Constructive Relations at Top Trucking Company
Discuss about the Strategic Human Resources Management.
Organizational managers and leaders play the integral role of handling employee relation in order to attain organizational goals and objectives (Isidor, 2011). It is by effective handling of employee relation that an organization is able to attain employee satisfaction, motivation and hence productivity. The report analyses the effect of inappropriate employee relation handling by a truck company and its managers. The ineffectiveness resulted in low employee morale and dissatisfaction levels which affected productivity and approaches that an employee developed towards the company. Post the company got taken over by another national truck company and a new manager was appointed, employee motivational levels were highly impacted (Armstrong, 2014). The high motivation levels for employees resulted in better performance, more productivity, and improvement of employee relations.
Ways in which new workplace practices introduced by the new yard manager complement one another
Top Trucking company at Wollongong yard was a family run business that was handled by an appointed manager. The family as well as the manager had a reluctant attitude towards the drivers as well as their union leader. They adopted traditional managerial approach of dominance by showcasing a supervisor and subordinate relationship. However, post the family run truck company was taken over by a national transport group, the managerial attributes changed. The new company board appointed a new manager by replacing the old manager, as it was also his time to retire (Collins, 2006). The new manager followed modern techniques in handling employees and in negotiating with the union. The new managers dealt with the drivers of the trucks with immense respect and maintained steady communication with them such as to ensure that flow of information and ideas takes place from the company heads to the drivers at the other end.
The new company invested in the tuck company by changing several trucks and also by providing the drivers with dresses that they could wear during their service at the company. This greatly affected employee morale and work level motivation for the drivers, who were till date treated as children by their previous managers (Armstrong, 2014). The manager often communicated regarding the various pressure that he dealt with and the deliverables that were expected from the drivers of the trucks. This mode of communication enhanced employee morale and job commitment and the drivers were more eager to fulfill their job roles. The union leader found the newly manager easy to deal with regarding various issues pertaining to employee satisfaction (Guest, 2011). The newly adopted work place practiced were thus completing the new appointed manager’s behaviors. The new company wanted to instigate and invest in the business so as to revive the business. The new manager adopted practices that could enhance the traditional work culture by transforming the systems that persisted and work environments. The new company invested in new trucks and dresses for the drivers, whereas the new manager was keen to establish a positive relationship with the primary employees of the business, truck drivers (Harzallah, 2006). Both of their focus was to attain work level motivation such that the company could attain and deliver high level of performance.
Risks to Sustaining Changes if the Manager Moves On
In the truck company post take over by the national truck company and appointment of a new manager several work practices were implemented and changed. The new manager established a dialogue between the company and its most important stakeholder the drivers. The newly appointed manager had made immense efforts in developing employee relations with the current company (Daley, 2006). The employee had a negative though and regards for the company, but the newly appointed manager was able to mold the same. The new manager adopted the role of a transformational leader by inspiring and motivating the drivers to work. Employee relations are driven by particular managers or leaders, who envisions the change and employee develops an element of trust in him. Change is a transitory process that creates either positive or negative impact in the minds of employees. Therefore any organization adapting to a changed process does so through a leader who is capable of handling the changed procedure, hence it is important that the leader or manager whoever is responsible for initiating the changed process continues with the organization as well as with its employees to sustain the change process (Jiang, 2012). In this case the newly adapted change was applied by the new manager hence employees already have developed a mental dependence towards the individual and is motivated due to the role of the person. But in case of his absence, it can create a negative impact in the minds of the employees and they can either decide to leave the organization or follow their course of action, which might result in a strike. These are the possible outcomes the organization is susceptible to face in case the manager moves on (Chen, 2009).
George has also been instrumental in the truck company being able to deliver results till date. George had on several instances played the role of a leader who attends to his employees. He demonstrated tremendous leadership qualities and skills for which he was highly liked and followed. But in case George moves to another company or to the head office of the same company then its possible that the company can face high employee turnover (Becker, 2006). As George has been providing employee empowerment to employee and also supporting them in times of crisis, this has led to the drivers building immense trust on him. He has been a leader who has been driven organizational performance levels by motivating his subordinates and fellow employees. Thus, employees have in-built trust on him and performs on the basis of direction provided by him. In case he is absent employees will lack the sense of direction in performance, and can in turn leave the organization. The organization can also expect adverse performance from its employees as a result of this (Lengnick-Hall, 2009). Hence it is extremely important that he continues with the current set-up of employees in order to enhance and maintain organizational level performances.
Tough blue collar unions like the Transport Workers Union are more of less likely to engage in workplace changes like these than public or service sector unions. Reasons for such justifications.
Reluctance of Blue Collar Unions to Adapt to Workplace Related Changes
Adopting workplace related changes requires tremendous amount of efforts and vision on the part of both the company as well as its unions. Often companies and unions are unable to visualize the potential effects from adopting a workplace related change. Hence tough blue collar unions like Transport Workers Union are more of less likely to adopt changes in the workplace. Blue collar unions attaches great importance to themselves and their roles in the organizations, they apply their roles in bargaining contracts with managers and leaders of organizations (Chen, 2009). With adaptation of workplace related changes the importance of these unions will greatly be affected and hence they will not be interested in engaging in workplace related changes. Public and service sector unions on the other hand are less powerful and will want to adopt these changes for improving and impacting employee performance levels within an organization (Williams, 2006).
Employee relation improvement can be seen as a modern technique of handling employee motivation and job satisfaction levels. Hence organizations or unions that adopt to these changes are more contemporary in nature and wants to apply improvement for the employees as well as for the organization. but reluctance from the part of employees or organizations can result in low employee morale and motivational levels leading to low job satisfaction and high turnover ratios (Turner Parish, 2008). Often organizations that has adopted contemporary approaches in handling employees have removed or reduced the role of unions in negotiating contracts and in handling employee disputes. The growing unimportance of these unions are seen negatively often by many thus, there is a level of reluctance in adopting to these changes.
Practical researches and data from employee and trade union disputes reflect that there is reluctance amongst many in adapting to the process of improved employee relations (Edwards, 2009). However, with rapid expansion in companies and globalization unions have realized that it is in their best of practices to adapt and follow the new norms that drives employee performances. Large organizations are often known to put increased pressure on unions as well as reluctant employees to adopt to these new and improvised norms for better organizational culture and environment.
The analysis of various factors of employee relation reflects that it is a key aspect that has an important part to play in organizational achievement levels. Organizations are driven by the key performances from its most important resource which is the human resources. Some recommendations for organizations such that employee relation can be maintained are;
Conclusion
As employee relation is integral, an organizational strategies and that of its managers apply needs to be in line with maintaining and enhancing employee relations such that employee motivation and productivity can be maintained.
Employee relations can be maintained by improvement of employee empowerment, by treating employees with adequate respect that they deserve.
Employee can deliver immense results if they are satisfied with the organization’s behavior and approaches towards them.
As employees are the key drivers of organizations, they need to apply strategies such that work level motivation and job satisfaction can be developed. Job satisfaction levels can be greatly be improved by adapting appropriate job design for employee roles.
Handling employee relation is a dynamic capability of the organizations which needs to be implemented by its managers, hence organization needs to apply appropriate leadership styles. A superior-subordinate relationship is no more applicable in gaining results, rather a transformational leader, with whom employees can identify themselves and who is a patient listener can act as a proper guide.
References
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Jiang, K. L. (2012). How does human resource management influence organizational outcomes? A meta-analytic investigation of mediating mechanisms. Academy of management Journal, 1264-1294.
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Turner Parish, J. C. (2008). Want to, need to, ought to: employee commitment to organizational change. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 32-52.
Williams, E. a. (2006). Good, better, best: The human quest for enhancement. . Washington, DC: American Association for the Advancement of Science.
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