Introduction

“Employee relations have replaced industrial relations as the term for defining the relationship between employers and employees. Today, employee relations is seen as focusing on both individual and collective relationships in the workplace, with an increasing emphasis on helping line managers establish trust-based relationships with employees. A positive climate of employee relations – with high levels of employee involvement, commitment, and engagement – can improve business outcomes as well as contribute to employees’ well-being.”

You are required to write an essay on Industrial and Employee Relations.

Start with a definition or understanding of the term, and trace its historical origins, before outlining the modern focus on employee relations of establishing ‘trust-based relationships’ with employees.

Explain why employee relations focuses on the individualization, rather than the traditional, collectivization of the relationship as reflected in the changing nature of the psychological contract.

Describe those factors that have driven this change towards individualization, and comment, with broad reasons, on what you think the future holds for employee relations in Ireland.

Finally, describe what organizations can realistically do to engender a ‘positive climate of employee relations’