CHAPTER FOUR

THE ROLE OF MANAGEMENT IN EMPLOYEE RELATIONS

Objectives of this chapter

• Explore the function of management• Examine the different management styles in

employee relations• Examine the impact of different approaches to

management• Explore the difference between management

and leadership• Consider how power can be used and abused in

the employment relationship• Examine the process of managing change.

Control

• Emotionally necessary

• Psychologically necessary

• Political process

Taking control

• Through the management structure

• Through recruitment and training

• Through rewards and punishment

• Through policies and rules

• Through budgets

• Through machinery

Obedience

• Milgram (1963)

• Unquestioning obedience to authority

• Perceived success of the manager

• Respect for the manager

Styles of management in ER

• Traditionalists

• Sophisticated paternalists

• Sophisticated moderns (constitutionalists)

• Sophisticated moderns (consultors)

• Standard moderns

Leadership

‘Having, and being seen to have, the ability to influence, motivate and enable others to contribute toward the effectiveness and success of a working group or an organisation.’

Brodbeck et al (2000)

Primary functions of a manager

• Establish overall purpose and policy

• Forecast and plan for the future

• Allocate duties and responsibilities and generally organise work

• Give orders and instructions

• Take control, checking that performance is according to plan

• Co-ordinate the work of others 

Primary functions of a leader• Enabling people and groups to achieve their objectives• Setting and communicating objectives• Monitoring performance and giving feedback• Establishing basic values• Clarifying and solving problems for others• Organising resources• Administering rewards and punishments• Providing information, advice and expertise• Providing social and emotional support• Making decisions on behalf of others• Representing the group to others• Arbitrator in disputes• Father figure• Scapegoat

Leadership styles

• Democratic

• Laissez-faire

• Authoritarian

Predicting leadership effectiveness

• High energy level and stress tolerance• Self-confidence• Internal locus of control• Emotional stability and maturity• Personal integrity• Power motivation• Achievement orientation• Low need for affiliation

Power

• Reward power

• Legitimate power

• Expert power

• Referent power

• Coercive power

Managing change

• Unfreezing

• Changing

• Freezing

Success of change

• Having the right type of leader

• Having a transformational leadership style

• Effective use of power

• Effective communication

Reasons change programmes fail

• No clear vision, or a vision that is poorly communicated• Fear of employees, particularly if the change is linked to

any job loss• The failure of previous change programmes, bringing a

lack of belief that this change will be successful• A leader who is not respected• A misunderstanding of what is required• A lack of preparation and planning, which leads to

employees being confused about what they should be doing