Employer Associations & Modern Awards Essay

Human resource departments today have a more distinct, calculated position within organizations, and human resource strategy influences the bottom line. “One of the challenges for HR leaders is convincing executive leadership teams that human capital is one of the most important resources in which the company can invest” (Mayhew, 2014, p.). Subsequently, “this return on investment is an essential part of the argument for including HR as part of an overall business strategy” (Mayhew, 2014, p.). Human resource departments utilize the information given to them from company executives and leaders, coupled with their respective expertise on all things personnel, and they plan and implement staffing concerns for the betterment of the organization. From preparing job analysis, to comparing inventory and forecasting, it is the responsibility of human resources to consider the objectives of an organization and fulfill those goals while operating the specific planning relative to HR.

Gomez-Mejia, L., Balkin, D., & Cardy, R. (2012). Managing Human Resources (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall.

One of the biggest issues in the Australian business sector and workforce is the relationship between employees and employers. The Fair Work Amendment Act 2013, aims to support workers

Prevent discrimination: support equality – This sector of the act explains where discrimination is most likely to occur in the workplace and how to stop it happening

* Equal opportunities – this sets out how the organisation ensures there is no discrimination in the work place

HMRC, Salary Sacrifice: An Overview for Employers.[internet]. Available at: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/paye/payroll/special-pay/salary-sacrifice.htm [last accessed 26th November 2010]

To promote equality , diversity and inclusion in policy and practice , my work place also compliant to other legislation like, Human right act 1998, sex discrimination (gender reassignment) regulations 1999, Employment equality (religion belief) regulations 2003 , Disability discrimination amended act 2005, Equality act 2006, Racial and religious hatred act 2006.

The report is based on responses collected from more than 1000 employers and 2000 employees, considered UK workforce only and was conducted in early January 2012. The report presents an in-depth view of the types of flexible working provisions offered by employers including part-time working, working from home, flexitime, compressed hours, career breaks/sabbaticals, mobile working, term-time working, secondments, annual hours and time off work in the community.

Todd (2012) has interviewed employer association representatives and examined their public statements and submissions. From her research, she questions whether the changes to the industrial relations system that employer associations advocate would enhance productivity. With regard to issues such as penalty rates and job security, there is evidence that these relate to cost cutting and enhanced managerial prerogative rather than productivity. Discuss

Brief summary of information: Provides suggestions and options for employer on developing and managing equitable flexible work practices.

Gerhart, B., Hollenbeck, J., Noe, R., & Wright, P. (2009). Fundamentals of human resource management (3rd ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

There were a few main themes and ideas that recurred across most of the supporting documents (see appendices, p.6-X); one main theme is that it seems as though the NLW rise will benefit employees, when in fact several businesses, including B&Q, are finding ways, such as ‘cuts to employee benefits’ (Butler, S. 2016)3, in order to fund the increased NLW, and thus defeating one of the reasons for the new NLW’s enforcement, being to benefit the recipients, employees over 25 years of age. Another main theme is that the NLW will have future affects as well, due to the aim being for ‘the NLW to rise to more than £9 an hour by 2020’ and ‘the independent Office for Budget Responsibility has warned that 60,000 jobs could go as a result’ (BBC News, 2016)1. As they believe that ‘firms [will] recruit more under-25s, who will be on a lower rate.’ (BBC News, 2016)4.

Awards are legal documents detailing the minimum terms and conditions of an employee’s job which involves wage rates, sick leave, holidays, overtime and other various minimum conditions. Employees are covered only by the award specific to their occupation or industry. If employees deem an award in their industry unfair, Fair Work Australia (FWA) are responsible for reviewing the award and if it is unfair, adjusting it.

To motivate employees to work towards reaching organizational goals, managers frequently depend on some form of enticement. Beyond monetary compensation, awards and additional types of acknowledgment can be given, and the ability to choose a work schedule is a possibility. A reasonable pay system, which would be an incentive for individuals and groups to achieve organizational goals, is a hardship manager’s face (Jones & George, 2011). Within the company that I work for, every quarter awards are presented to Customer Service Agents who have maintained a 95 percent or above quality score. Monetary awards are given out as well as time off coupons.

One of the first incentives to work for the company where reduced work hours and health benefits (Sharplin, 1985, p. 2). This was then followed by a system that would allow workers to get a bonus based on the rate of completion, and then a pension plan that was introduced towards the end of the second World War (Sharplin, 1985, p. 2). This brings to light that the company was interested in hearing from their workers as some of these incentives came to be due to the feedback from the workers (Sharplin, 1985, p. 2). Each employee was evaluated on a regular basis and there was a clear and easy to understand system in place that each worker could follow (Sharplin, 1985, p.