Partnership works for employers and employees

By Jeff Kelly

Active relationships between unions, employers and employees, based on recognition of a common interest, can improve the quality and efficiency of organisations and the quality of working life for employees.

Partnership working helps employers achieve sustained business success through improved workplace morale and performance and ensures the success of organisational change by ensuring that it is built on the involvement and participation of the workforce. It helps unions play an active role in developing an organisation’s policy and strategy and improves union membership and organisation in the workplace.

There are tangible benefits too, including: reductions in absenteeism, effective communications, improved personnel policies and procedures, effective decision making, reduction in staff turnover, improved business strategy, greater adaptability to change management, the development and mobilisation of in-house talent, employee involvement and the dissemination of best business practice.

We believe that for partnership working to be truly effective the following need to exist:

* A Shared commitment to the success of the enterprise. Effective partnerships are ones where employee representatives and employers have a shared understanding of the organisation’s business strategy and a joint commitment to its success.

* The recognition of legitimate interests. Genuine partnerships recognise that employee representatives and employers will have differences in interests and views. There should be arrangements to resolve these differences in an atmosphere of trust.

* A commitment to employment security. Many employers embrace partnership as a way of increasing flexibility in the workplace. Good partnerships complement flexibility with action to improve employment security in the workplace.

* A focus on the quality of working life. Partnership should broaden the scope of employment and organisational issues tackled by employee representatives and employers. It should lead to improvements to terms and conditions and more opportunities for employees to participate in decisions about their work.

* Transparency. With successful partnerships, managers share information with employee representatives about the business at an early stage, and conduct meaningful consultations with employee representatives and the workforce.

* Delivery for both parties (Win-win). The hallmark of an effective partnership is whether it delivers concrete improvements to business performance, terms and conditions and employee involvement. Partnership is about mutual gains for the workforce and employers.

Those who are successful at partnership working often display similar behavioural traits:

A commitment to strive for agreed solutions. Everyone should be genuinely committed to finding solutions together – rather than just presenting problems for the other party to resolve or coming with hidden agendas to pursue their own ends.

Taking responsibility for establishing and maintaining a good working atmosphere. Good relationships don’t just happen – they need a lot of work and it’s everyone’s responsibility to actively work in a way that promotes a good working atmosphere.

Openness. in the way we work together – sharing information and speaking honestly; trusting that this will be treated properly and with care and consideration.

Respect. Showing respect for others’ opinions. Recognising that everyone has the right to express their opinion – whether or not we agree with it. By listening to different views, we are more likely to understand different perspectives and arrive at win-win solutions.

Encouraging others to develop their views, arguments and interests. If we help each other to develop their views and arguments, we are far more likely to get all the facts and perspectives in front of us – which will help to come to good quality decisions.

Keeping an open mind. Concentrating on developing interests and avoiding taking positions as far as, and for as long as, practically possible – not jumping to conclusions or making your mind up before you’ve heard all perspectives.

Helping the other party to develop a better sense of their own interest in an issue. Sometimes it may even mean helping the other party to understand their own position and interests better – rather than seeing potential downfalls for them and not bringing them up so that they can be fully explored as part of coming to a decision.

Depersonalising issues. Separating the person(s) from the issue, task or problem. Just looking at the issue or problem itself – rather than getting caught up or sidetracked by the personalities involved.

Partnership can work for both – you just need to want to make it work!