencing system. Please also provide a bibliography using the Harvard
referencing system. The recommended word limit is 2,000–2,500 words, although you will not be
penalised for exceeding the total word limit.

Unit Learning Outcomes

LO1 Analyse how changes and developments in society, the work context and employment have
influenced the employment relationship
LO2 Devise mechanisms of employee communication and consultation for different types of
organisations
Transferable skills and Competencies Developed

● Analytical skills to conduct own analysis to draw conclusions.

● The ability to provide information based on collation, analysis and interpretation of data.
● Creative thinking for presenting information and data in a simplified and informative manner.
● Digital skills, using different software applications to visually present information and data concisely.
● Communicating effectively in all forms, written, visual and oral, for operating efficiently in the
international business environment.
Vocational Scenario
Role & Organisation:
You have
been employed as "People and Culture Coordinator" at MNC of your own choice [named
organisation/an organisation of your choice – your own place of work if appropriate]. Your duties
include Manage basic employee casework, including resolving disputes, disciplinaries, grievances,
absence, retirement and redundancy. Continuously monitor and review human resources policies and
processes and make changes where necessary.

Assignment Activity & Guidance

Task 1: Evaluate how competition, representative groups, workfore diversity influence the employee relationship
of your selected MNC.
 Assessment Brief 1

Unit 31: Employee Relations

Suitable title will be given*

n the form of a case study. The casestudy should be written in a concise style to
hlight key information and data. You are required to make use of headings,
bsections as appropriate, and all work must be supported with research and
he Harvard referencing system. Please also provide a bibliography using the Harvard
m. The recommended word limit is 2,000–2,500 words, although you will not be
eding the total word limit.

comes

hanges and developments in society, the work context and employment have
ployment relationship
nisms of employee communication and consultation for different types of

and Competencies Developed

o conduct own analysis to draw conclusions.

vide information based on collation, analysis and interpretation of data.
for presenting information and data in a simplified and informative manner.
g different software applications to visually present information and data concisely.
effectively in all forms, written, visual and oral, for operating efficiently in the
ess environment.
o
on:
You have
"People and Culture Coordinator" at MNC of your own choice [named
ganisation of your choice – your own place of work if appropriate]. Your duties
sic employee casework, including resolving disputes, disciplinaries, grievances,
nt and redundancy. Continuously monitor and review human resources policies and
e changes where necessary.

y & Guidance

w competition, representative groups, workfore diversity influence the employee relationship

C.