7 Signs You're in a Bad Employee Relation(ship)

Valentine's day is coming, so let's talk about relationships. Employee relationships, that is!

2021 marked a turning point in employee relations.  Workers now expect more accommodations and want to continue working from home.  The #MeToo movement continues unabated, with more and more stories of abuse coming out of major businesses.  Plus, we now have the so-called "Great Resignation" to deal with, as much higher-than-normal numbers of employees are simply quitting their jobs.

In short, employee and labor relations are in a precarious place right now. The right Employee Labor Relations (ELR) software can make it easier to resolve issues (at the root cause), create a more cohesive and productive environment, and bolster employee morale.

Avoid These Seven Signs of Bad Employee Relation(ships)!

1 - Slow processes prevent HR issues from being addressed

As businesses grow, and regulatory overhead continues to pile up, you're going to hit a point that trying to do everything by hand just isn't good enough.  Even working manually with spreadsheets may take too much time, leading workers to become frustrated and unhappy.  

You need an ELR solution which can integrate directly into your other databases, with robust automation solutions that slash the amount of manual data entry and processing you must do.  This lightens your workload and keeps your workers happier.

2 - Employees are considering unionizing

If there's one clear sign that employee relationships have gone sour, it's when workers start talking unionization.  Unfortunately, harsh anti-union policies tend to create a bad public image and may even cause backlash.  Just look at Amazon!  Their labor relationships look like a telenovela.

Worse, some analysts suggest that the Great Resignation is being partially driven by anti-union policies and weak worker protections.  Basically, being unable to unionize, workers are simply quitting instead.

If you have morale or policy issues large enough that your employees are thinking about unions, you need to get on top of the problem!  Deep analysis systems in employee relations software can help you understand the sources of your morale problems, and look for least-costly solutions that will placate your workforce without disruptive strikes or union drives.

3 - You're falling behind in legal compliance

Some workers like to take advantage of problems in their workplace relationship, like playing law student and exploiting compliance problems.  Unfortunately, it's increasingly easy for businesses to run afoul of legal compliance and regulations, as government oversight continues to increase around the world.

The right ELR solution is automatically updated to include all relevant regulations, with smart alerts whenever you're in danger of falling out of compliance.  This prevents any unnecessary legal problems.

4 - Too many abuse reports

No one wants to be in an abusive relationship.  Sadly, the #MeToo movement has revealed that many businesses have allowed true abuses to go unaddressed.  This is unacceptable, ethically and legally, and it leads to huge morale issues - not to mention PR issues.

Any serious abuse allegations need to be flagged and given top priority.  Managers with multiple abuses need to be immediately brought in and counseled.  The right employee relations software ensures these reports and cases don't "slip through the cracks," allowing you to appear responsive to your workers' complaints.

5 - Under-utilized workers feel unappreciated

When it's time to fill a position within the company, or when a new challenge demands a particular skillset, do you know what your workforce is capable of?  You should be able to easily keep tabs on all your workers' individual skills, so that you can find suitable candidates quickly to meet these needs.  Employee relations software can easily track such statistics.

Even better, this is great for building employee relationships.  If workers are given opportunities to put their skills to work and feel like they can build a career within your operation, they're much less likely to leave you for someone else.

6 - Too many grievances among your staff

These are angry, politically charged times - and you need to keep it out of the office as much as possible.  In HR, one of your roles is to be a mediator between your workers when minor disputes grow into genuine drama.  And drama should stay in the movies.

Employee relations software can even help with this!  By tracking reports of disputes, grievances, and other inter-personal problems, you can stay on top of such issues and offer clear guidance when needed.

7 – The integrity of your HR data is at risk

Cyber-crime, particularly theft of sensitive data, is a huge issue in computer security right now.  It's basically the wild west.  If personal data isn't safe you run the risk of HR nightmares and compliance that can lead to employee and labor issues within your organization. The right ELR package comes with robust security, including high-bitrate encryption.  So you can guarantee your workforce that their personal information won't get leaked.

LaborSoft is the premiere ELR software solutions, trusted by businesses around the world. If you feel like you've gotten into a bad employee relation(ship) and know that you (and your employees) deserve better, schedule a demo and fall in love with our technology that enhances your (work) life.