a) Explain the shortcomings of the bargaining technique adopted by Mapapa limited
Lack of Formal Structure:
There is no structured approach that Mapapa Limited uses in its negotiating. Such inconsistency and unreliability during negotiations can make the process a puzzle for all participants, including managers and workers. It isn’t easy to establish reasonable expectations within a framework for bargaining without adopting a disciplined approach. Informally, this process can contribute to random decision-making and inconsistent results that frustrate workers whose issues they do not solve in an organized way. It also hinders the preparation for long-term labor relation strategies and the capability to adapt with time.
Ad Hoc Handling:
The company handles its employees’ problems arbitrarily by using area managers bound to take disconnected and misplaced measures that could contradict general corporate objectives. Handling ad-hoc does not apply a proper standardized procedure for managing employment problems. Such decision-making could quickly fail to consider the broader context of the organization, resulting in decisions that do not support corporate goals. This is another way workers might be led to lack certainty on issues, such as raising matters.
No Formal Personnel Policies:
The absence of formal personnel policies implies a need for more specific directions for dealing with personal issues, which causes misunderstanding and dissatisfaction among staff members. Without proper policies, neither staff nor management can navigate grievances, employee discipline, and employee rights. Such lack of direction may lead to a lack of uniformity in handling different issues, which will only worsen the situation, thus confusing the employees. This may also cause problems regarding risks to law and compliance since there might be no specified regulations on dealing with some work activities.
No Job Descriptions:
Having no formal job description for employees may cause miscommunication between their duties and roles, leading to job dissatisfaction and confusion. It is important to note that job descriptions are essential in setting expectations and clarifying different roles and responsibilities among colleagues. These documents help employees know what it takes for them to succeed at work; in their absence, employees might not know what should be done to satisfy them, leading to disagreement and disappointment. Moreover, it can limit employees’ career growth because they have no pre-defined ladders to enable them to move upward.
Inadequate Union Membership:
The bargaining process also becomes deficient because it possesses only about 40% union membership and, therefore, lacks the required strength and collective representation for the process to have an impact. The weak bargaining power and less effective voice for their workforce is partly attributed to a low proportion of union membership. However, when many employees do not belong to a union, it can reduce the potency of dialogue and the power to call for better working terms, wages, and benefits.
Pay Terms Below Market Rates:
Organizational pay terms are below average compared to other professionals within the local market. This could cause de-motivation and a high rate of turnover for skillful employees. In addition, underpayment may lead to dissatisfied employees and their quest for greener pastures with better pay, resulting in high attrition rates and possible recruitment issues.
Increasing Dissatisfaction:
Employees’ dissatisfaction with the approach has caused low morale in the workplace, hence poor productivity. Hence, such weaknesses may demoralize employees, impacting morale and job performance. A demotivated workforce is likely to lose its loyalty and may not give their best efforts towards attaining quality care and support by Mapapa Limited.
Higher Staff Turnover:
Inadequate responses to employee concerns have increased staff turnover costs and instability. High staff turnover is expensive because it involves recruitment, training, and orientation processes, which may overstretch other resources. Additionally, it disturbs the continuity and the effectiveness with which the children are taken care of.
Absenteeism:
Unsatisfactory work conditions and communication channels have led to increased Absenteeism among employees, which lowers productivity and the standard of medical attention being offered. Employee absenteeism results from dissatisfaction and disengagement at the workplace. Workers’ Absenteeism could result when they don’t receive support, or their issues aren’t satisfactorily resolved. That would make it difficult for the institution to sustain care for the children and attain the set objectives (Farooq et al., 2021).
Rising Grievances:
There is an increasing number of grievances and disciplinary cases, which may indicate weak dispute resolutions. A rise in complaints leading to disciplinary cases indicates the persistence of job issues. If such issues remain unaddressed and unresolved, they may become a source of internal conflict and dispute among employees, which is detrimental to the relations between employees and creates adverse conditions for work.
b) Grievances handling procedure recommendation and how to implement
Establish a Dedicated HR Department:
Mapapa Limited ought to form a specialized HR department to monitor and handle the employees’ grievances. To this end, this department ought to be made up of skilled human resource experts who understand conflict mitigation, employee matters, and complaint handling. This makes it important to have an independent HR team that ensures that there are professionals who handle employee complaints efficiently. The HR professionals might also have to observe compliance issues with labour laws and organizational policy while dealing with employee concerns (“The HR Analytics Cycle: A Seven-Step Process for Building Evidence-Based and Ethical HR Analytics Capabilities | Emerald Insight,” 2020).
Develop a Grievance Policy:
The organization needs to have in place a simple but clear grievance policy. It should provide details on how these issues are raised and responded to and a series of steps through which employees must proceed for this matter. It must also enumerate the roles of employees and management in addressing complaints. It is important to communicate this policy to all employees to ensure everyone knows the procedure and has the right to follow it when involved in a dispute.
Designate Grievance Handlers:
Mapapa Limited should have an HR department that has trained staff as designated grievance handlers. Such individuals should be experts in conflict resolution and be independent and not biased. They meditate on a communication link between workers and administration when concerned about grievances. The grievance handlers selected should have the right expertise to conduct an impartial investigation toward a just resolution to every case considered.
Provide Training:
Carry out training programs for all staff members, enlightening them on how to raise their complaints, rights, and duties. Training helps employees know how to use the grievance procedure and what is expected in a particular context. The training may involve workshops, seminars or other online material, giving employees a clear understanding of their role in solving compliance issues, efficient communication, and procedures for disclosing concerns (Kurdi et al., 2020).
Create Multiple Channels:
Ensure that there are various ways that employees can voice their grievances to promote open communication. The channels could be in-person meetings with grievance representatives through email, telephone hotline, or a dedicated online site. Providing different alternatives enables employees to select the best option for expressing their concerns within a preferred environment. It shows that this organization is dedicated to making the procedure easily understandable by its employees.
Maintain Confidentiality:
Grievance management requires confidentiality. Confidentiality must be guaranteed regarding all data relating to the complaint, including the complainant’s identity and the persons involved in resolving the dispute. This ensures that employees’ confidence in the process is sustained and provides a conducive setup to communicate freely without risks of breaking the privacy policies or being punished.
Establish Timelines:
Establish deadlines for the handling of any complaints to expedite the process. Bounded solutions make sure that grievances do not last longer, which could add to dissatisfaction and frustration. These timelines set a foundation for handling the issues and giving employees feedback promptly.
Document All Grievances:
Detailed records should be kept of any complaints. It should incorporate the details of the problem, steps taken in its resolution, and results recorded on every case incidence. This documentation plays a vital role in monitoring the trending patterns of employee concerns in formulating preventive measures toward such matters. Moreover, it constitutes a reference point for accountability and transparency during the grievance procedure.
Regularly Review and Update the Procedure:
Review and revisit the existing grievance procedure at specified intervals to capture and strengthen arising matters. A process is rigid, and as the company grows, so do matters affecting the workplace and employees; therefore, a process is bound to lose effectiveness. Constant audits guarantee that the procedure stays appropriate and attentive to the dynamic requirements of workers and the enterprise.
Appoint an Appeal Process:
Develop an appeal process involving independent parties who can evaluate again when employees feel unsatisfied about their initial problem’s resolution. The appeal process ensures that measures are put in place to guard against possible errors or bias in the initial resolution of complaints. This allows employees to appeal a decision and assures them of adequate consideration for their problem statement. In addition, the grievance policy ought to identify the appeal process to inform employees that they can follow this route.
c)Benefits of establishing consultative machinery for employee involvement indecision making at Mapapa limited
Enhanced Employee Morale:
Including employees in the decision-making process helps boost employees’ morale and job satisfaction. Employees should know that their opinions, ideas, or concerns have been appreciated and deserve recognition. As a result, such employees become much more motivated and committed to their work, generating extra productivity toward achieving organizational goals (Shafi et al., 2020).
Improved Employee Engagement:
Active involvement of employees in consultative mechanisms is essential. They enable employees to participate in decision-making, resulting in higher involvement and commitment among employees toward organizational objectives. These are those engaged employees who are inclined to stay loyal, exhibit a positive attitude during work, and do their share in achieving business goals and objectives (Dachner et al., 2021).
Better Decision Quality:
The employees usually have essential information about an organization’s day-to-day management issues. Involving them in decision-making will ensure consideration of these insights, informing better and more intelligent choices. Such a cooperative method creates holistic decision-making that touches on practical issues to enhance overall performance.
Problem-Solving:
Since employees are nearest to the day-to-day running of the firm, employees can give innovative and workable solutions to the obstacles encountered in the organization. Doing this allows creative problem-solving, leading to improved, more efficient, and effective processes. By adopting this proactive approach, problems can be anticipated and addressed before becoming significant problems.
Reduced Resistance to Change
Consulting and informing employees of changes beforehand will encourage them to accept and adopt them without resistance. Through this communication, the employees understand why there are changes, their benefits, and integration in the company’s strategic purposes. Thus, they are prone to provide more support and cooperation during times of transition, minimizing opposition and ensuring seamless implementation.
Higher Trust and Transparency:
Including employees in the decisions promotes an understanding of transparency and creates loyalty toward the management. Open and authentic communication creates a workplace where employees are heard and appreciated (Dachner et al., 2021). Besides, it avoids disputable situations and misinterpretations resulting from insufficient data or ambiguity in making decisions.
Enhanced Communication:
Consultative processes promote an open dialogue, whereby information trickles down from managers toward employees and upwards from staff members to management. This encompassing communication approach helps plug the holes in communication and avoids confusion among parties when expectations or concerns are not aligned.
Lower Risk of Industrial Action:
A firm with employees who believe they have a voice will be inclined to strike or undertake any other form of industrial action than a firm without such voices. Employees seek solutions in positive ways if there is a defined channel for raising issues and contributing to decision-making processes. If disruptive actions against organizations emerge, this is less likely to occur.
Employee Development:
Employees’ involvement could enhance their personal and professional growth. They learn how the organization works when they actively participate in discussions about the strategies and the day-to-day issues and obtain those new skills. These may foster more job satisfaction and provide avenues for career advancement (Maartje Paais & Pattiruhu, 2020).
Alignment with Organizational Goals:
Employees’ compliance with organizational goals will be high when such objectives are well understood and when they participate in decision-making. Therefore, they feel it is their business to help the organization succeed towards its goals, leading to an energetic, more engaged, and committed staff. The coherence with objectives results in improved performances and an effective pursuit of the organizational goal.
d)Explain how the management of Mapapa Limited could avert the threatened strike.
Immediate Dialogue:
The first of these measures involves commencing open and honest discussions with trade union officials and employees to prevent a potential strike. The organization adopts this approach, illustrating its responsiveness to employee concerns. Management will engage their subordinates in reasonable dialogue that allows them to delve into various issues and identify jointly accepted solutions to prevent violence in conflict situations.
Consultation on Grievances:
It also shows a proactive side by involving employees’ unions, individual colleagues, and their managers in grievance resolution. This approach helps resolve issues, enabling employees to be heard and valued. Management can show concern by providing an open forum for debate and negotiating fairly.
Negotiation and Fair Compensation:
Workers’ most substantial disgruntlement lies in adjusting their salaries after review according to the market rate. A good wage package is among employees’ job satisfaction and retention expectations. Management should address the issue of unfair pay ahead of time rather than wait for it to be brought up by the employees as a grievance, which they will use to show that they are rightly valued and rewarded (El-Metwally et al., 2019).
Formal Grievance Handling:
This is why an informal grievance handling procedure by HR specialists would provide employees with a step-by-step guide on expressing their concerns and getting equal treatment. The formal approach helps ensure that issues are not swept under the carpet and promotes transparency; thus, no one can say they are being mistreated, minimizing the possibility of escalation of disputes and strikes.
Non-Financial Incentives:
Other forms of motivation do not involve money, such as recognition programs and flexible working hour arrangements, job enrichment programs, etc. In addition, these incentives show gratitude towards employees’ contribution and care for their welfare, making them feel valued and, therefore, willing to be more committed (El-Metwally et al., 2019).
Counseling Services:
The company needs to set up counseling services to help employees go through the emotions related to their work. The employees might be helped to deal with job-specific requirements like reducing stress, burnout, and emotional fatigue, which could lead to job satisfaction. This way, employees’ health and happiness at the workplace, and consequently job satisfaction, will improve due to the emotional support offered by the company.
Communication Improvement:
Formulating robust internal communication processes is essential so workers can be aware of what happens in the organization that might affect them. Open and frequent consultation with workers creates trust and unity while preventing misconceptions and complaints (El-Metwally et al., 2019).
Regular Feedback Mechanisms:
The organization implements a feedback mechanism, including employee surveys and suggestion boxes, to collect and act upon information immediately and constantly. The organization develops an internal culture by continuously providing employees with feedback, which ensures that worker issues are effectively addressed promptly, ensuring a healthy working environment (Dachner et al., 2021).
Mediation Services:
Involving external mediators when resolving complex or touchy matters would be wise. However, with complex issues, external mediators may be better able to provide a neutral third party for an expert resolution of the dispute, giving both sides equal consideration of the issues. The technique can solve such complex problems without having industrial strikes or walkouts (Wang Ro Lee et al., 2021).
Strategic Planning:
A strategic plan formulated and implemented towards enhancing long-term employee satisfaction includes setting goals, evaluating performances, and providing career development opportunities. Therefore, the organization should clarify its objectives and expectations to prepare a guide toward stable employee relations.
Employee Involvement:
Employee participation in deciding issues affecting their working environment and benefits enhances ownership and joint responsibility. Using this strategy, decisions can be more enlightened and mutual, resolving workers’ challenges and conforming to their company philosophy (Varshney, 2019).
References
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Wang Ro Lee, Suk Bong Choi, & Kang, S. (2021). How Leaders’ Positive Feedback Influences Employees’ Innovative Behavior: The Mediating Role of Voice Behavior and Job Autonomy. Sustainability, 13(4), 1901–1901. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13041901
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