Despite its crucial role in workplace success, employee relations is often undervalued—largely due to misconceptions about its purpose and impact.
Loosely defined as the practice of creating, managing, and maintaining a positive workforce[1], some organizations think employee relations as secondary to HR essentials like payroll and benefits administration. Unlike payroll and benefits administration, most think it isn’t considered an HR must-have.
However, that’s changing – and not a moment too soon. When the National Institute of Health highlighted the value of employee relations during COVID-19, businesses paid attention, adopting employee relations in efforts to navigate remote work, telehealth, mental health, and other pandemic-related complexities.
While companies have established policies to manage COVID-related challenges, new workplace issues are emerging. Workplace conflict is on the rise. As of 2023, nearly 50% of workplace grievances involved feuding coworkers. And unfortunately workplace conflict is increasingly escalating into workplace violence. These sobering realities are a key reason why businesses are giving employee relations an overdue second look.
But it’s important to note that employee relations doesn’t start and end with employee conflict management. Well-executed employee relations is much more comprehensive and beneficial, to the extent that it can make or break a business. Take it from Forbes: “Without recognizing and implementing employee relations strategies, many companies would not be able to make it off the ground, much less achieve long-term success.”
At its core, employee relations ensures fair treatment, fosters open communication, and addresses employee concerns—all essential for a harmonious workplace.
As touched on, this has defensive value. Arguably more notable, though, are employee relations’ offensive benefits – chief among them, a positive workplace culture, which is nothing to sneeze at. Eighty-two percent of workers say that feeling happy and engaged at work is key to their productivity. This puts the onus on businesses to seek harmony and positivity not just for harmony and positivity’s sake, but as a means of boosting bottom lines.
Let’s further unpack these two sides of the employee relations coin: Its defensive powers and its ability to unlock company-wide success.
Conflict resolution in the workplace is the act of identifying, addressing, and resolving disagreements[2] – whether between employees or between employees and management.
All organizations will engage in conflict resolution at one time or another because workplace conflict is inevitable. The question is whether they’ll do it strategically, via a predetermined set of guidelines governed by employee relations, or on the fly. The former is objectively wiser for many reasons. Namely, strategic conflict resolution is far more likely than its impromptu alternative to re-establish a positive and safe work environment, reduce liability, and dial down the likelihood of future conflicts.
Specifics of conflict resolution vary depending on an organization’s profile. However, in the hands of qualified employee relations experts, it includes the following components:
While conflict resolution is a key function of employee relations, its true value extends far beyond resolving disputes— effective conflict resolution can actively drive retention, culture, and overall business success.
Employee onboarding is the process of setting up new hires within your company. Many businesses make the mistake of rushing through employee onboarding after the hiring process is complete, which can lead to
For all of its value in conflict, maybe the most overlooked aspect of employee relations is its ability to fuel coveted business environments and outcomes. Business.com noted that strong employer-employee relationships and strong employee relationships go hand-in-hand with low turnover. And beyond retention, there are many more benefits to employee relations:
The next logical question is, how? How does employee relations look – and work – in practice? Here are just some of the employee engagement strategies, initiatives, and tactics put in place by expert HR providers:
The sum total of employee relations is harmony and positivity likely to drive stronger employee performance that can have a big bearing on a business’s long-term success. Companies that create supportive, cohesive, and constructive work environments via employee relations almost always see results in attitude and output, helping everyone succeed.
Is your business or nonprofit looking to improve employee satisfaction, retention, morale, and outcomes – and avoid employee relations mistakes? Turn to myHR Partner. myHR Partner’s HR services for employee relations have been strengthening businesses for over 20 years, with satisfied and successful clients to show for it.
Reach out today for a complimentary myHR Partner consultation.
[1] https://online.law.pitt.edu/blog/employee-relations-hr-management