Employee Relations

The process of managing the relationship between employees and the company, including conflict resolution, employee motivation, and communication.

What is the definition of industrial relations?

"Industrial relations or employment relations is the multidisciplinary academic field that studies the employment relationship; that is, the complex interrelations between employers and employees, labor/trade unions, employer organizations, and the state."

Why is the term "employment relations" gaining more prominence?

"The newer name, 'Employment Relations' is increasingly taking precedence because 'industrial relations' is often seen to have relatively narrow connotations."

Has industrial relations only focused on industrial employment relationships?

"Industrial relations has frequently been concerned with employment relationships in the broadest sense, including 'non-industrial' employment relationships."

How does industrial relations relate to human resource management?

"This is sometimes seen as paralleling a trend in the separate but related discipline of human resource management."

Are industrial relations, employee relations, and labor relations synonymous?

"While some scholars regard or treat industrial/employment relations as synonymous with employee relations and labor relations, this is controversial."

What is the main difference between employee relations and labor relations?

"The narrower focus of employee/labour relations, i.e. on employees or labour, from the perspective of employers, managers and/or officials."

Does employee relations only cover non-unionized workers?

"Employee relations is often perceived as dealing only with non-unionized workers."

What do labor relations primarily focus on?

"Labor relations is seen as dealing with organized labor, i.e. unionized workers."

How do some institutions view human resource management?

"Some academics, universities, and other institutions regard human resource management as synonymous with one or more of the above disciplines."

Is there controversy regarding the view of human resource management?

"Although this too is controversial."

What are the entities involved in the employment relationship studied in industrial relations?

"The complex interrelations between employers and employees, labor/trade unions, employer organizations, and the state."

Why do some believe the term "industrial relations" is limited?

"'Industrial relations' is often seen to have relatively narrow connotations."

Is the study of employment relationships limited to industrial sectors?

"Industrial relations has frequently been concerned with employment relationships in the broadest sense, including 'non-industrial' employment relationships."

What discipline has a similar trend to industrial relations?

"The separate but related discipline of human resource management."

Are industrial relations, employee relations, and labor relations interchangeable terms?

"While some scholars regard or treat industrial/employment relations as synonymous with employee relations and labor relations, this is controversial."

What aspect does employee relations focus on?

"On employees or labor, from the perspective of employers, managers and/or officials."

Who is typically addressed in the field of employee relations?

"Non-unionized workers."

What is the primary focus of labor relations?

"Dealing with organized labor, i.e. unionized workers."

How are human resource management and industrial relations sometimes perceived?

"Some academics, universities, and other institutions regard human resource management as synonymous with one or more of the above disciplines."

Is there agreement on the view of human resource management?

"Although this too is controversial."