Developing

Employee
Relations

13
© 2004 by Prentice Hall 13 - 1
Terrie Nolinske, Ph.D.
 Challenges

• What are examples of programs used to

facilitate employee communications?
• How can employees use various appeals
procedures to challenge management actions?
• How can managers use employee assistance
programs effectively?
• What are examples of technological innovations
that facilitate dissemination of information?

© 2004 by Prentice Hall 13 - 2

Terrie Nolinske, Ph.D.
 Employee Relations Rep

Member of HR who
• ensures policies are followed
• consults with supervisors
• consults with employees

© 2004 by Prentice Hall 13 - 3

Terrie Nolinske, Ph.D.
 Employee Relations Policy

• Communicates
management’s thinking
about employee-related
matters
• Prevents problems in
workplace from
becoming more serious

© 2004 by Prentice Hall 13 - 4

Terrie Nolinske, Ph.D.
 Communication Process
Barriers
(noise)
Sender Receiver
(encodes message) (decodes message)

Feedback

© 2004 by Prentice Hall 13 - 5

Terrie Nolinske, Ph.D.
 How to Communicate Feedback
to Employees

• Focus on specific behaviors

• Give feedback at appropriate time / place
• Focus negative feedback on behaviors
that can be controlled by employee

© 2004 by Prentice Hall 13 - 6

Terrie Nolinske, Ph.D.
 Downward Communication…

allows managers to implement

their decision and
to influence employees lower
in organizational hierarchy

© 2004 by Prentice Hall 13 - 7

Terrie Nolinske, Ph.D.
 Upward Communication…

allows employees at
lower levels
to communicate
ideas and feelings
to higher-level decision
makers

© 2004 by Prentice Hall 13 - 8

Terrie Nolinske, Ph.D.
 Information Dissemination

• Employee Handbook

• Written
Communications
• Memos
• Financial Statements
• Newsletters
• Bulletin Boards
© 2004 by Prentice Hall 13 - 9
Terrie Nolinske, Ph.D.
 Information Dissemination (cont’d)…

Audiovisual Communications
• Video Presentations
• Teleconferencing

Electronic Communications
• Voice Mail
• Electronic Mail

© 2004 by Prentice Hall 13 - 10

Terrie Nolinske, Ph.D.
 Information Dissemination (cont’d)…

• Meetings
• Retreats
• Informal Communications

© 2004 by Prentice Hall 13 - 11

Terrie Nolinske, Ph.D.
 Employee Feedback Programs
Employee Attitude Surveys
To what extent are you Highly Highly
satisfied with... Satisfied Satisfied Dissatisfied

X
1. pay and bonus

2. chance to get a promotion

X

3. respect from management X

4. morale of my division
X
X
5. responsibility to do work

© 2004 by Prentice Hall 13 - 12

Terrie Nolinske, Ph.D.
Management Actions Commonly Appealed

• Allocation of overtime
• Warnings for safety rule violations
• Size of merit pay increases
• Specification of job duties
• Employer’s reimbursement for
claims filed by employees
• Performance evaluations

© 2004 by Prentice Hall 13 - 13

Terrie Nolinske, Ph.D.
 Employee Feedback Programs
Appeals Options

• Open door program

• Speak-up program
• Grievance panel – non union firms
• Union grievance procedure

© 2004 by Prentice Hall 13 - 14

Terrie Nolinske, Ph.D.
 International Comparisons of
Employee Satisfaction

100% 82%
Percent Satisfied with Company

72%
66% 65%
58% 53%
43%
as an Employer

31%

U.S.
Switzerland

Mexico

Germany

Singapore

Hong Kong

Japan
France
0

© 2004 by Prentice Hall 13 - 15

Terrie Nolinske, Ph.D.
 A troubled employee may have…
1. excessive absenteeism patterns

2. poor judgment and bad decisions

3. unusual on-the-job accidents

4. involvements with the law

5. deteriorating personal appearance

6. problems relating to other people

© 2004 by Prentice Hall 13 - 16
Terrie Nolinske, Ph.D.
 Employee Assistance Program
(EAP)
Identify troubled
employee:
•Self - id EAP counseling
•Supervisor id Problem solved;
employee keeps
working or, if on
leave, returns to work

Employee
refuses help;
is terminated if
Treatment
problem has
significant Treatment
impact on unsuccessful;
work employee is terminated.

© 2004 by Prentice Hall 13 - 17

Terrie Nolinske, Ph.D.
 Employee Recognition Program
Suggestion Systems

• “Suggestion evaluation committee” evaluates

suggestions; explains to employees why some
suggestions have not been used

• Implement accepted suggestions immediately

and give credit to the suggestion’s originator

• Make value of reward proportional to

suggestion’s benefit to the company
© 2004 by Prentice Hall 13 - 18
Terrie Nolinske, Ph.D.
 Employee Recognition Systems
Employee Awards
• Give public credit to people or teams who
make outstanding contributions
• Can be initiated by anyone
• Celebrates team or individual success
• Encourages organization members to
work toward the organization’s goals

© 2004 by Prentice Hall 13 - 19

Terrie Nolinske, Ph.D.
 • Case

Some employees feel uncomfortable when

recognized in a public way. As a manager,
how would you work with HR staff to design
an employee recognition program for your
Department, taking into account recognition
for both individuals and teams.

© 2004 by Prentice Hall 13 - 20

Terrie Nolinske, Ph.D.