When we’re at the workplace, we try to work towards a common goal for the company’s benefit. When we can profit for the company, we are incentivized by pay raises, holidays, and benefits. Usually, this will keep the majority of the workforce happy since they are adequately compensated for their work.
However, this isn’t the case for every business out there. A business’s management that won’t listen to its workforce’s concerns and grievances is eventually setting itself for ruin as most labor disputes often brew from dissatisfaction.
For most businesses, a dissatisfied workforce can often lead to high turnover rates. In more extreme cases, this could lead to labor unions having more employees band together and asking for better working conditions. While there’s no problem with labor unions that have fair and reasonable terms, it can still be detrimental to most companies, especially when it can stop most production processes until their conditions are met.
As such, it’s only appropriate that we ensure that our workforce’s employees are satisfied and contented with their working conditions. Labor disputes should be addressed as soon as possible. But how can we solve these issues? We’ll be discussing in detail different ways of solving disagreements without affecting much of your business’s operations.
What Causes Labor Disputes?
Before we get into different means of solving labor disputes, we have to first look into what usually causes them in the first place. Effectively discerning the early signs of dissatisfaction in your workforce can help avert any crisis in the business.
Most of the time, labor disputes come from several reasons. Some of the most common labor disputes will usually stem from the following issues:
- Unexplained end of contracts
- Insufficient pay
- Unaddressed safety standards and workplace hazards
- Benefits and leaves that are not granted
- Negotiations between the management and the union breaking down
When faced with these concerns, any discussion and communication regarding these issues must be done within company premises and supervised by a management representative. Legal actions should be the last resort for these types of situations.
Here are some practical ways of preventing any more issues from arising.
Get to a Middle Ground
When you’re negotiating with employees, it’s essential to listen to their terms and conditions. However, there will be times that some needs cannot be met because of some technicalities in the company. Compromising and reaching a middle ground with these employees will help expedite the matter, and normal operations can resume.
One of the best ways of getting into a middle-ground with your workers is to consult with a legal professional who is well-versed with mediation employment. That will help ensure that all types of negotiations between the management and the workforce will go smoothly.
Again, legal actions should only be carried out when necessary and if damage has been done towards your company. Other than that, building a professional and positive relationship with your employees is a better way of addressing issues.
Know the Situation
If ever the conditions set by the other party a bit unreasonable, then you should let them know. Ensure that you are keeping things professional while being transparent to the other party regarding the facts of the situation. If their conditions cannot be met, tell them why.
Being prepared for some instances can help resolve the problem. For example, when most employees sign a contract, a part of the agreement would explicitly say that employers won’t need to give a viable reason for terminating the employee’s contract. That is called at-will employment. However, specific laws require that the employer provide at least two weeks’ worth of notification to the employee.
Keep It Private
The last thing that most organizations want is being reported to government agencies for labor disputes. If concerns and issues can be solved within the company, then there’s no reason to bring it to the public eye.
There are different ways of solving labor issues without having to resort to legal matters. No matter what the case is, it’s important to lend an ear to your co-workers and listen to their needs. Sometimes, the best solution is to help your workers by giving them what they want. Do they want a higher salary? Better benefits? Being able to keep them happy with these incentives means that they’ll be able to work harder.
Still, the best way to avert all of these is to identify signs of discontentment among your business workers. Have a lighthearted conversation with some of your co-workers and ask them what pressing matters in the workplace they want to be changed. Being able to listen to your workforce can mitigate any dissatisfaction. After all, nobody wants to waste time and resources over trivial matters that won’t profit your company.
