Tuesday, November 18, 2008
[IWS] BERR (UK): IMPLEMENTING INFORMATION & CONSULTATION in MEDIUM-SIZED ORGANISATIONS [October 2008]
IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________
Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) (UK)
EMPLOYMENT RELATIONS RESEARCH SERIES NO. 97
Implementing information and consultation in medium-sized organisations
BY MARK HALL, UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK, SUE HUTCHINSON, UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST OF ENGLAND, JANE PARKER, JOHN PURCELL AND MICHAEL TERRY, UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK
http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file48723.pdf
[full-text, 84 pages]
see also --
Implementing Information and Consultation: Early Experience Under the ICE Regulations -- Interim Update Report
http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file48798.pdf
[full-text, 23 pages]
[excerpt]
This project was funded under this research programme, and co-sponsored by Acas and
the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). It was commissioned to
investigate organisational responses to the Information and Consultation of Employees
(ICE) Regulations 2004. This report is based on the second phase of the research,
focusing on organisations with between 100 and 149 employees. A report focusing on
larger organisations was published in September 2007. A subsequent report will focus
on smaller organisations.
The report examines the key features and operation of information and consultation
arrangements and the impact of these arrangements on management decision-making,
employee commitment, employment relations climate and organisational effectiveness.
Contents
Foreword ....................................................................................................................... iii
Acknowledgements...................................................................................................... iv
Contents........................................................................................................................ v
List of tables ............................................................................................................... viii
Executive summary....................................................................................................... 1
Introduction................................................................................................................... 7
Background.................................................................................................................. 7
Objectives and research design................................................................................... 8
Structure of the report .................................................................................................. 9
The case study organisations and their I&C arrangements .................................... 10
Characteristics of the case study organisations ......................................................... 10
Type of I&C arrangements......................................................................................... 12
Basis/status of I&C arrangements.............................................................................. 13
Key influences on organisations' I&C strategy ........................................................ 15
Ownership and corporate values ............................................................................... 15
Experience of major change ...................................................................................... 18
New managers/management structures .................................................................... 18
Wider approaches to employee involvement ............................................................. 19
Interaction between I&C and union representation .................................................... 20
Impact of legislation ................................................................................................... 21
External standards ..................................................................................................... 21
Constitutional/operational arrangements.................................................................. 22
Management participants........................................................................................... 22
Employee and union representatives......................................................................... 22
Time off, facilities and training.................................................................................... 27
Networking by employee representatives .................................................................. 29
Reporting back........................................................................................................... 31
Role of representatives in individual casework .......................................................... 33
Confidentiality ............................................................................................................ 33
I&C practice.................................................................................................................. 35
Influence of Regulations on I&C provisions................................................................ 35
I&C in operation ......................................................................................................... 36
Pay included or excluded? ...................................................................................... 43
Tension between I&C and collective bargaining ........................................................ 44
Employee perceptions of I&C: key survey findings ................................................. 46
Employee characteristics ........................................................................................... 46
Direct forms of involvement........................................................................................ 47
Indirect forms of involvement ..................................................................................... 50
Management behaviour ............................................................................................. 50
Employee representatives.......................................................................................... 51
Employment practices................................................................................................ 51
Employee outcomes .................................................................................................. 52
Conclusion................................................................................................................... 53
Evidence of strategic management?.......................................................................... 53
A vibrant system of employee representation? .......................................................... 54
Contested terrain between unions and employee forums? ........................................ 55
Employee recognition and support?........................................................................... 56
Significant information sharing/meaningful consultation?........................................... 56
Summing up............................................................................................................... 57
References ................................................................................................................... 58
Annex A: Methodological note .................................................................................. 59
Research access ....................................................................................................... 60
Conduct of research interviews.................................................................................. 60
Employee survey ....................................................................................................... 61
Data analysis and reporting ....................................................................................... 62
Annex B: Case study summaries.............................................................................. 63
Bathroom manufacturer ............................................................................................. 63
Hospice...................................................................................................................... 63
Law firm ..................................................................................................................... 64
Northern housing association..................................................................................... 65
Pharmaceuticals company ......................................................................................... 65
Professional association ............................................................................................ 66
vi
Regional airport.......................................................................................................... 67
Regional charity ......................................................................................................... 67
Employment Relations Research Series ................................................................... 69
______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.
Stuart Basefsky
Director, IWS News Bureau
Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell/ILR School
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Telephone: (607) 255-2703
Fax: (607) 255-9641
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu
****************************************
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________
Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) (UK)
EMPLOYMENT RELATIONS RESEARCH SERIES NO. 97
Implementing information and consultation in medium-sized organisations
BY MARK HALL, UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK, SUE HUTCHINSON, UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST OF ENGLAND, JANE PARKER, JOHN PURCELL AND MICHAEL TERRY, UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK
http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file48723.pdf
[full-text, 84 pages]
see also --
Implementing Information and Consultation: Early Experience Under the ICE Regulations -- Interim Update Report
http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file48798.pdf
[full-text, 23 pages]
[excerpt]
This project was funded under this research programme, and co-sponsored by Acas and
the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). It was commissioned to
investigate organisational responses to the Information and Consultation of Employees
(ICE) Regulations 2004. This report is based on the second phase of the research,
focusing on organisations with between 100 and 149 employees. A report focusing on
larger organisations was published in September 2007. A subsequent report will focus
on smaller organisations.
The report examines the key features and operation of information and consultation
arrangements and the impact of these arrangements on management decision-making,
employee commitment, employment relations climate and organisational effectiveness.
Contents
Foreword ....................................................................................................................... iii
Acknowledgements...................................................................................................... iv
Contents........................................................................................................................ v
List of tables ............................................................................................................... viii
Executive summary....................................................................................................... 1
Introduction................................................................................................................... 7
Background.................................................................................................................. 7
Objectives and research design................................................................................... 8
Structure of the report .................................................................................................. 9
The case study organisations and their I&C arrangements .................................... 10
Characteristics of the case study organisations ......................................................... 10
Type of I&C arrangements......................................................................................... 12
Basis/status of I&C arrangements.............................................................................. 13
Key influences on organisations' I&C strategy ........................................................ 15
Ownership and corporate values ............................................................................... 15
Experience of major change ...................................................................................... 18
New managers/management structures .................................................................... 18
Wider approaches to employee involvement ............................................................. 19
Interaction between I&C and union representation .................................................... 20
Impact of legislation ................................................................................................... 21
External standards ..................................................................................................... 21
Constitutional/operational arrangements.................................................................. 22
Management participants........................................................................................... 22
Employee and union representatives......................................................................... 22
Time off, facilities and training.................................................................................... 27
Networking by employee representatives .................................................................. 29
Reporting back........................................................................................................... 31
Role of representatives in individual casework .......................................................... 33
Confidentiality ............................................................................................................ 33
I&C practice.................................................................................................................. 35
Influence of Regulations on I&C provisions................................................................ 35
I&C in operation ......................................................................................................... 36
Pay included or excluded? ...................................................................................... 43
Tension between I&C and collective bargaining ........................................................ 44
Employee perceptions of I&C: key survey findings ................................................. 46
Employee characteristics ........................................................................................... 46
Direct forms of involvement........................................................................................ 47
Indirect forms of involvement ..................................................................................... 50
Management behaviour ............................................................................................. 50
Employee representatives.......................................................................................... 51
Employment practices................................................................................................ 51
Employee outcomes .................................................................................................. 52
Conclusion................................................................................................................... 53
Evidence of strategic management?.......................................................................... 53
A vibrant system of employee representation? .......................................................... 54
Contested terrain between unions and employee forums? ........................................ 55
Employee recognition and support?........................................................................... 56
Significant information sharing/meaningful consultation?........................................... 56
Summing up............................................................................................................... 57
References ................................................................................................................... 58
Annex A: Methodological note .................................................................................. 59
Research access ....................................................................................................... 60
Conduct of research interviews.................................................................................. 60
Employee survey ....................................................................................................... 61
Data analysis and reporting ....................................................................................... 62
Annex B: Case study summaries.............................................................................. 63
Bathroom manufacturer ............................................................................................. 63
Hospice...................................................................................................................... 63
Law firm ..................................................................................................................... 64
Northern housing association..................................................................................... 65
Pharmaceuticals company ......................................................................................... 65
Professional association ............................................................................................ 66
vi
Regional airport.......................................................................................................... 67
Regional charity ......................................................................................................... 67
Employment Relations Research Series ................................................................... 69
______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.
Stuart Basefsky
Director, IWS News Bureau
Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell/ILR School
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Telephone: (607) 255-2703
Fax: (607) 255-9641
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu
****************************************
# posted by SBasefsky : 6:02 AM
