CIPD Level 5 Summative Assessment for Contemporary Developments in Employment Relations

Question

Question 1

Provide a brief analysis of the indeterminacy of employment relations and an assessment of the factors which impact on employment relations. In your analysis, briefly compare and contrast unitarist and pluralist approaches.

Question 2

  • Briefly critique the key features of the contract of employment.
  • Identify the main sources of UK and EU employment relations law and include a brief summary of some of the main developments in individual and employment law.

Question 3

Provide a brief summary on how you would advise on the purpose and scope of statutory trade union recognition.

Question 4

  • Clarify the key terms used in employee involvement and participation
  • Explain the extent to which they can strengthen employee voice in a union and non-union context.
  • Provide a brief assessment of the link between employee voice and organisation performance.

Question 5

Briefly explain the differences between conflict and misbehaviour at work and between official and unofficial industrial action. In your answer, give a brief review of some contemporary trends in the type of conflict and industrial sanctions.

Question 6

  • Explain what is required to advise, coach and guide line managers in the skills for handling grievance or disputes in the workplace.
  • Distinguish between third-party conciliation, mediation and arbitration.

 

Solution

Question 1: Analysis of Indeterminacy of Employment Relations

The characteristic of the employment relationship is comprised of indeterminacy. According to Smith (2006), the indeterminacy concept identifies labour contracts which fail in their capacity of the effort of workers contributions through the exchange of rewards. This means that the employees are supposed to complete the work efficiently irrespective of the amount or level of the task assigned. Additionally, in this form of employee relations, the employment contract assumes that the involved parties are in an equal way with limited liability being involved.  Bélanger and Edwards (2013) argued that this is significantly far from the reality since workers are in a substantially weaker relationship and freedom between the alternative offers of the employment. Additionally, in an event the employees decline an offer of employment, the employers have the discretion of passing the opportunity to another person in the indeterminacy of employment relationships.

The unitary beliefs are dependent on the common objective and the possibility of the existence of harmony in the set employment relationships. In this case, Smith (2006) has noted that the management possesses the absolute right of managing and making decisions which are identified as authorised, reasonable and accepted and any form of objection is viewed as being irrational.  On the other hand, the pluralist concept is founded on the view that the conflicts are handled appropriately with a manner that mitigates it from leading to any form of disruption (Ackers, 2014). Further, contrary to the Marxist perspective, both the unitary and pluralistic perspectives are anchored on distinct ideologies which are an attribute of the managers and employers. A common view between the unitary and pluralistic concept is their acceptance and supporting the capitalist economic and political systems and as such failing in being critical of it. It is in this regard that Acharya et al. (2009) pointed out that from a unitary perspective, strikes by employees are identified as pathological leading to damage of the organization purpose and as such being a negative attribute to those involved in such strikes. For instance, at one point, the Zurich Insurance company Chief Executive had pointed out that it would be the role of the company to establish an environment where a specific trade union ends up becoming irrelevant which is nature of the unions. Existing in an idle position stops the employees and managers of an organization from moving forward collaboratively to the mutual benefit of all involved stakeholders.  The same issue of the strike is presented by pluralistic perspective as collective bargaining in an improved position as compared to penal use of the law as an approach of improving employment relationships.’

In order to understand the internal and external factors that impact on the employment relations, the PESTLE and PRIMO-F models can be adopted.

PRIMO-F Model

People

  • The relationship with the line managers
  • Existing peer relations
  • Set company values for employee’s roles
  • Existing organisation culture

Resources

  • Does there exist appropriate tools and time for doing appropriate work
  • Recognition of people by their contributions
  • Innovation
  • The existence of welcoming ideas and relevant suggestions
  • Recognition of others for their distinct contributions

Marketing

  • Involvement of people in the promotion of the company
  • Active engagement in product development

Operations

  • The easiness of people doing good work
  • The capacity of set policies and procedures in enabling or disabling people roles
  • The easiness of following the different steps and being people friendly

Financial

  • Availability of finances for getting what people are requiring
  • Effective payments for roles played

PESTEL Analysis

Political

  • The existence of government policies impacting the employee’s roles
  • Unions
  • Working hours set by government policies

Economic Power

  • The purchasing power of people on products and services
  • Thee nature of prices rise as compared to remuneration packages

Social

  • The nature of the public view on a specific company
  • The changing demographics to unsettle workforce

Technological

  • Changes to the technology for enhancing the levels of employability
  • The relevant changes to technology leading to challenging works

Legal

  • Possible changes to the country law with potential of leading to change of employment by people
  • The legal changes that would lead people being less employable
  • Environmental
  • Transport and commuting to and from the workplace
  • Stakeholders views on unsettling people

Question 2

Key Features of Contract of Employment…………………………………………………………………………………………..Please contact our team to receive this assessment in full for only $20