ELEMENTS OF HUMAN AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

HRM 114

Compiled by:
Mr. Olorunnisola S. T.
08080995099
[email protected]

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CONTENT:

CHAPTER 1: DEFINITIONS OF INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

CHAPTER 2: SCOPE OF INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

CHAPTER 3: OBJECTIVES OF INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

CHAPTER 4: NATURE/PARTICIPANTS IN INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

CHAPTER 5: CHARACTERISTICS OF INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

CHAPTER 6: IMPORTANCE OF INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

CHAPTER 7: CONDITIONS FOR HEALTHY INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

CHAPTER 8: POLICIES IN INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

CHAPTER 9: LABOUR MANAGEMENT RELATION

CHAPTER 10: PREREQUISITE FOR SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMME

(Impact, Essential Conditions, Causes, Approaches and Role)

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CHAPTER ONE

DEFINITIONS OF INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

Introduction

The existence of a strong, united and recognized trade union is a pre-requisite

to the industrial harmony and development pace of any country. Today, there is
a high and developing interest and recognition of individual freedom to freely
associate with groups or association of one’s interest. This right has also been
recognized in industries as workers now freely elect or choose to join groups and
associate in unions and to engaged in collective bargaining with employers. This
right has also been provided for by different countries in various ways in other
to bring about enduring industrial harmony and national economic
development. The development of labour union is as a result of reaction to
management’s use of its decision-making power in ways that are workers anti-
friendly or excessive. These reactions of workers have centred on basic
economic issues and other resource interest. Heneman et al. (1983) state that
unions frequently develop because their members are frustrated in achieving
important goals on an individual basis, and collective action is therefore the only
countervailing technique available to effectively achieve these important
individual desires. In other words, since an individual persuasion of
management does not yield the required or expected results, a form of
collective pursuance is therefore necessary to achieve those same goals for the
individuals.

In the wake of early industrial revolutions, the employers acts and behave as
lords who have the final say on every matter that concern the workers in the
work place. The employers or and managers are so powerful that they can

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decide the fate of any individual who on his or her own is powerless, and weak
to fight back or challenge any indiscriminate action of the management. In
realization of these, workers come together and seek to institute their terms
and conditions of employment as group matters much than an individual would
be in the demands and negotiation of better conditions and terms of
employment in industrial setting. Trade union movement and their activities are
vital part of our industrial relations. The coming together of employees to seek
for improvement on their terms and condition of employment by the employers
is today a major role of trade union. In pursuance of this and other roles, a
friendly harmonious industrial relationship has been a critical concern of any
responsible labour union.

Okojie (2011) note that trade union emerged in Nigeria at a time when
representative political democracy was not even in existence. He pointed out
that the British Colonial Government began making formal inroads on the field
of labour relations in the thirties after the trade union ordinance of 1938.
Therefore, trade unions represent a voluntary association whose membership
comprises of salary earners, employees and union leaders. Peter (2000)
observes that the major concerns of Unions have been „improved living
standards, equity and justice to workers. The achievement of this objective and
other intentions of coming together as a union however, depend on the unity
and strong influence that trade union have, and how they are seen by the
employers in the industrial setting. The importance of trade union is mainly in
the fact that they are utilized as a representative voice when dealing with
employers in workplace, and thus attempt to improve the employments
conditions of their members through the collective bargaining procedure.

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In today’s industrial setting in Nigeria, it is however very disheartening to
discover high level of union disunity and politicization, a situation that has
reduce labour unions to mere toothless bulldogs and pawns in the hands of
politicians and managers, and has made many labour unions failed in the roles
and functions in bringing about peaceful and harmonious industrial harmony
and development. This paper therefore take a theoretically incursion into
examining the roles of labour union in Nigeria’s industrial harmony and
development.

Defining HR and IR

As described more fully in a moment, the fields of HRM and IR as both subject
areas in university curriculums and vocational areas of practice in the business
world were born in North America in the late 1910s to early 1920s. In the
beginning a plethora of names were used to describe this broad subject area.
Names commonly encountered include employment management, labor
management, personnel management, personnel administration, labor
relations, industrial relations, industrial relations.

The concepts behind Industrial Relations

Industrial relations imply the relation between both employer and employees
during the period of employment in an industrial organisation. However, the
concept of industrial relations has a broader meaning. In a broader sense, the
term industrial relations refers to the relation between various unions, state and
union, and between employers and government. Relations of all those
associated with the industry may be known as industrial relations. According to
the International Labour Organisation (ILO), industrial relations deals with
relationships between either state and employers and workers organisations or

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the relationship between the occupation organisation themselves.(Image Will
be Updated Soon)

Industrial Relation Meaning

The term industrial relations comprises two words, i.e. ‘industry’ and ‘relations’.
The term ‘industry’ refers to any productive activity in the organisation in which
the employees are engaged. On the other hand, the term ‘relations’ refers to the
relationship, which exists within the industry between the management and the
employees. The relationship between management and employees within the
organisation within the organisational settings is defined by industrial relations.
Industrial relations emerge directly or indirectly from management-trade union
relationships.

The historical evolution of HR and IR

Since there is a diversity of viewpoints and some confusion about the meaning
of the HR and IR labels and the subject areas they represent, it is useful to take
a closer look at the historical evolution of the HR and IR fields in order to better
understand their juxtaposition today. The reader should note that the account
provided here of the origins and development of the IR and HR fields is in certain
important respects quite different relative to oft-cited research works on the
subject.

Commonalities and differences

This survey of the historical origins and evolution of the HR and IR fields provides
the “data points” for discriminating both their commonalities and differences as
academic subject areas. Additional data points are provided by the companion
articles in this symposium, published articles by other scholars (e.g., Beer &
Spector, 1984, Guest, 1987, Kochan, 1998) that describe the salient features of

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the two fields, and two recent Handbooks of HRM that provide contrasting HR
and IR approaches.

What is human relations?

The human relations theory, also known as the human relations movement or
approach, is a management model that emphasises human relationships as
social factors within organisations and identifies these factors as a relevant
criterion for the success of the organisation. From about 1930 onwards, this
model became relevant for organisational practice.

(Fig. 1: Timeline of Human Relations from „Human Relations - Strategies for

Success”, Lowell Lamberton, Leslie Minor).

For simplicity, we will use the term human relations for that throughout this
article.

Human relations is the idea that you can increase productivity and motivation
by improving social bonds and working conditions for employees. This includes
empowering them, giving them opportunities to participate in decision-making
processes at all levels of their jobs, as well as providing positive treatment, so
they feel appreciated just like every other individual on staff.

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We also know the concept of "human centricity" as a key element from the New
York ideology, which we have already talked about in a previous article.

Human Relations Theory Critiques

One common critique is, that human relations can be used to manipulate
employees into being more productive or working longer hours. This could be
done in the name of "employee satisfaction" which eventually might lead to
resentment or even burnout.

And then there is the argument that the theory is too unilateral and neglected
certain aspects. Well, it is an outdated model—though it was the role model for
many modern motivational theories. Therefore, we focus in this article not on
the theory but on the elements which still have a high impact in the workplace
when it comes to the satisfaction and wellbeing of the individual as well as the
companies bottom line.

On top of that, the pandemic proves once more that the ideology of humans
relations and New Work clearly define the building blocks of a successful
workplace of the future.

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CHAPTER TWO

SCOPE OF INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS,

Scope of Industrial Relation

Industrial Relations is a wide-reaching term. Different scholars have expressed

their different views on the scope of industrial relations. According to Dale Yoder,
“Industrial relations incorporate policies related to recruitment, selection,
training of workers, personnel management, and collective bargaining.”
According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), industrial relations
incorporate the relations between state and employers and relations between
trade unions and employers associations.

According to Richard A Lester, the scope of industrial relations is no longer

limited only to trade unions and industrial management, rather it includes all
aspects of labour such as wages, productivity, social security, management, and
employee policies. Trade Union policies also form part of it.

In a modern organisation, the industrial relations functions are performed by the

Industrial Relations Department. This function is performed under the
supervision of the Director of the Industrial Relations department. In the
performance of this function, support is rendered by different managers and
subordinates. Different important functions performed by workers of the
industrial relation department includes:

• Management of policies and programs of industrial relations.

• Public Relation

• Labour Relation

• Recruitment, Selection, and Placement of labourers.

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• To provide medical and health-related services.

• To maintain employment records of the employees. Provision of recruitment

test, ability test, skill test, and intelligence test.

• Provision of training and education program.

Industrial relations covers all kinds of formal relationships existing in an

organization. The scope of industrial relations can be briefly classified into
the following four dimensions:

Employer-Employee Relations

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The relationship that pertains between the business owner and the
employees of a particular company is known as the employer-employee
relationship.

Group Relations

The interactions and communication between the workers belonging to

different workgroups are studied under group relations.

Labour Relations

In an organization, the relationship shared by the managers and the

workers is termed as labour relations.

Public Relations

Public relations or community relations is the interaction and relationship

of the organization with the society or external bodies. For long-term
existence in the business, every organization needs to maintain cordial
public ties.

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CHAPTER THREE

Objectives of Industrial Relations

Industrial relations hold a high significance in the context of human

resource management about addressing the industrial disputes in an
organization. The various other goals of carrying out such practices are as
follows:

1. Handling Grievance: Industrial relations aim to maintain a

cordial relationship between the management and the employees
by setting up a mechanism to address the grievances of both
parties.

2. Mental Revolution: It emphasizes on transforming the way of

thinking of both the management and the workers. The employer
must value the worker’s contribution towards the organization
and the employees must respect the authority of the management.

3. Employees’ Rights Protection: Under industrial relations, various

acts and associations were formed to safeguard the rights and
interests of the employees.

4. Contract Interpretation: Industrial relations emphasizes on

providing proper training to the supervisors and the managers on
the labour law contracts to clarify any misunderstanding.

5. Boosting Morale: Industrial relations emphasize on building

employee’s confidence and boosting their morale to perform
better than before.

6. Collective Bargaining: The worker’s representative and the

management put up their proposals in front of each other and

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 negotiate over the same to reach a mutual decision written in a
collective bargaining agreement.

7. Increasing Productivity: Industrial relations aims at improving

the efficiency and productivity of the organization by ensuring
employees’ long-term retention.

For emphasis these are the different objectives of industrial relation:

• To establish industrial peace.

• To safeguard the interests of both workers and management.

• To avoid industrial disputes.

• To raise the production capacity.

• To establish industrial democracy.

• To minimise the labour turnover rate and absenteeism.

• To safeguard the workers economic and social interests.

• To contribute to the economic development of the country through

productivity.

• To establish a full employment situation.

• To minimise strikes, lockout, Heroes, etc., by providing good working

conditions and fair wages to the workers.

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CHAPTER FOUR

Nature of Industrial Relation and Parties in I. R.

Industrial relations deals with human behaviour and management of

personnel in an organizational setup. Industrial relations are concerned with
the relationship between management and workers.

1. Industrial relations safeguards the interest of employees.

2. Industrial relations are concerned with the system, rules, and procedures
used by unions and employees to determine the reward for effort and
other conditions of employment, safeguard the interests of the
employees and their employer and regulate how employers treat their
employees.
3. Industrial relations maintain a balance with employee expectations,
employer associations, trade unions, and other social and economic
institutions of societies.
4. Industrial relations help in resolving disputes, conflicts, and controversies
between labour and management.

For emphasis:

• Industrial relations are concerned with the relationship between management

and workers.

• Industrial relations safeguards the interest of employees.

• Industrial relations are concerned with the system, rules, and procedures used
by unions and employees to determine the reward for effort and other
conditions of employment, safeguard the interests of the employees and their
employer and regulate how employers treat their employees.

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• Industrial relations maintain a balance with employee expectations, employer
associations, trade unions, and other social and economic institutions of
societies.

• Industrial relations help in resolving disputes, conflicts, and controversies

between labour and management.

The various factors that influence the relationship between the

administration and the employees in an organization are as follows:

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 1. Individual Behavior: This explains that every person has a
different perception, background, skills, knowledge, experience,
and achievements which influences an individual’s behavior.

2. Organizational Structure: The hierarchical structure creates more

formal relationships among the employees belonging to different
hierarchical levels in an organization.

3. Psychological Factors: This explains an employee’s attitude and

mentality towards the employer and the given task. And the
employer’s psychology towards the workers can be positive or
negative.

4. Leadership Style: Every manager possesses certain leadership

traits and different styles to function even in a formal organization
to generate team spirit and motivate the employees.

5. Economic and Technical Environment: Organizations need to

restructure the task of the employees including their work
duration, conditions, and wages for dealing with the changes in
the economic conditions or in their behavior, attitude, adapting
spirit, etc.

6. Legal and Political Environment: The legal framework and

political circumstances influence the organization and its
industrial relations contributing to the framing of rules, rights,
authority, powers, and responsibilities of all the parties of the
organization.

Parties Involved in Industrial Relations

The different persons holding distinct positions in the organization and

the external or internal associations involved in the process of building

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strong industrial relations can be bifurcated into the following two
categories:

Those persons or associations which are directly associated with or

influenced by the functions of industrial relations are as follows:

Employees

8. Employees share their views, suggestions, ideas with the

management to improve the business operations and become a
part of organizational decision-making, and ensuring the
betterment of the working conditions

Employers

They are responsible for:

5. Providing a good work environment for the employees and taking

strategic decisions such as mergers, acquisitions, or shutting
down of the organization, etc.

6. Motivating the employees to give their best and gaining their trust
and commitment.

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 7. Improving the overall efficiency and ensuring effective
communication among the employees and the management.

Government

Government started regulating the industrial relations through labour

courts and tribunals, for the following reasons:

1. Safeguarding the interest of both the parties.

2. Ensuring that both the employer and the employee, abide by the
legal terms and conditions.

Other Parties

The parties which impact the industrial relations within an organization

are as follows:

Employers’ Association

1. Employers Association refers to an authoritative body, formed to

protect the interest of the industrial owners.

2. They represent the owners in collective bargaining with the

employees or government, national issues, and provide insight
into employee relations in an organization.

Trade Unions

7. Trade Unions mean when the workers unite together to form an

association and elect a representative among themselves and to
raise their demands in front of the management.

8. They demand better working conditions and higher job security

for the workers by safeguarding the interest of the employees by
demanding control over the decision-making at various levels.

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Courts and Tribunals

The judiciary includes the ‘courts’ to resolve the legitimate conflicts and
the ‘judicial review’ to administer the justice of the constitution. These
courts and tribunals play an essential role in the settlement of industrial
disputes by eliminating the possibilities of Judicial flaws, conflicting
judgment, poor evaluation of penalty, and Confusing terms and
conditions.

International Labor Organization (ILO)

International Labor Organization aimed to look into matters like Worker’s

compensation, employee’s work duration and days, women employment,
employee’s safety, security, and medical facilities with maternity
protection.

Human Resource Function

The human resource department or team acts as a mediator between the

organization and its employees for dealing with personnel issues and
conflicts. HR professionals address the disputes at the initial level, act as
a change agent by bringing a mental revolution and perform the role of an
administration expert and a strategic partner.

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CHAPTER FIVE

CHARACTERISTICS OF INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

The following are the significant features of industrial relations:

1. Industrial relations are the result of employment relationships in industrial

enterprises.

2. Industrial relations introduced the concept and method of balancing and

cooperating.

3. Industrial relations formulate rules and regulations to maintain

harmonious relations.
4. The intervention of the Government to shape the industrial relation is
made through laws, agreements, rules, charters, etc.
5. Industrial relations incorporate both individual relations and collective
relations.
6. Several parties play a role in industrial relations. The main parties are
employees and their organisation, employers and their association, and
government.

Problems facing I.R.

Industrial relations is a fancy word that really means the ways in which
senior- and mid-level managers at your company interact with rank-and-
file employees. Regardless of your organizational structure, there will
always be challenges in employee relations that you must handle before
these challenges become major problems. These challenges are the
result of the divide that exists at your company between those who make
decisions and those who must implement those decisions.
Understanding the common problems faced by employees in

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organization is the key to maintaining a harmonious relationship
between management and staff.

Lack of Privacy

One of the biggest challenges of employee relations is the fact that there
is no presumption of privacy when business owners hire employees.
Many companies have policies that allow security personnel to monitor
internet use, phone calls, voicemails, and email correspondence.
Technology has also increased the problems faced by employees in
organization because of the increased intrusion of video and audio
surveillance. When employees feel as if every move they make is being
monitored, they lose trust in upper management and company leaders.

It's an "Us Against Them" Mentality

Another of the pressing problems faced by employees in organization is

that many workers believe that a significant divide exists between a
company's workers and managers. This is a natural reaction by a group
of people who understand that they must often subordinate their own
desires to implement the will of management. This division can cause a
number of issues, such as contract negotiation problems and strikes,
which can require the intervention of trade and labor unions. However, if
you establish the proper balance between empowering your employees,
and maintaining a chain-of-command, you can help resolve one of the
biggest challenges in industrial relations

Inflexibility of Employer

Business owners that run their companies like an autocracy, can trigger
challenges in industrial relations because they create an inflexible

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environment. When an employer is inflexible, it can stifle employee
creativity, especially if employees believe that management doesn’t
solicit their ideas and suggestions, and is hostile to any suggestions or
ideas that employees do make. The problem is that when management
restricts creativity and imagination, it can also stifle innovation and
compromise the company’s competitive position within its industry.
Employers that allow employees to participate in running the company
by soliciting, and using their ideas and suggestions often find a more
productive business environment.

Gender Wage Disparity

In some companies, the gap between what a woman earns for a position
versus what a man earns for the same position, is another significant
challenge in industrial relations. Although the latest research suggests
that the gender pay gap is narrowing, many instances still exist in which
women discover that they are being paid less than a male colleague for
the same work. This can create conflict, especially if a company’s
management is predominantly male. Although there are multiple factors
that can lead to a gender pay gap, the usual perception of female
employees is that management may not value their contribution as much
as they do that of male employees. Business owners that are proactive
at ensuring that those men and women who have similar skills, talents,
and prior experience, will earn the same wage -- and this can help prevent
this problem.

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Narrow Focus of Employees

Another issue that arises out of industrial relations is the narrow focus
that some employees have about their role in a company. An employee
might regard his task as only a job that he must complete, rather than a
role he can examine as to how he benefits the organization. Many
employees see their managers as people who give orders, rather than as
facilitators who can help employees achieve professional goals.
Forward-thinking business owners, who embrace a team concept and
who give employees latitude to develop ideas and make important
decisions without oversight, can offset this problem

CHAPTER 6: IMPORTANCE OF INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

What is the Importance of Industrial Relations?

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Promotes Democracy: Industrial relations means employing collective
bargaining to resolve issues faced by workers. This collective bargaining is
generally employed through cooperation and mutual agreement amongst all the
affected parties, i.e., democracy, management, and employees unions. This
enables an organisation to establish industrial democracy, which eventually
motivates the workers to perform their best to the growth and prosperity of the
organisation.

High Morale: Good industrial relations enhance the morale of the employees
and motivate the workers to work more efficiently.

Avoid Conflicts Between Management And Union: Industrial relations minimise

issues between unions and management. This is because industrial relations
incorporate setting up machinery to resolve issues faced by management and
employees through mutual agreement to which both these parties are bound.
This results in ignoring any unfair practices that could lead to major conflicts
between employers and trade unions.

Minimises Wastage: Satisfactory Industrial relations are maintained on the

basis of co-operation and recognition of each other in the department. It helps
to minimise wastage of material, manpower, and costs.

Economic Growth And Development: Good and harmonious industrial relations

result in increased efficiency and hence prosperity, which in turn minimise
turnover and other tangible benefits to the organisation. This promotes
economic growth and development.

Functions of Industrial Relations

The important functions of industrial relations are:

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 1. To establish communication between workers and management to
maintain the sound relationship between the two.

2. To establish support between managers and employees.

3. To ensure the creative contribution of trade unions to avoid industrial

conflicts.

4. To safeguard the interests of workers and the management,

To avoid an unhealthy and unethical atmosphere in an industry.

5. To formulate such considerations that may promote understanding,

creativity, and cooperativeness to enhance industrial productivity.

6. To ensure better workers’ participation.

CHAPTER SEVEN

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CONDITIONS FOR HEALTHY INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

What are Human Relations Skills?

Human relations skills are the capacity to connect with others so that you can
constructively collaborate and achieve common goals. This includes being able
to understand and empathize with others, as well as being able to communicate
effectively.

Communication is the fundamental skill upon which all human relations skills
are built. Strong human relations skills are important in any workplace, but are
particularly essential in the future workplace, where teams will be increasingly
cross-functional, diverse and collaborative.

Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is the ability to be aware of and manage your own

emotions, as well as the emotions of others. It involves being able to understand
and respond to people in a way that builds positive relationships. In the
workplace of the future, where change will be constant, emotional intelligence
will be a key skill for managing stress and maintaining morale.

Active Listening

Active listening is the ability to truly listen to what someone else is saying,
without letting your own biases, judgement or assumptions get in the way. It
involves taking the time to understand another person’s perspective, and then
responding in a way that acknowledges their feelings and point of view.

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Conflict Resolution

Conflict resolution is the ability to identify and manage conflict in a constructive

way that leads to a positive outcome. It involves understanding the root causes
of conflict, as well as the different perspectives of those involved. Effective
conflict resolution requires good communication and problem-solving skills.

Empathy

Empathy plays out big with conflict resolution because it’s the ability to
understand and share the feelings of another person. In the workplace, empathy
can mean understanding what someone is going through, whether it's a difficult
work situation or a personal issue. It can also mean being sensitive to the needs
of others, both in terms of work demands and personal preferences. Empathy
helps create a supportive and understanding work environment, which can be
beneficial for both employees and employers.

Cultural competence

Cultural competence is the ability to understand and work effectively with

people from different cultures. In the diverse workplace of the future, this skill
will be essential for building positive relationships among multifaceted teams
and remote workers from different cultures.

These are just a few examples of human relations skills that will be important in
the workplace of the future. As technology continues to change the way we
interact with each other, it’s important to remember that at the end of the day,
we are all human beings who need to be able to communicate and connect with
each other.

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CHAPTER EIGHT

POLICIES IN INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

Industrial relations is the human resources discipline most often

associated with matters involving union workers. In some circles, it is
also referred to as labor-management relations and labor relations.
Meanwhile, employee relations is the companion discipline that HR
experts typically use when defining the HR responsibilities for a non-
union employee base.

Policy development for industrial relations generally is formed by the

employer's HR department leader. However, if an HR leader is not on
staff, industrial relations policies become the responsibility of the
employer's highest-ranking manager, such as the company president.

Defining the HR Role Comes First

A core policy in industrial relations is to define the role of human
resources and its participation in labor-management relations. If the
company doesn't have a dedicated HR department or chooses not to hire
an HR labor relations specialist, the company can engage the services of
legal counsel or a labor relations consultant. These professionals can
advise the company on matters involving union organizing, concerted
activity among workers, union elections and collective bargaining.
Regardless of whether the workforce is union or non-union, human
resources staff needs to be aware of their authority and responsibilities
concerning labor-management relations. Therefore, setting policy
begins with assessing the employer's in-house expertise and external
resources.

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Industrial relations workplace policies must include informing workers
of their rights under federal and state law and maintaining employer
compliance with labor and employment laws.

One common critique is, that human relations can be used to manipulate
employees into being more productive or working longer hours. This could be
done in the name of "employee satisfaction" which eventually might lead to
resentment or even burnout.

Negotiator Leads Collective Bargaining

The negotiation process that labor unions and employers use to achieve
a labor union contract is referred to as collective bargaining, and the
resulting contract is a collective bargaining agreement. During collective
bargaining, the employer and labor union make proposals on non-
economic issues, such as seniority-based shift bidding and grievance
procedures, and economic issues, such as wages, benefits and pension
contributions. Negotiation also involves making concessions and
counteroffers.
An essential industrial relations policy for employers is the designation
of a chief negotiator. Even if the company has a dedicated HR
department, that does not always mean that an HR manager or a labor
relations specialist is designated as the chief negotiator. In many
instances, the company president is the chief negotiator, and the HR
manager or labor relations specialist is an adviser who provides wage
and benefits expense data. The chief negotiator must be someone with
the authority to enter into binding contracts.
Employee Relations Policies Still Needed
Unionized workplaces also have non-union employees or workers who
aren't in the bargaining unit. Therefore, developing industrial relations

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policies is not a substitute for developing employee relations policies.
Employee relations policies are equally important for strengthening the
employer-employee relationship. However, the concept of employee
relations is one used to denote practices for non-union employees.
Employee relations policies include processes to identify and resolve
workplace conflict, HR metrics concerning job satisfaction and
employee engagement and guidance and support for management on
maintaining productive supervisor-employee relationships.
Management of policies and programs of industrial relations:

• Public Relation

• Labour Relation

• Recruitment, Selection, and Placement of labourers.

• To provide medical and health-related services.

• To maintain employment records of the employees Provision of recruitment

test, ability test, skill test, and intelligence test. Provision of training and
education program.

CHAPTER NINE

LABOUR MANAGEMENT RELATION

Definition of Trade Union

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Different definitions have been given for labour union by authors. According to
Tokubvo (1985) in Collins (2013) a labour union is an association of workers,
which consist of representatives that mediate between the workers and their
employer in order to avoid any unfair treatment that could be meted on them
by the employers and to conversely ensure commitment to work by its members
in a way that, it will result in high level of productivity and organization efficiency
in general. It also refers to organized groupings of workers that relate with
employers on various issues related to the condition of employment of their
member (Adefolaju, 2013). According to Hyman (2001) it is the continuous
association of wage earners for the purpose of sustaining and enhancement of
their workplace conditions.

The Nigerian Trade Union Act of 1973 defines it as;

“Any combination of workers or employee whether temporary or permanent,

the purpose of which is to regulate the terms and conditions of employment of
workers whether the combination by any reason of its purposes being in
restraint of trade and whether it purpose do or do not include the provision of
benefits to members”.

Uvieghara (2001) observed that the two significant criteria of this definition for
determining whether an association is a trade union are: the combination must
be of workers or employers and, that it must have the proper purpose, which is
that of regulating the terms and conditions of employment of workers. Labour
union is also seen as organization whose membership consists of wage earners
and union leaders, who are united to promote and pursue their common interest
and welfare, and regulate terms and conditions of their employment through
collective bargaining and consultations with employers. In the words of Webb
and Webb (1894) it is a continuous association of wage earners for the purpose

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of maintaining or improving the conditions of their working lives. In this sense,
employees in a union seek to use the union to protect and promote their own
interest in the workplace, mainly by means of collective bargaining and
consultations with employers. Labour union thus, is a platform utilized by
workers in organizations to seek understanding as well as to influence
management decisions that could be detrimental or contrary to the terms and
the contract of agreement which the management entered into with the
workers. In this sense, a labour union can be seen an organization of wage
earners or salary workers established for the purpose of protecting members
collective interests in their dealing with employers and in the wider society using
the process of rule-making and collective bargaining in an industrial settings or
workplace. Labour union is therefore vital for the improvement of the workers
quality of life.

Objectives of Trade Union

Labour unions have different objectives they seek to achieve. Broadly speaking,
every association is formed to achieve certain goals. According to Uvieghara
(2001) “the purpose for which association is formed is the distinguishing
characteristics of a trade union from other association”. Heneman et al. (1983)
posit that the goals of unions are to increase total membership through
improvement of economic and other conditions of employment for present and
potential members.

The principal objective of labour union is the regulation of the terms and
conditions of employment of workers and to present a collective and strong and
united front in collective bargaining activity. In other words, trade union
objectives are to fight for the interest of all her members in matters relating to
terms and conditions of employment industrial settings. In addition, other

32
objectives of trade union are to regulate relations between its members
(workers) and the employers, raise new demands of better condition of work on
behalf of its members, and to help in industrial grievance, and between
members and their respective organizations. In fighting for the interest of its
members, a trade union seek to optimize the working conditions at the
workplace and guarantees a job security whole protecting their members against
inhumane, unjust and unfair treatment from management at workplace. In other
words, the major objectives of trade unions include the followings: negotiation,
representing body, personnel policies, employee-employee relation, employee’s
welfare, and employee protection. Labour unions have the objective of carrying
out negotiations on behalf of members: Union seeks to achieve this objective
through collective bargaining process put in place in the organization. Union uses
collective bargaining to negotiate and cover work rule and procedure, grievance
procedure, health and safety polices, promotion, retirement, among others. This
is so because individual workers find it difficult to negotiate every term of
contract that has to do with work relationship with their employers. Since there
is power in number’s, labour unions seeks to utilize mobilize their members and
present a common front in their negotiation and demands from managements.

Representation of members is another major objective of labour unions: Labour

unions seek to represent her member when approached during disciplinary or
grievance hearing. In such situations, the union representative will support the
employee on the meeting with the management. In this regard, unions are
utilized as representing voices when dealing employers. Closely allied to this
objective is the maintenance of employee-employer relations: The achievement
of both the employers and employees goals depends on a peaceful and
harmonious relationship. This state of relationship is possible when trade union
strives to achieve these objectives. For example, when conflict arises between

33
worker and management, trade unions tries to resolve the conflict by initiating
negotiations with the management with the aim of achieving a harmonious
relation that will help to enhance effectiveness. When there is conflicts and
disharmony, the achievement of organizational and individual workers goals and
objective becomes very difficulty. Labour Unions also seek the promotion of
member’s welfare. This is one of the major objectives of trade union. In this
regard, trade union work as both a guide and counsellor to workers in giving
them the necessary advice about any work related problem. It also provides its
members legal advices and financial assistance when it is most needed. By
ensuring that the terms and conditions of employment of its members are just
and fair, it seeks to promote their general welfare.

Another objective of Labour Union is ensuring good personnel policies. Union

seeks to ensure that good personnel policies are in place for workers in the
workplace. As a result, may oppose management over poor or improper respect
to recruitment, selection, training, promotion, health and safety, retirement and
death policies. Most often, union’s advice personnel managers above best
industrial standards on personnel matters through union representatives. Ubeku
(1983) has noted that the aims and objectives of labour unions is to obtain better
condition of service and employment for their members‖. To achieve these
objectives of trade union requires that union leaders should be proactive and
knowledgeable about the labour laws of the country, and also have the
appropriate negotiating skills needed to win the sympathy and heart of the
management during any collective bargaining meeting. However, for collective
bargaining to be effective, trade union and employers need to come to

agreement on how grievance and disciplinary procedure, as well as personnel

policies of the organization need to be effective. Most of these points depend on

34
the union leaders negotiating and leadership skills, knowledge of relevant labour
and industrial laws, and their ability to mobilize and coordinate every union
member to follow given instructions.

Reasons Why Workers Join Union

Trade Unions perform some vital functions for their members that make other
workers always willing to join. According to Chand (2016) workers join trade
union because of some expected benefits which includes job security wages and
benefits, working conditions, fair and just supervision, powerlessness and the
need to belong.

Job security: Every worker wants security of their employment. No one wants
management to wake up one day and indiscriminately announces termination
of his or her appointment or employment. As a result of this, workers join union
to ensure that their jobs are security protected against indiscriminate and
unjustified terminations.

Adequate wages and Benefits: Trade union are known for championing the
campaign for better and equitable wages and associated be work benefits for
their members. They engage management in discussion in need to pay good
wage. Workers therefore join unions with the belief that the union will ensure
that management pay what is just and fair in wages and salary. Unions are also
believe to negotiate with management on other work benefits such as person,
vacation, medical facility, paid sick leave, and such other things that the union
may see as expedient for their members.

Power in groups: Most employees have realized that it is very difficult for an
individual to successfully bargain terms and conditions of employment.
Employees therefore join unions because they believe that there will be power

35
in unity. They also perceive that they will be powerless and voiceless when
dealing with management as individual workers. Therefore, joining unions
provide a strong, collective and powerful force to „challenge unfair and unjust
management policies, and to bargain with management where individual voices
cannot be heard.

Need to associate with others: No man can truly survive in isolation. No man is
an island. Man by native love to relate and share with others, and also has a
strong need to belong or associate with others. Association with others gives a
worker the opportunity of sharing his or her feelings and opinion. In workplace,
unions provide people the opportunity of coming together to consider, pursue
and promote common job-related interest, and also help workers to socialize
with others.

Protection from Unjust Supervision: The fear of been unjustly and unfairly
treated by managers and supervisors is another reason why workers join union.
Most often, some managers who lack the requisite human relation skills tries to
impose their opinions and desires on their entire subordinate, and also mistreat
them because of his influence over them. To avoid unjust supervisors excesses.
With employees in union, the union is in position to intervene with any unfair or
unjust action of such manager.

Bakke (1945) contend that:

“The worker reacts favourably to union membership in proportion to the

strength of his belief that the step will reduce his frustrations and anxiety and
will further his opportunities relevant to the achievement of his

standards of successful living. He react unfavourbly in proportion to the strength

of his belief that this step will increase his that this step will increase his

36
frustrations and anxieties and will reduce his opportunities relevant to the
achievement of such standards”.

Characteristics of Trade Union

Certain features distinguish trade union from other associations. Some of the
distinguishing features include:

Common goals and interest of members; trade union members share common
goals and interest and seek to pursue same for the entire members. These
interests could range from better terms and condition of employment, safe and
healthy work conditions, job security, better wages and benefit and general
support against unfair managerial decisions.

Another characteristic of trade union is voluntary membership: Membership of

trade union is basically voluntary. Worker are free to join or not to join cohering
workers to join a union is in contrast to the very essence of trade union in Nigeria,
however, law mandate every member of certain profession to belong to that
union, i.e.Nigerian Medical Association(NMA) Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)
etc.

Continuous association is another feature of trade union. Labour union activities

do not end in a day. It is a continuous activity. Though a member may decide to
opt out, labour union membership may demand a long term status. Additionally,
unions are egalitarian union. This is because trade unions conduct their affairs
by themselves and this enables them to act in our society. In other words, they
are classless, democratic and self-governed.

Finally, trade union is an association of workers and salary earner.

Trade Union Problems in Nigeria

37
Trade unions are experiencing different challenges all over the world, and Nigeria
is not an exception. These challenges have reduced the effectiveness and
efficiency of trade unions in pursuing the roles for which they are formed.
According to Rajesh and Manoj (2015) the major problems of trade union
include; uneven growth, leadership issues, inter-union rivalry, financial
weakness, weak collective bargaining process and chameleonic attitudes of
trade union leaders. In addition, wrong mentality of trade union or lacks of
internal union democracy are problems of labour and unions in Nigeria (Okojie,
2011). On his own, Gangurde (2014) identify lack of unity, low priority policy
makers, unorganized sector, and in-formalization of labour relations as the major
challenges of trade unions in India. Among the major problems noted by Okojie
(2011) as problems facing trade union in Nigeria are lack of internal democracy
and lack of credible leaders due to internal party wrangling.

Another major problem of trade union in Nigeria is political interest of some

trade union leaders. This has made some trade unions in Nigeria been
dominated by leaders who has little or no interest on the plight of the workers,
but want to use their positions to gain political relevance and in exploiting
workers for their political interest. The interests of the workers are not protected
by the leader-politicians masquerading as labour leaders. Very often,
negotiations with employers, both at public and private sectors fail due to such
political leadership, as the interest and welfare of the workers are very often
ignored during negotiations, especially when they are promised juicy
appointments in ministries, or are heavily induced financially. Observations
show that former leaders of notable labour unions few years ago are today fully
fledged politicians. Even when some of them are voted into political offices in
the country, they have resorted to excuses and have also failed to treat the

38
workers fairly, and labour unions have always been at logger heads with them,
and even going on strikes.

Closely allied to this is outside leadership of unions and political leaders of

unions. Sometimes, people who are not members of labour union are appointed
as the leaders by government and company’s management. The domination of
political leaders on the main is due to the absence of full time union workers.
These outsiders or political leaders lack the knowledge of basic principles and
practices of trade unionism, and only devote limited time and energy to trade
union activities. When this happens, union members will not trust the leaders
and considerers them as pawns in the hands of government and company‟s
management, as well as enemies to the wellbeing of union members.
Experiences have showed that these appointed outsiders who does not share
the feelings of the workers will not fight for the interest of union members, but
for that of their masters that appointed them. This always results to conflicts and
lack of industrial peace should the workers decides not to take instructions from
these “outsiders”. Hence, outside leadership acts as a major problem of trade
unions in Nigeria.

Inter union rivalry is another challenge of labour union in Nigeria. On account of

multiple unions there occurs a problem of union rivalry. Unions try to play down
each other in a bid to gain greater influence among workers. In the process they
do more harm than good to the cause of unionism as a whole. Employers are
given an opportunity to play unions against each other. They can refuse to
bargain on the contention that there is not true representative union. Besides
this, the workers' own solidarity is lost. Employers are able to take advantage of
infighting between workers groups. Solution to this problem can be found in
secret ballot vote. After some stipulated time period say two years or so, the

39
workers should go to polls to elect their representative union for that duration.
This would do away with both multiplicity of unions and union rivalry.

Another major challenge of trade union is opposition of management. Most

often some organization’s managements, especially, those of the private sector
sees labour unions as enemies who must be stopped and never be allowed to
exist in their firms, they felt that allowing labour unions freedom to operate in
their firms will give the workers opportunities to form a common front in their
demands and bargains.

Lack of support from the employers and general public is another major
challenge of trade union in Nigeria. While the public sometimes detest them due
to their constant strikes and threats of strike actions, go slow policy, and their
usually hard line positions, the employers as noted by Olson (1965) consider
trade unions as organizations only striving to secure benefits for their members,
such as financial gains like raise of wages, bonuses, various allowances insurance
benefits, overtime payment and non-financial benefits such as job security,
comfortable work places, and recreational facilities and decreasing fear of
employer through collective bargaining. In Nigeria, this is a very serious
challenge when one considers the hard line position of ASUU and their constant
threat of strike action. The manner ASUU executives pronounce strike actions
have today made the general public detest the union whenever an issue
concerning ASUU and the Federal government is raised. This position is
especially true of most parents, students and other labour union members who
sees most ASUU‟s actions as creating and adding additional cost and burdens to
parents, unusual delays to university students graduations from their academic
programmes, as well as a negative influence on students‟ academic
performances.

40
Another challenge of trade union in Nigeria is lack of unity among unions. In fact,
union disunity has reach the all time high that even people in the street are
aware that trade unions leaders are divided and are fighting for their own
immediate material wealth and benefits instead of the total welfare of the union
members. This has started for a long time and has been aggravated with time,
and more divisions is likely to be witness if genuine efforts are not put in place
to check and stop the ugly incidence. Today, trade union is divided along many
lines such as political and tribe lives. This have been made clear since labour
unions have started to join forces with some political parties to openly challenge
government policies and decisions at rallies and meetings organized by ruling or
opposing political parties.

As it is in Nigeria today, the Nigerian Labour Congress, which is the umbrella body
of all labour unions has at different times paraded two different National
executive officers with both groups claiming to represent the interest of the
Nigerian workers. In some instances, the different executive groups will mark
different union National programmes or activities at different venues. For
instance, in 2016, while one faction is celebrating workers day at Abuja, another
faction was doing the same function at Lagos. In fact, the same disunity is been
witnessed in most of the thirty six states of the Federation. For instance, in 2015,
when faction of Rivers State chapter of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) declared
a strike action for non-payment of about three months salaries of the state civil
service employees, another faction immediately called on the state civil servants
to disregard the misleading information, that they are already on discussion with
the state government to settles the issues. Worse still, these different

factions have failed to see common grounds to come together to fight for the
common interest and issues affecting the union members.

41
The major reason for this much disunity among trade union in Nigeria is that
union leaders do not give room for internal party democracy. There is also no
room for union members to participate, decide or vote on policy issues or to
elect their union official. These result to unwillingness of the majority to attend
branch meetings or take part in policy debates and elections. When this is the
prevailing circumstance, aggrieved members will oppose the union leadership
and seek to remove them by use of provision of the union bye-laws or passing a
vote of no confidence on them. This will however, generate disunity as loyalist
of the embattled officers will rally round to defend them. Trade unions cannot
flourish when a small number of powerful officers manipulate Union activities
and programmes for their own ends in order to retain their own power and
authority. As Adefolaju (2013) note, most labour union officials tend to covert
the union machinery for personal aggrandizement while trading away the union.

Another serious challenge of labour union in Nigeria is union politicization. In a

country where everything is grist to the politician’s mill, it is not surprising that
politicians should also “use” trade unions for their selfish ends (Jaywant, 2014).
Technically, labour organizations as independent bodies should report only to
their members but, in practice, they are putty in the hands of ambitious, and
more often than not, unscrupulous politicians. This is especially true of labour
unions in Nigeria both at the federal and state levels. Today, many acclaimed
labour leaders have not only shown open support to some political parties or
their candidates during elections, but are actual active politicians in the camps
of the ruling party or major opposition parties. For example, when the Nigeria
Federal government announced its intention to remove fuel subsidy during
President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, the Nigerian Labour Congress
and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria join hands with the leading opposition
parties to accuse the President (Dr. Jonathan) of insensitivity to the plights of

42
Nigerian workers (union members) and that of the common Nigerians, and also
stage various nation-wide protest, but when President Buhari from another
party took over at the helm of affairs of the country and announce the removal
of same in less than two year in office, the Nigerian Labour Congress and Trade
Union Congress of Nigeria and other unions that held several days of nation-wide
demonstration and protests over the intended removal of subsidy “went to
sleep” and never protested or raise an eye brow over the fuel subsidy matter.

CHAPTER TEN

PREREQUISITE FOR SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMME

Roles of Trade Union in Industrial Harmony and Development of Nigeria

Organizations

43
The roles which trade unions play are influenced by their own characteristics as
much as by their environment. On the whole, trade unions perform various roles
that are very significant that filled an important gap in the Nigerian industrial
environment. These various roles of unions are important elements in good
industrial relations. Otobo and Omole (1987) identify five key roles of unions in
Nigeria. These roles are welfare of their members, industrial peace, democratic
processes, productivity and economic and social progress. This role not only
brings about enhancement in the conditions of work, employment and wages of
workers but also lead to great competence among workers.

One important role of labour union is the effective promotion of collective

bargaining agreement. In every industrial and economic setting, trade unions
constitute an in element of fundamental importance to collective bargaining,
which is vital for industrial peace and harmony. Every labor union in Nigeria sees
this as a major role they are expected to carry out. Labour union uses collective
bargaining agreement to secure fair wages and benefits, as well as fair working
hours, and better standards necessary for wage increases. Labour unions also
use the medium to stop employees from being fired without just cause, and
other arbitrary and unjust actions of managers against the employees. Through
the collective bargaining process, the labour union saves the employer much
time that he could have used in negotiating with workers individually. These
times that are saved through collective bargaining process can be employed by
management to consider other challenges affecting the organization or in

strategizing ways to achieve competitive advantage over competitors. In this

role, labour union is seen as a spokesperson for the employees.

Trade unions promote and sustain peace and harmony in work environment:
This is because, any decision agreed upon collectively by workers and

44
management is bound to command obedience of and respect among the general
body of workers and employers also cannot afford to treat such decisions in a
light manner. Muya and Simotwo (2015) note that labour union can act as
indirect catalyst for creation of harmonious work environment. This role is
always effective when there is continual negotiation with employers over issues
that relate to employees work conditions in order to avoid employer-employee
conflict. This role creates a feeling of self respect and confidence among union
members, and also ensures that parties in the agreement live up to their billings.
In Nigeria, the Nigerian Labour Congress, PENGASSAN, and others play this role
effectively. This role enables labour union to ensure that cordial and good
understanding between employers and employees could be established in work
place and leads to a harmonious and conducive working environment. It is such
environment that results to higher organizational and individual productivity.
This role helps to safeguard organizational stability, growth and leadership.

Contribution to member’s welfare: Otobo and Omole (1987) observed that the
role of unions can be considered in terms of contributions to the welfare of their
members, industrial peace, democratic processes in industrial relations, and
productivity to social progress. According to Singh (2008) trade union roles has
been to protect jobs and real earning their members, secure better conditions
of work and life, and fight against exploitation and arbitrariness to ensure
fairness and equity in employment contexts. This view is supports by Singh and
Kulkarni (2013) and Barrientos and Smith (2007) when they note that
unionization has become instrumental in improving the quality of life of workers.
Trade unions thus negotiate improvements to better pay and working condition
for their members.

45
Improvement of organizational productivity: This happens when
labour/management conflict are mutually resolved. This means that the
settlement makes the workers more confident thereby making them put more
effort toward attaining organizational productivity. It is essential to note that
labour union play serious and vital role in resolving of labour/management
conflicts. In other words, when labour-management conflicts are resolved, it
makes the workers develop more confident thereby making him put more effort
toward attaining organizational productivity. Unions also perform such role as
increasing workers‟ productivity or efficiency, improvement of workers
discipline, improvement of workplace peace and harmony and participating in
decision making with management (Addison and Schnabel, 2003).

Labour union acts as employee’s representative. This happens as Labour union

represents workers for the purpose of giving them identity by serving as their
voice at workplace and society. This is not limited to when there are grievances
and the need for improved welfare package for members, but in protecting the
interest of the employees by taking active participation in the management.

Based on the discussion above, unions have a vital role to play not only in the
management of industrial relations bur also in ensuring continuous progress and
harmony of the nation. The role of union as agent for collective bargaining and
pursuit of member’s welfare can have both a positive and negative effect on both
the individual and industry. The positive side is that it has helped to bring about
industrial harmony between management and employees. Since unions wield
much power due to strength in united and collective voice, unions

should also channel this power to constructive use in different areas in other to
benefit their members and employers and ensure a win –win situation for all
parties. Moreover, with a set of highly trained and educated leaders who have

46
good negotiating skills and knowledge of the country’s labour law in position to
stead the boats of trade unions, trade unions will be seen as great assets and
partners in progress by management of industries rather than as liabilities.
Above all, trade unions acts as watch dog of the workers and general society
against bad government and management of companies‟ policies that is inimical
to the well-being of the citizens and workers.

7 Strategies to improve Human Relations in Workplace

1. Human Relations improve Communication

The main way human relations can improve communication and avoid
miscommunication in the workplace is by increasing transparency. This can be
done by having clear policies and procedures that are readily available to all
employees, as well as regular communication between management and
employees.
Furthermore, it is important to foster a culture of trust where employees feel
comfortable communicating openly with one another. By doing so, employees
will be more likely to raise any concerns or problems they may have, which can
help to prevent misunderstandings from occurring.

Ultimately, human relations can also help to resolve conflict when it does occur.
By having a well-defined process for handling disputes, employees will know
exactly what to do if they find themselves in a disagreement with another
employee. This can help to prevent the situation from escalating and potentially
leading to miscommunication.

47
2. Boosting Motivation and Productivity

The future of work requires us to think about how we can best empower and
support our employees in order for them to feel motivated. By providing
opportunities for personal growth, companies will be able to create a sense of
purpose at their jobs.

Human Relations can help them find meaning at work by fostering cultures that
promote trustworthiness across all levels within an organization—including
leadership teams—workers feel comfortable taking risks or sharing new ideas.
This ultimately leads towards more productivity within the workplace.

3. Enhancing Employee Collaboration

Human Relations can improve Employee Collaboration and the Workplace

Culture by creating a more open and communicative environment. This can be
done by establishing clear guidelines for communication, encouraging
employees to communicate openly with each other, and providing opportunities
for employees to get to know each other better.

Human Relations is an important aspect as it can help create a positive

workplace culture by promoting team-building activities and providing
recognition and rewards for employees who contribute positively to the
workplace.
Ultimately, Human Relations can help improve employee morale by ensuring
that employees feel valued and appreciated. By taking these steps, Human
Relations can play a key role in improving Employee Collaboration and the
Workplace Culture.

48
4. Scaling Employee Retention

Human Relations can improve Employee Retention by creating a positive work

environment. This can be done by fostering a sense of community among
employees, providing clear and concise communication, and offering
opportunities for growth and development. By creating a positive work
environment, Human Relations can help to create an atmosphere in which
employees are more likely to stay with the company for the long-term.
Over and above, Human Relations can improve Employee Retention by
providing support during difficult times. This may include offering counselling or
financial assistance during periods of unemployment or when an employee is
facing personal challenges. By providing support during difficult times, Human
Relations can help to show employees that the company cares about their well-
being and is committed to helping them succeed. By offering programmes and
perks that attract and retain top talent, HR can ensure that the company has a
strong pool of candidates to fill open positions. Certainly, few companies can
compete with the amenities of top companies compile like goggle but with
creativity and affordable digital offerings, companies can set themselves apart
from the competition.

5. Nurturing Employee Creativity

Human Relations can foster Employee Creativity in a few ways. First, they can
create an environment that is encouraging and supportive of creativity. This
could mean providing employees with the resources they need to be creative,
such as workspace, materials, and time. You can also encourage creativity by
praising your employees for their innovative ideas and giving them feedback on
how to improve their ideas. Finally, Human Relations can help employees feel
safe to take risks and experiment with new ideas. By creating an environment

49
conducive to creativity, Human Relations can help your company increase
innovation.

6. Managing Diversity

Strategies for managing diversity in the workplace can include policies and
procedures that value and respect diversity, training and development
opportunities that focus on cultural competence, recognition and reward
systems for employees who demonstrate successful intercultural interactions,
and assistance in resolving conflicts that may arise due to differences in cultural
background or perspective. Similarly, human relations professionals can work to
create a culture of inclusion in the workplace that can help eliminate feelings of
exclusion or discrimination among employees.

7. Accelerate employee development

Human relations can significantly improve the development of your workforce

if you create an atmosphere in which your employees feel comfortable and
communicate openly with their supervisors. This also includes setting clear and
achievable goals for staff to strive for.

A positive working environment in which employees feel valued and appreciated

also means a working environment that is conducive to employee development.
Mentoring and guiding employees in developing the skills and knowledge they
need for their professional development is very important in this regard. In this
way, Human Relations plays a key role in promoting the professional
development of employees.

What are future developments based in human relations theory?

50
Future developments in human relations theory will likely be based in more
collaborative approaches to work. With the increasing use of technology,
workers are becoming more dispersed and working remotely.

In addition, a recent found out that working in a hybrid model one or two days
in the office is the 'Sweet Spot'. Therefore, employees who worked (partly)
remotely were more likely to report better work-life balance, had a higher job
satisfaction as well as increased productivity and struggle less by work-family
conflicts. A hybrid work model could be the work scenario of the future for many
professions.

Managers will have to use more modern means of communication and team-
building to better manage these remote teams and create a more collaborative
working environment. Human relations theory can help managers to understand
how to better motivate and manage workers in a remote setting.
Furthermore, future developments in human relations theory may address
various issues of diversity and inclusion. With the global workforce becoming
increasingly diverse, managers will have to learn how to manage teams with a
variety of different backgrounds and perspectives. Finally, future developments
in human relations theory may also address the issue of work-life balance. As
more workers are looking for ways to achieve a better work-life balance,
managers must learn how to accommodate these needs. By understanding the
principles of human relations theory, managers can better prepare for the
challenges of the future workplace.

CONCLUSION

Trade unions perform some crucial roles and function which making them vital
for workers. The successful and effective execution of the roles and functions of

51
labour union enhances the chances of peaceful and harmonious industrial
settings in Nigeria. Workers need strong and united trade union, but today, the
future of trade unionism in Nigeria seems to be going towards fragmentation.
The nation-wide labour union is suffering as it had come merely from national
federations which workers are now disinclined to join. Given the multiple
challenges facing trade unions in Nigeria, it is essential for trade unions to
harness the resources of all its members in order to sustain it growth and healthy
development. This, of course can only be possible in the face of effective and
honest internal democratic process within the trade unions. Freedom should be
given to members to freely participate in all union programmes and in all
important decision. It is when the society sees and realizes that there are true
democratic processes in trade union activities that the unions will be taken
seriously. In all, for a union to be successful, it must attend primary to their
members needs and not be overly concerned about taking a particular political
approach and side. Moreover, members of trade unions should take devoted
interest in their affairs. They should understand what unionism all about and
what demands it makes on individual members as well as feel the need to give
the group required support for a common cause. Where this is not the case;
trade unionism cannot be expected to make much progress.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Trade union should create a level playground for all members to take part in the
decision making machinery of the unions. They must present a strong united
front since multiple unions dilutes the power of unions and reduces their
effectiveness. In this regard, trade unions should come together in order to
present a strong united voice in matters affecting their members and the general
society. In addition, freedom should be given to members to freely participate in

52
all union programmes and in all important decision. It is when the society sees
and realizes that there are true democratic processes in trade union activities
that the unions will be taken seriously. In all, for a union to be successful, it must
attend primary to their members needs and not be overly concerned about
taking a particular political approach and side.

Due to the challenge of poor and non-proactive leadership, union members

should ensure that only qualified, tested and trusted leaders who are truly
workers should be voted into position of office both at the local, state and
national level. It is only leaders with integrity that will have the courage to say
no to various financial inducements the government and captains of industry will
offer them. In addition union leaders should be properly trained and educated
to know the basic labour laws in order to plan their actions within the confide of
the laws to avoid pursuing shadows while leaving the substance especially during
collective bargaining and conflict resolving meetings. Labour unions should
educate workers of their rights and duties and developing in them a sense of
responsibility, and also provide for the training and adequate education for their
members in order to give room for advancement of their members.

On their part, employers (business owners and managers) should support the
involvement of a union representative and workers in some of the decisions
regarding work conditions because some of the workers can be better informed
about ways of raising productivity in their departments, and can help to
accelerate agreed-upon decision. This is because, when issues arise at the
workplace between managers and the employee, union representatives can be
used to secure a “win-win” in which both sides feel as if they each attained
something from the deal.

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