Employee Relations: Creating a Positive Work Environment

Course objectives

• Describe the employment relationship as a set of mutual obligations rather than a rulebook
• Apply fair procedure and substantive fairness in discipline and grievance cases
• Handle poor performance and persistent absence without creating an unfair dismissal risk
• Draft and apply workplace policies that managers will actually use
• Identify the drivers of disengagement and act on them before they become cases
• Keep records that stand up at arbitration or in a tribunal
• Build a working relationship with unions and workplace forums

Who should attend

• Employee relations and human resources practitioners
• Line managers responsible for discipline and performance
• Human resources business partners
• Union and workplace forum representatives
• Managers new to handling staff issues directly

Course outline

1. 01The employment relationship, the contract and the implied duties on both sides
2. 02Policies that get used: writing them so a manager can follow them under pressure
3. 03Fair procedure in discipline: investigation, notice, hearing and outcome
4. 04Substantive fairness and consistency of sanction
5. 05Grievances: handling, investigating and closing them credibly
6. 06Managing poor performance and incapacity as distinct from misconduct
7. 07Absence management and the return to work conversation
8. 08Engagement, voice and the everyday practice that prevents cases
9. 09Record keeping, evidence and preparing for arbitration

Scheduled sessions