Transformational Industrial and Employee Relations Course

Course Outline

DAY 1

Transformational Employee, Labour & Industrial Relations

• The Context for Labour, Employee & Industrial Relations
• Understanding the Functional Role of Trade Unions
• Trade Unionism in Africa, The Gulf, and Globally
• Current Trends in Employee & Industrial Relations
• The Nature of the Employment Relationship and the Psychological Contract
• Employee Relations: Economic, Legal & Social Perspectives

DAY 2

Vital People Factors in the Workplace

• Collective Negotiation and Consultation
• Techniques and Processes to Manage Grievances Efficiently
• Dignity at Work: Workplace Bullying Example
• The ‘Flexible Firm’ Model and the Labour Utilisation
• Involvement, Participation, and Employee Voice

DAY 3

Negotiation Skills for Collective Bargaining

• Collective Bargaining
• A Win-Win Approach to Negotiation
• Stages of Negotiation & the Coleman Raider “Bare-bones” Model
• Exploring Competition and Cooperation
• Introduction to Reframing Techniques
• Cultural Differences that Affect Negotiation and Collective Bargaining

DAY 4

Managing Conflict and Workplace Mediation Skills

• Understanding Conflict
• Analysing your Conflict Handling Behaviour (styles)
• Resolving and Managing Conflict – avoiding conflict escalation
• The Abilene Paradox and Avoiding Groupthink
• Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
• Understanding Arbitration, Conciliation, and Mediation

DAY 5

Practical Techniques of Mediation

• The Mediation Processes
• Issues Suitable for Mediation
• The Mediator’s Role
• The 5-step Framework for Effective Mediation
• Reaching and Formalising Agreements
• Personal Action Planning