Transcript Employee-Management Relations

Employee-Management Relations
Philosophies
&
Prejudices
Prejudices affect Philosophy
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What is Prejudice?
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A group feeling unfavourable toward
another group
Group prejudice comprise the negative
attitude of group members derived from
their established norms, toward another
group and its members
How to recognise Prejudice?
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Reflected in the social distance at which
members of prejudiced group hold
another group and its members
Recognised only when traditional beliefs
about the behaviour, capacity, nature,
rights and status vis-à-vis others come
to be seriously questioned.
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Ex: Discrimination against women
Prejudice – the hard nut
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Prejudices are difficult to dislodge in
adult employees because they
represent biases ingrained over a long
period of time and often reinforced by
various experiences as perceived by the
prejudiced individual
Roots of attitude to discriminate lay
embedded in ‘Prejudices’
How we react to Prejudice?
1.
2.
3.
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Activator – accelerate or halt
Apathetic – accommodate, confine to self
Ambivalent – compromise, steer clear
Reaction of individuals and groups to prejudice
depend on how strong their values are
How Management views Prejudice?
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As a part of social environment to which
Management should generally conform
Subconscious participation in discrimination
Dilemma when confronted / challenged
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Questions of morality, fairness, justice etc
Threat of legal action against employment
practices
Resistance from Rank and File
Some Standard Prejudices governing
employment relationships
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Prejudice
Prejudice
Prejudice
Prejudice
Prejudice
Prejudice
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against
against
against
against
against
against
Unions / Trade Unionism
Older Workers
Women
Ethnic Groups
Handicapped
Social stigma groups
Ex-criminals, Mentally ill, Alchoholics, Immoral acts
Prejudice against Oldsters
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They
They
They
They
They
They
They
are physically and mentally slow
can’t learn new skills
can’t adapt to change
are accident prone
think they know everything
are rigid, Inflexible and live in past
are self-centered and demanding
How these prejudices impact?
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Discrimination in employment
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Supervisors resent to work with oldsters
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Recruitment, transfer, assignments, promotion etc
Considered bottleneck in the work team
Policies regarding older workers
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Placement and work allocation, redeployment
Premature exit plans
Insurance plans
Prejudices against Women
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Women are better-fit for routine jobs
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Women cannot perform technical jobs
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They lack concentration
Women have poor attendance records
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They can perform light physical work
They also spend less time at work
Women are jealous and tend to personalise, creating
tension in the organisation
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They create problems when placed on jobs along with men
How these prejudices impact?
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Supervising women is different
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Less scope for career advancement
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More consultation before work allocation
Prejudice sharpens when woman becomes supervisor
Pay policies more favourable to men
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Assignments, working hours, mobility determine pay
Base pay remaining same, opportunity to earn more is
denied
Prejudice against Trade Unions
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Unions are a bunch of radicals, communists
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Unions are undemocratic, militants, anarchists
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Unions are corrupt
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Unions are practice field for politicians
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Unions are anti-Management
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Trade unionism stifles growth of Business
How this prejudice impacts?
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Management Philosophy
Management Strategies
Management Tactics
Management Philosophy
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Although Management philosophies are
related to those of the union, it is possible to
establish basic philosophies (combination of
values, beliefs and sentiments) on relations
with unions that will not only stand up in the
face of unhealthy union attitudes but may, if
persisted in, gradually win the union to a
different point of view.
Philosophies of Labour Relations
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Cold consistent opposition
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Fighting
Tough but Fair
Trusteeship and Stewardship
Industrial jurisprudence
Participation
Warm friendly collaboration
The Tata Philsophy
(Sir Dorabji Tata, Chairman Tata Steel in 1917)
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The welfare of the labouring classes must be one of the
first cares of every employer.
Any betterment of their conditions must proceed more
from the employer downward rather than be forced up
by demands from below since…
Labour, contented, well-housed, well fed, well-brought
up and generally well-looked after is not only an asset
and advantage to employer, but it also serves to raise
the standard of industry and labour in the country.
In looking after the labour of today, we are also
securing a supply of healthy and intelligent labour for
the future.
What is the Management Philosophy
in your Organisation?
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Philosophy with respect to Employee
Relations?
Prejudices with respect to Unions /
Associations of Employees?
Identify your Prejudices
about factors
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Which affect employee-management
relations
Which affect employee-employee
relations