Task 1 – Briefing paper to the Board of Directors
You have been asked by the Board of Directors to produce a briefing paper which outlines how REBU can improve employee engagement.
Your briefing paper must include:
- A review of emerging developments to approaches to employee voice and engagement and it must provide:
- Three recommendations on how REBU can improve approaches to employee voice and engagement based on your review. The recommendations must include clear and actionable justifications (1.1).
- A critical evaluation of the interrelationship between employee voice and organisational performance focusing on high-performance work practices (1.4).
- An assessment of surveys, suggestion schemes and team meetings as approaches that can be used drive employee engagement (1.3).
- A discussion of the differences between employee involvement and employee participation and how these can be used to build effective employment relationships within REBU (AC1.2).
- A conclusion explaining the concept and design of better working lives in order that REBU to promote good physical and mental health work practices (1.5).
| Your evidence must consist of: |
| A briefing paper of approximately 1300 words (+ or – 10%) |
Task 2 – Training session (presentation pack and supporting notes)
Design a short training session for line managers of REBU, addressing how they can manage conflict in the workplace. Your presentation pack and supporting notes should include:
- An explanation as to the differences between organisational conflict, misbehaviour and what is meant by informal and formal conflict (AC2.1) and an analysis of the key causes of employee grievance within REBU (AC3.2).
- An explanation of at least two skills required to successfully handle grievances and disciplinaries at work and the importance of handling these effectively so REBU can avoid legal claims (AC3.3, 3.4).
- A table, outlining one official and one unofficial action an employee might take during conflict, explaining their key features and distinguishing between them (AC2.2).
- An assessment of the emerging trends in conflicts and industrial sanctions (AC 2.3).
- A distinction of the following three methods (conciliation, mediation and arbitration) that REBU can use to resolve conflict formally before it escalates to an employment tribunal. Include similarities, differences and key features of your three chosen methods (AC2.4).
- An explanation of the principles of the key legislation relating to unfair dismissal law and outline the process an employer should follow with regard to with capability and misconduct issues within REBU (AC3.1).
| Your evidence must consist of: |
| Presentation pack and supporting notes of approximately 1800 words (+ or – 10%). |
Task 3 – Email to CEO
Write an email to the CEO of REBU outlining the:
- similarities and differences between various employee bodies including union and non-union forms of employee representation (4.2)
- main provisions of the statutory recognition procedures relating to collective employment law including official and unofficial action. Include an evaluation of substantive and procedural agreements relating to collective bargaining and how this could work within REBU. (4.1 & 4.3)
| Your evidence must consist of: |
| Email to the CEO of approximately 500 words (+ or – 10%). |
Table of Contents
Task 1- Briefing Paper to the Board of Directors. 3
1.1 REBU Employee Voice (EV) and Engagement (EE) 3
1.3 Surveys, Suggestion Schemes and Team Meetings to Drive EE. 5
Task 2- Training Session (Presentation Pack and Supporting Notes) 9
Task 1- Briefing Paper to the Board of Directors
Introduction
In this briefing paper to board of directors, it focuses on reviewing the development of different approaches for promoting the employee voice and engagement. As supported by CIPD (2021) explanation, employees voice indicate an approach adopted by individuals in communicating the issues affecting them to employers, influence of issues which influence job functions. An establishment of a free and trust-based relations amongst the employers and employees harnessing success in organisation operations. Through a focus on REBU case study which is a gig economy organisation, this is applied to evaluate the best approach for employees engagement improvement.
1.1 REBU Employee Voice (EV) and Engagement (EE)
As illustrated by Amah and Sese (2018), EV and EE are harnessed by the HR function professionals ensuring that they achieve their main roles. The recommendations suggested for implementation are;
Recommendation 1: Within a timeline of 6 months, REBU organisation is supposed to make sure that employee life cycle need to put in place a good employee life cycle by integrating the EE and EV. This is supported by CIPD (2021a) recommendation which has highlighted the need to put in place effective onboarding and recruitment approaches. Also, since REBU has faced immense challenges in terms of working conditions, within 6 months, 100% of improvement in their work conditions need to integrate appropriate recognition programs for encouraging and supporting staff engaged and participating in organisation initiatives.
Recommendation 2: In a period of 1 year, REBU organisation ensure they are measuring their extent of success and outputs offered. In Martins (2019), successful measures and output are included in engagement survey before they are involved in various organisation initiatives. The importance of this is to ensure employee voice is part and appreciating inclusion of engagement in organisation practices. The importance of the practice is to ensure EV is appreciated and recognised as part of inclusion and participating in organisation initiatives. The outcome of this is to increase staff retention level for 70% in initial 7 months of engagement. This is promoted to promote exit interviews with effective application of data and successful implementation.
Recommendation 3: Within a timeline of 8 months, REBU ought to adopt a set of social media areas for controlling staff currently and future for views expression. The best practice is what Shahinyan (2022) note as increasing the popularity of Glassdoor and LinkedIn which note the necessity for responding to posts offered and supporting EE and EV practices.
1.4 Interrelationship of EV and Organisational Performance focusing on High-Performance Work Practices
In line with the research study note that EV strongly correlate with high performance. To affirm this, CIPD (2021b) note that increasing the employee voice promote an active decision making to harness their organisation performance. Further, to note on the high-performance work practices, CIPD (2021) identify EV and contributing to assuming a feel of high-value, trust and impacting on their influence scope. The outcome of this is increasing job performance and solving issues incurred. In detail, (ref) note that the high-performance work practices include factors for promoting the training strategies, reward, staffing and career growth. This IS for promoting increased performance.
Considering REBU organisation, in current situation, main practice include facilitating development of a high-performance working practice. Through an active provision of appropriate opportunities, it is possible to promote performance scope. In REBU organisation, they face a significant issue in area of employee turnover affecting staff and employers. This is particularly intended to ensure effective decision making and success in their operation.
Further, in Nechanska et al. (2020), the EV has been noted REBU organisation practices today encounter immense issues with their employees turnover with a positive impact to staff and employers. This is while making sure that holistic decisions are made and success in their operation.
Further, in Weller et al. (2020), EV has a direct link with the high-performance work system and interlinked with internal fitness and exterior synergy of hr approaches influencing knowledge acquisition by staff. This means that EV is correlated with the high-performance approaches in a holistic manner. For REBU organisation, they are supposed to harness staff innovativeness for sustainability and leveraging on competitive advantage. As evidenced in figure 1 conclusion, appropriate opportunities are evident for promoting expression of ideas, challenges and authenticity with minimal issues for social and results obtained.
Figure 1: EV and Employee Performance Relationship
Further, psychological contract development is supported by CIPD (2022) highlighting EV as advancing commitment, expectation and appreciation of employees relations. This note REBU factors positively lead to encouraging increased openness and mutual appreciation of their operation. The organisation eventually attain a ranking of best performing and ranked in top of Sunday Times 100 Companies for working (AwardList, 2022).
1.3 Surveys, Suggestion Schemes and Team Meetings to Drive EE
As highlighted in Butler et al. (2018), there are different factors with an impact on EE scope. They include;
Surveys– As evidenced in Matthews (2018), the surveys are inclusive of use of research-oriented, standardised questioning process which is done by either use of online or physical platforms. For REBU organisation for example, application of surveys offer a likelihood of evidencing areas of dissatisfaction leading to employees lack of performance.
The primary advantage of using the surveys is for promoting immense employees morale, improved happiness, satisfaction, increasing retention and being loyal. Conversely, there are disadvantages including mistrust and dishonesty prevalence or feeling less value by their organisation.
Suggestion Schemes– As evidenced in De-la-Calle-Durán and Rodríguez-Sánchez (2021), formal strategy lead to suggestion of evident ideas important for success in mitigating and improving work practices and their work environment. For instance, in REBU organisation, they have made it a trend to follow Kaizen event Japanese case to generate and implement appropriate staff ideas. By pursuing success EE this is appropriately achieved by improving proposal sharing.
On the other hand, schemes lead to an increased time savings with sourcing revenues, customer satisfaction and increased employee performance. Conversely, their disadvantage include increased costs and limitations incurred.
Team Meetings– As evidenced in Matthews et al. (2018), the team meetings are core for prioritising an active collaboration and teamwork practices. Apart from this, it is a challenge to maintain an increased EE by promoting productivity. In REBU organisation, by working on team meetings, there is a possibility of building cohesion in the organisation. The most effective set plan has a positive impact to promotion of productivity with results attained. The advantage of this is solving entire issues, capacity development strategies sourced and compliance with set policies.
1.2 Employees Involvement and Participation Differences and Building Employment Relationships within REBU
Employee involvement is identified in CIPD (2021c) as existing opportunities provided to staff for making decisions which impact their job functions. This is for active pursuing of job roles (task direction) and detailed organisation factors (participation). On the other hand, the employee participation is identified as directly/indirectly involved in decision making for employee or trade union representatives.
The core difference inclusive of employees participation and involvement informed by the view that while employee inclusion note on overall business strategy pursued by employees, involvement, ability for influencing decision making contrary to engaging representatives. Conversely, through employees inclusion, holistic relations are initiate the manner in which staff work environment attained. Further, employees are effectively placed to promote innovativeness as shown in figure 2;
Figure 2: Employee Involvement and Participation Roles in Building Relationships
For REBU organisation for instance, to come up with sustainable employment relations, core issues incurred are favoritism and selection criteria managed well. Increased turnover levels and lack of effective remuneration linked with holistic employee inclusion and actively participation and involvement. This has an effective of increasing the overall turnover and lack of good pay which impact on relations which control an active organisation practice.
1.5 Conclusion Explanation
As evidenced in CIPD (2021) report findings, appropriate work lives entail a fairness on how the employees are targeted and treated. This is with an overall societal gain attained for all stakeholders optimum satisfaction. This include appropriate impacts to all stakeholders in such an organisation. Therefore, considering REBU organisation, for promoting effective mental and physical work activities, the different aspects pointed out are shown in figure 3;
Figure 3: Better Working Lives Characteristics
To be successful in implementing better working lives, REBU need to prioritise on (CIPD, 2021a) approaches which include principles-led, evidence-based strategies and outcome-driven.
To be successful in implementation of the process, trust-oriented for creating and developing relevant change in work environment. Further, in current COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a set of challenges which impact the best practice followed in establishing appropriate working lives with employers called upon to achieve a feeling of being encouraged to point out entire challenges and the concerns while at the same time suggesting the appropriate input for increasing collaboration.
Hence, to design appropriate working lives in modern organisation, it is important to involve policy makers, employers and employees to guarantee them high-level productivity. This is core for success of an entity and initiatives put in place.
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