Employee Relations

Good employee relations are influenced by how you manage every aspect of the employment relationship with the people who work with you and for you.

We have listed in this section some of the processes that you can use to build and maintain good relations with your team:

• Communicating and maintaining contractual and general information through an Employee Handbook and a range of Employment Policies
• Ensuring that all employees are aware of, and have access to, their full range of employment rights — e.g. Holidays, Working Hours and Family Friendly Policies
• Providing additional benefits, beyond those required by law
• Communicating with and consulting employees on changes to terms and conditions, business plans and targets, new working practices etc (employee consultation procedures are a legal requirement for organisations with 50 or more employees)
• Having clear processes for employees to be able to raise issues, seek advice, or instigate a formal appeal or grievance procedure
• Using newsletters, e-mail, intranets and other channels to communicate news and to recognise and celebrate success by the organisation or by individuals
• Conducting regular Employee Attitude/Motivation Surveys — and acting on the results
• Holding discussion groups and feedback sessions with employees, or their representatives
• Operating transparent (where appropriate) pay structures, bonuses and incentive schemes, including employee consultation on proposed changes
• Providing constructive feedback — formally through appraisals, and informally on a regular basis as and when an individual’s performance requires it
• Providing advice and support on career planning and personal development
• Operating a transparent process for the internal advertising of vacancies and how interested employees should apply for them

In Employee Relations, Communication is the Key

Related Topics Contracts of Employment Employee Benefits Employee Handbooks Employment Law Employee Surveys