Previously known as Industrial Relations, Employee Relations (or ER) can mean different things to different people. Traditionally associated with public-sector organisations as they are more likely to have relationships with trade unions, the ER Specialist will act as a bridge between the organisation and the employee though the consultation process. While trade unions are less common in the private sector, they do exist in retail, transport and banking. Even without trade unions, all organisations will require some form of dispute mediation with conflict and grievance resolution, including managing the redundancy process.
Employee Relations is not only about dealing with problems when they occur, it also involves managing employee relationships to achieve a better dynamic across the organisation. Employee Relations can help to achieve a better performance from the workforce through:
Involvement consultation and gaining buy-in on important business decisions
Commitment understanding and committing to the objectives of the business as a whole
Engagement in a combination of both, also known as organisational citizenship.