LRM3702 - Labour Relations Management: Micro

LRM3702 - Labour Relations Management: Managing for more common ground: building constructive workplace relations 2 TOPIC 1: MANAGING FOR MORE COMMON GROUND: BUILDING CONSTRUCTIVE WORKPLACE RELATIONS LRM3702/1 3 As I informed you in the introduction and orientation learning unit, we approach labour relations from a management perspective. We therefore focus on how to improve the competitiveness of organisations. In respect of labour relations, we thus want to try to ensure that the quality of it is such that it supports organisations to be more competitive. Our rationale is, of course, the fact that the global economy has become so integrated, and hence competitive, that we must do what we can to help our organisations to compete. If South African organisations cannot function well enough to compete with those of other countries, and with their products and/ or services, they cannot survive. Organisations that do not survive close down or otherwise cease to operate – meaning jobs are lost! Unemployment is in no party’s interest and if it escalates, it may ultimately even go hand in hand with the collapse of a national economy and society. None of the role players in our labour relations system would want to see such an outcome (or do you disagree?). By implication then, the goal must be to apply sound labour relations management practices that can add value to the “goods” (products/services) delivered by South African organisations as experienced by the users of these “goods”. This is where it becomes so important to leverage as much as possible of the common ground that exists in any employment relations context. While elements of conflict are always present, and we try to manage conflict in ways that yield positive outcomes and minimise negative implications, the real challenge lies in finding ways to build more constructive relations between all labour relations role players throughout our organisations. In the next topic, we will focus on managing the mainly divergent interests and conflict-related factors. In this first topic, however, the focus shifts more to common ground and converging interests and how we can develop cooperative workplaces. We are now more concerned with how to enhance and use the common ground between the primary role players in an organisation – that is, how to foster greater mutual understanding and tolerance, better cooperation and greater harmony between workers (and their representatives) and managers. In learning unit 01, we focus on the use of informal, dynamic elements, such as communication and group processes, to establish sound labour relations. In learning unit 02, the emphasis is on how workers and their representatives can be empowered through worker participation. TOPIC AIM The aim of this topic is to help you to understand how to develop more constructive workplace relations by enhancing the common ground elements present in labour relations through making use of informal dynamics related to communication, group functioning and worker participation. (1)TOPIC 1: MANAGING FOR MORE COMMON GROUND: BUILDING CONSTRUCTIVE WORKPLACE RELATIONS 4 TOPIC 1: MANAGING FOR MORE COMMON GROUND: BUILDING CONSTRUCTIVE WORKPLACE RELATIONS TOPIC CONTENTS Learning unit 01: Communication, group dynamics and interpersonal interaction 1.1 General 1.2 The communication process and its dynamics 1.3 Obstacles to successful communication 1.3.1 The sender 1.3.2 The communication medium 1.3.3 The communication context 1.3.4 The recipient 1.4 Communication as part of the employment relationship: specific applications 1.4.1 Formal communication 1.4.2 Non-formal communication 1.5 How managers can become better communicators 1.5.1 The sender encodes the message and selects the channel 1.5.2 The sender transmits the message 1.5.3 The receiver decodes the message and decides if feedback is needed 1.6 Group dynamics 1.6.1 Definitions 1.6.2 Phases of group formation and development 1.6.3 Aspects of group functioning and dynamics 1.7 Developing sound interpersonal relations: foundational issues and perspectives 1.7.1 The “self” and others: foundations of interpersonal relations 1.7.2 Developing interpersonal trust 1.8 Summary Learning unit 02: Worker participation 2.1 Introduction and clarification of concepts 2.2 Overview of worker participation 2.2.1 Objectives of worker participation 2.2.2 Management and union concerns about worker participation initiatives 2.2.3 Elements of participation 2.2.4 Degrees of power sharing in participation 2.2.5 Forms of participation 2.2.6 Different levels of participation 2.2.7 Techniques of worker participation 2.3 Participation from outside the organisation: worker representation by trade unions 2.4 Worker participation through workplace forums 2.5 Summary TOPIC SUMMARY Now that you have an overall perception of what topic 1 entails, you can start learning unit 01. LRM3702/1 5 1Learning Unit 01 1Communication, group dynamics and inter-personal interaction 1CONTENTS (1)KEY CONCEPTS 6 (2)LEARNING OUTCOMES 6 1.1 INTRODUCTION 7 1.2 THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS AND ITS DYNAMICS 9 1.3 OBSTACLES TO SUCCESSFUL COMMUNICATION 15 1.4 COMMUNICATION AS PART OF THE EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP: SPECIFIC APPLICATIONS 18 1.5 HOW MANAGERS CAN BECOME BETTER COMMUNICATORS 23 1.6 GROUP DYNAMICS 25 1.7 DEVELOPING SOUND INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS: FOUNDATIONAL ISSUES AND PERSPECTIVES 33 1.8 SUMMARY 40 (3)SELF-ASSESSMENT 40 (4)BIBLIOGRAPHY 42 KEY CONCEPTS In the learning units, you will encounter numerous subject-related concepts, listed as key concepts at the beginning of each learning unit. Familiarise yourself with them. Consult the prescribed book or any other relevant resource to obtain definitions. However, it is not sufficient merely to define the concepts. You should also be able to use them correctly in the labour relations and business environment. 6 TOPIC 1: MANAGING FOR MORE COMMON GROUND: BUILDING CONSTRUCTIVE WORKPLACE RELATIONS The key concepts in this learning unit are as follows: • briefing groups • climate • communication • communication process • communication strategy • conformity • context • decoding • downward • encoding • feedback • formal communication • group • group dynamics • group processes • group solidarity/cohesion • grouping • horizontal communication • informal communication • interpersonal relations • medium • message • morale • non-formal communication • non-verbal communication • one-way communication • Pygmalion effect • recipient • self-awareness • self-concept • self-efficacy • sender/source • trust • two-way communication • upward communication • verbal communication LEARNING OUTCOMES In this learning unit, you will focus on the following specific outcomes. At the end of this learning unit, you should be able to • Effectively communicate with all stakeholders in an organisation. ū To ensure effective communication, you should understand the nature of communication and the communication process. ū You should be able to identify and deal effectively with typical obstacles to successful communication. ū Finally, you should be able to illustrate how these can either impair or enhance the quality of labour relations in organisations. • Judge the quality of labour relations through applying various methods, processes and techniques to assess the nature and quality of labour relations management and the associated climate in organisations. ū To ensure that you meet this outcome, you should be able to explain what a group is and what group processes and group dynamics entail. ū You should be able to make concise notes on the characteristics of group functioning and its related dynamics, as well as about the nature of groups from a systems perspective and the phases of group development. ū Finally, you should understand the nature, value and operation of briefing groups. LRM3702/1 7 LEARNING UNIT 01: Communication, group dynamics and inter-personal interaction ACTIVITY 1.1 (1)Watch the following video about communication misunderstandings: (1) (1)What do you think about the various scenarios depicted in the video? Go to the Discussions tool on myUnisa and share your thoughts with your fellow students. The topic name for this discussion forum is Communication – misunderstandings. 1 FEEDBACK You will agree that the scenarios depicted in the videos are quite funny! Misunderstandings happen all the time in real life due to communication blockages, mistakes or messages being transmitted in another way than they were intended. In the workplace, misunderstandings can cause numerous problems and can be disastrous and also sometimes hurtful. Let us continue with an introduction about what communication is. Read the introduction below. 1.1 INTRODUCTION Communication and information sharing are central to effective management generally. Dozier, Grunig and Grunig (2013) state that communication is an essential part of all management functions and the largest part of every workday is spent on communication. Research shows that managers spend between 60% and 80% of their time communicating and thus communication is becoming more multifaceted, strategic and crucial for organisations to be successful (Dozier, Grunig & Grunig 2013). Communication can therefore be viewed as one of the most important skills that managers should possess. Effective communication is of the utmost importance in maintaining satisfactory levels of employee performance and this provision and exchange of information and instructions enables an organisation to function effectively and it ensures that its employees are properly informed about developments (Wärnich, Carrel, Elbert & Hatfield 2015). It is clear that communication is crucial to labour relations management and, in fact, to management in general. The sharing and exchange of information is, after all, the lifeblood of relations between people in all spheres of life. It is also the same in the context of working towards establishing sound labour relations in any organisation. Communication – not only internal communication with workers, but also external communication with trade unions – therefore requires a considerable degree of expertise. In simple terms, one can say that communication is a process in which information is exchanged between senders and recipients. Many of the problems that arise 8 TOPIC 1: MANAGING FOR MORE COMMON GROUND: BUILDING CONSTRUCTIVE WORKPLACE RELATIONS between individuals and groups in the working environment are the result of defective or unsuccessful communication, such as when employees misinterpret management’s intentions, or vice versa. However, communication depends on the knowledge, attitudes and skills of the senders and recipients. If workers want to be empowered to share in the decisionmaking processes of the organisation, they must know how work-related matters affect them and what their contribution must be to ensure that the organisation realises its objectives. Effective communication is thus a prerequisite. This applies equally to interaction between individual workers, between members in a group (such as a trade union) and between different groups (such as two or more trade unions). Whether it is inside or outside the organisation, communication is important, especially between management as employer representatives and external role players such as trade unions. Communication processes and mechanisms are therefore vital if information transmission, instructions and feedback are to be effective in the management of the employment relationship. Grievance and disciplinary procedures may also, in a sense, be seen as communication mechanisms, and you also know that communication is the central process during negotiations and conflict management. ACTIVITY 1.2 (1)Think of a personal experience you have had, in the working environment or elsewhere, when you and some other party misunderstood each other. (1) Have you ever had such an experience? (2) If so, what was the outcome of this instance of defective communication? 2 FEEDBACK Most of us have had unfortunate and unhappy experiences in the workplace, either when we had a personality clash with someone, or because we (or the other person) misunderstood a message. The results or outcomes of such a situation are often negative, leading to an inability to work together productively. Sometimes the outcomes may be positive, because we have been able to clear the air and discuss differences. ACTIVITY 1.3 (1)Refer to the foregoing activity 1.2. Think carefully about this. (1) What do you think caused the misunderstanding? (To which part of the communication process does it relate?) (2) What were the consequences of this misunderstanding? LRM3702/1 9 LEARNING UNIT 01: Communication, group dynamics and inter-personal interaction 3 FEEDBACK Misunderstanding generally relates to the non-verbal messages that we communicate and the verbal message (the content of the message). We communicate using non-verbal cues, which are perceived unconsciously and also decoded unconsciously. The problem with this is that the meaning we attach to non-verbal cues is usually determined by our own value system and frame of reference, and the meaning may often be wrong, although we do not know this. Also, the words and language we use may not have the same meaning for us as for other people. For example, think about the word “often”. How much time do you think this word indicates? Is it once a month, once a week, once a day or once an hour? Ask other people and you will see that for most of us the word “often” has different meanings. This situation is complicated further by the cultural diversity in South Africa, where people not only speak different languages but also sometimes have divergent cultural values. The consequence of misunderstandings is usually conflict. Study sections 1.2 to 1.4 below. (Note that there is no other appropriate reading or study material for this learning unit in your prescribed book.) 1.2 THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS AND ITS DYNAMICS Communication is basically a two-way process. In simple terms, communication takes place when one person sends a message to another (e.g. a manager to a subordinate, or vice versa) and the latter then interprets this message. However, communication cannot be regarded as successful unless the message as understood by the recipient is exactly the same as the message the sender intended. The communication process is represented schematically in figure 1.1. Figure 1.1: The communication process Source: Adapted from CLRM02M study guide (2015) 10 TOPIC 1: MANAGING FOR MORE COMMON GROUND: BUILDING CONSTRUCTIVE WORKPLACE RELATIONS From figure 1.1, it is clear that the communication process comprises the following components: • Sender or source. This is the person who sends or wishes to transmit the message. • Encoding. This is the process in which senders convert their thoughts into symbols that can be transmitted, such as speeches, written documents, letters, e-mails or reports or simply gestures. • Medium. The medium is the channel through which the message is sent. For instance, a verbal message may be transmitted face to face, telephonically, or by means of a webcast. • Recipient. This is the person (or group of people) to whom the message is directed. • Decoding. As the recipient perceives the medium, he or she interprets the message. • Feedback. This is the return message received by the sender, showing (or not showing) how the recipient interpreted the message. It is not only the communication media (such as telephones, memoranda or e-mails) that are important. The spirit in which the information is conveyed is equally significant. If communication between trade union members and employer representatives is hostile and unfriendly, destructive conflict may arise and the relationship between the parties may be impaired. Clearly, then, communication always takes place in a particular context. This context may, in addition to time and place, assume a multitude of forms, for instance, communication between superiors and their subordinates in a work context; communication between colleagues attending a work-related party in a social context; and communication by a police officer directed at a large group of striking workers, in a mass context. From these examples, it should be clear that the context in which communication takes place has a considerable influence on the nature of the communication, on the content of the message, on the medium through which the communication takes place and on the effect that the communication will have. The context in which the communication occurs usually determines the status or power base of the communicating parties, which, in turn, affects the spirit (or climate) and the parties’ willingness to receive and respond to the message. It follows that the context in which communication occurs has an impact on the climate in which communication takes place. Climate refers to the atmosphere or spirit in which the communication process occurs. In this respect, we may distinguish between formal, informal, competitive, hostile and cooperative climates. The nature of the climate in which communication occurs affects the way in which the message is decoded, its content, and, in particular, the willingness of the recipient(s) to attend to the message and interpret it correctly. Obviously, the climate during a strike will differ considerably from that prevailing when a party communicates during an interview arranged for the purpose of promoting an employee. In the former case, the climate will in all probability be a hostile one. Any form of communication starts with a sender. The sender has a need to communicate and therefore initiates the process. For example, a worker wants management to know that he or she is unhappy about something in the workplace. LRM3702/1 11 LEARNING UNIT 01: Communication, group dynamics and inter-personal interaction Before communication can begin, however, the sender has to encode the content of the message – that is, he or she must decide on the nature, content and scope of the message. A decision must also be taken about the medium to be used to convey the message, for example whether it will be verbal, a memorandum or a grievance form. The sender thus transmits his or her thoughts by means of signals consisting of, say, words (symbols), images (pictures/sketches/diagrams) or gestures. This encoding process, and its success in creating a comprehensible message, depends on the sender’s ability and skill with regard to the communication medium, as well as on his or her skill in converting ideas into signals which the recipient can decipher into a meaningful message. The message conveyed is obviously central to the communication process. Normally, the content of the message relates to something specific, but it may often have a subtle, unintentional undertone that can have a significant effect on the recipient’s reaction. Consider, in this regard, the effect which the following three messages, each with the same content, but in different styles, can have on a recipient: • “Smoking prohibited in offices” • “No smoking in offices, please” • “Thank you for not smoking in the office area” Clearly, then, the content of a message can also influence the climate in which communication occurs. As you may have deduced, any form of communication takes place by way of a medium. This medium represents the channel through which communication takes place, and it also has to do with the context in which it occurs. In certain circumstances, verbal communication (i.e. the spoken or written word) will be the appropriate medium. In other cases, gestures, facial expressions and other nonverbal media may be used. In many instances, a combination of verbal and nonverbal media is employed, for example, in the case of facetoface communication during the interactive negotiation phase. Non-verbal media are used daily in the interaction between workers and managers, for instance facial expressions, gestures and body language. We have stressed a number of times that communication takes place in a specific context. Sometimes a number of messages have to compete in such a context and may be influenced by the noise caused by other messages (which are not necessarily directed at the same recipient). In cases where different messages are simultaneously directed at the same recipient, the noise factor is even greater (e.g. different instructions to the same worker from different managers). Along with a variety of messages, the average person is also exposed to background noise which impacts on the senses and may hamper attention to a particular message (think of the noise of machinery in a factory). Noise in a communication context may hamper the transmission and interpretation of messages. Communication is always directed at a target person or target audience, referred to as the recipient(s) of the communication message. The recipient of the communication message is therefore a key component in the communication process. As 12 TOPIC 1: MANAGING FOR MORE COMMON GROUND: BUILDING CONSTRUCTIVE WORKPLACE RELATIONS noted, communication can only be successful if the meaning the recipient attaches to the message is the same meaning that the sender intended. If, for example, the message does not reach the intended recipient, no communication occurs. The recipient, in turn, must decode the message – that is, attach a meaning to it. Correct decoding, like the encoding process, depends on the recipient’s decoding ability, which, in turn, is related to a wide range of skills such as language proficiency, a knowledge of body language, comprehension and the ability to use frames of reference and understand the role of perceptual differences. Bear in mind that apart from these abilities and skills, the decoding of a message is heavily influenced by the recipient’s values, norms and thought patterns (frames of reference) or “mindsets”. These can in turn relate to the interests and objectives of the role players. As Salamon (2000:382) explains, the conflict aspects of labour relations often relate to the divergent interests, values and objectives of the parties and these things have a great impact on how issues are perceived when communication is at work. As such, communication “between management, employees, and unions, on both the interpersonal and inter-organisational levels, provides … a means to identify differences, develop better understanding and seeking accommodation within a mutually acceptable solution”. Any communication process is aimed at a certain effect or result. This refers to the impact the message has on the parties’ interaction and behaviour, and therefore on the situation or context as a whole. In the context of negotiation, and more specifically collective bargaining, the aim is to ultimately reach some collective agreement. The effect of communication constitutes a valuable feedback mechanism. For example, senders could use the feedback to establish further communication. The feedback, too, is conveyed via a medium and is a message in itself – a message that is subjected to noise, has to go through a decoding process, and so forth. In other words, the whole process becomes a cycle. In two-way communication, the parties take turns as sender and recipient, and both have a role in the encoding and decoding processes. Both use the effect of their respective messages as feedback to bring about further communication. Communication in the organisation and labour relations context can therefore assume a number of dimensions and forms. This is what gives communication its dynamic character. For instance, communication in an organisation may be formal or informal: formal – it is planned and forms part of the work and management process; and informal – it is nonofficial, coincidental, spontaneous and unplanned. We could make another distinction (as you already know), namely between one-way communication (where the sender makes no provision for a reaction by the recipient) and twoway communication (which is meant to elicit a reaction from the recipient, and indeed, encourages it). One-way communication is more authoritarian, whereas two-way communication is more democratic. The latter is therefore the appropriate form of communication for the implementation of worker participation, for the promotion of democracy in the workplace and for the empowerment of workers. LRM3702/1 13 LEARNING UNIT 01: Communication, group dynamics and inter-personal interaction Communication may also be verbal or non-verbal. Formal communication is dominated by the spoken or written word, while informal communication is more likely to include gestures and facial expressions. Many of the rumours in an organisation begin when somebody tries to make specific deductions from nonverbal signals. Non-verbal communication media include the following (see table 1.1): TABLE 1.1: Non-verbal communication media Medium Sense Gestures (such as hand movements, nodding, facial expressions, posture, body language) Sight Sound signals (such as whistling, coughing, sirens, alarms) Hearing Images (such as pictures, paintings, films, television, sculptures, graphs, figures, signs) Sight Touch (such as a handshake, a kiss, stroking, a hug, an embrace) Touch Olfactory signals (such as perfume, aftershave) Smell Visual signals (such as clothing, make-up) Sight Communication may furthermore be: • downward – from a higher to a lower level of the organisation • upward – from a lower to a higher level • horizontal – from one level to another with more or less the same status We may also distinguish a number of formal and informal communication media. Formal media or methods include: • joint committees comprising management and worker representatives • intra- or interdepartmental committees • written instructions and announcements by way of notices, internal memoranda, announcements on salary advice slips, in-house magazines and individual letters to workers • broadcasting messages over the organisation’s intercom system • meetings • proposal schemes, opinion polls and other questionnaires Informal communication media or methods include: • ordinary conversations between workers at all levels • signs and gestures, such as warning others that an employer (manager) is on the way • rumours or false alarms, which are spread by a combination of the above methods – usually based on various information sources and guesswork From the above discussion, it should be clear that the everyday communication process between workers, their representatives and management may be strongly influenced by variables that can complicate the dynamics of the communication process. Many of these variables can also become obstacles to successful communication.