Question

Q:Through a case study, critical evaluation of the impact of the performance appraisal policy on South-West Trains

(performance and employees performance).

‏Case Study Employee Relations at South-West Trains The company has a well-established collective bargaining agreement with ASLEF, the RMT, TSSA and AMICUS, which operates through the South-West Trains Company Council. This agreement gives the unions negotiating rights on a range of issues, including pay and terms and conditions of employment. They are also consulted on issues relating to performance and attendance, ` IN SEMESTER INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT 2 Module Code: BUSS 1704 Module Name: Employee Relations Level: 6 Max. Marks: 100 Employee Relations (BUSS 1704) – Spring - 20 – CW2 (Assignment) – All– QP MEC_AMO_TEM_034_01 Page 2 of 14 changes in working practices, and redundancy. The Company Council is supported by a number of smaller groups. South-West Trains needs to ensure that it can involve and engage all staff, not just its union members. A number of employees are not represented by a union and have a limited formal voice in the company. In addition, the firm’s ‘Tell Us’ employee survey shows that a percentage of staff don’t feel they’re consulted about major decisions. These factors, combined with the approach of the new Employee Information and Consultation Regulations requiring that all staff are included in consultation arrangements, led the company to review its existing arrangements. The company would prefer the current collective-bargaining machinery to be adapted to allow non-union representatives to be informed and consulted alongside union representatives. However, other options may be possible, including establishing employee forums that would be open to all staff and would operate in parallel to the Company Council. Although it has a very good working relationship with all the unions, the company has moved away from relying solely on collective machinery to inform and consult employees. It takes responsibility for communicating with all employees and has improved its direct methods of communication. It holds ad hoc forums on specific issues to generate feedback from employees. Staff surveys have shown that employees want face-to-face communication, where possible through their line manager. ‘Time with your manager’ sessions have been introduced for operational staff to ensure that individuals have regular conversations with their line manager. HR seeks to get across the message to line managers that negotiating skills are basically communication skills, and that authentic conversations are needed to establish trust-based relationships with employees. ‘Partnership’ in the company is seen as being essentially between employer and employees, while the relationship with the trade unions is a professional one. In addition to regular team briefings by line managers, the company is increasingly using email and the company intranet to communicate with employees.

Answer 1

Ans: S-W trains have its complete strategy for employee involvement and to enhance their performance. in this process, the first one is the agreement with ASLEF, the RMT, TSSA, and AMICUS.so the employee has been given importance to put forward their demand and suggestion through the union. here there is a different technique been adopted by the S-W trains, by keeping in observations that not all of the employees are involved in the union activities and giving their opinion. so it has promoted the 'Tell Us' show to promote those employees who are not actively participated in the union. all staff are included in consultation arrangements, led the company to review its existing arrangements so that those who are not involved will come forward and participated in this collective-bargaining machinery. So the non-participants got equal importance along with union representatives. so this activity enhances the performance of employees with its self-confidence. Another step also was taken by S-W trains that are the linking up the employee with line manager, who can have the face to face interaction. That will solve many of the problems which can't be solved in a group. Hr manager is more interested in negotiation skills which can be enhanced through communication skills. ‘Partnership’ given priority between employer and employees, while the relationship with the trade unions taken as professional one. regular interaction and email will definitely enhance the performance of an employee. it will not only enhance the efficiency of an employee also enhance the company's image as a good moderator among the employee. this will leads to employee loyalty with high performance.