Industrial relations deal with management of all work related issues between the employees, the employers and other stakeholders. Industrial relations deal with issues that are related to wages, working standards, collective bargaining, employees’ welfare, employee safety and security.
Industrial relations as a career is generally involved in day to day activities and events that take place at the workplace. The main aims of this line of specialization is to minimize as much as possible any conflict that may arise between the employee and the employer at the workplace leading to scenes such as strikes and go slows.
Industrial relations assist managers to manage workers at workplace in various ways, which may include; ensuring that the organization have clear and appropriate working polices and procedures, making sure that employees are involved as part of decision making panel especially in areas affecting them directly among other measures.
In trying to manage the workforce at any working place, industrial relations work in three ways. These include use of the scientific approach, problem solving and the use of the ethical methods. The three approaches ensure that the affairs of the workers are well catered for at the workplace.
Under scientific approach, managers should be well conversant with subjects such as social psychology, social history and industrial sociology in order to be able to manage workers at the workplace.
Through the analysis of various aspects the workers, the managers are able to know the behaviors of the employees, how they relate with other workers and how they are influenced by the changes or by the other workers.
According to Balnave, Brown, Maconachie and Stone, (2009), for easier management, managers should be able to apply the principles of the social science in dealing with various behavioral traits of employees and conflict that may arise between the employees and the management or among the employees themselves.
To be effective in managing workforce, managers should be able to solve problems faced by the employees, industrial relation have come out with basic guideline which assist managers to have a harmonious work relations. Unitary perception requires managers and other employees to share common goals and cooperate. The use of employees in decision making make them feel part of the company or the organization and thus reduces the risk of conflicts between the management and the employees. Managers can apply collective perspective techniques when managing the workforce. Under this idea, managers organize the workers in groups which have similar purposes and working to achieve same goals.
Palmer, (2007), asserts that for effective management of workers, it is important that managers incorporate the rules and regulation that are set down by government departments and other players of industrial relation. Management should ensure that the worker’s welfare schemes are put in place and that working condition are friendly and in acceptable conditions.
Managers should ensure that there is a straight line communication channel to foster better relations with employees (Palmer, 2007). This will encourage workers to air out any problem or difficulties they are facing on their place of work which assist managers to deal with these problems before they escalate to unmanageable levels.
Managers should apply their leadership skills in managing and coordinating the workers under them. Equipping managers with information on human relations is of vital importance as it empowers them to handle various needs of the workers.
List of References
Balnave N, Brown, J. Maconachie, G. and Stone, R, J., 2009. Employment Relations in Australia 2nd ed. Australia: John Wiley & Sons.
Palmer G, G., 1997. Employment Relation. 2nd ed. Australia: Palgrave Macmillan.