Working with employee representatives

Working effectively with employee representatives

One of the most important benefits of working with employee representatives is creating the partnership and trust with employees that improves business performance and prevents disputes.

The arrangements you use will depend on the size of your business and the type of consultation. However, it is important to aim for a balanced relationship and make roles clear. For example:

• Set out your expectations of representatives' day-to-day role, identifying which issues are within the scope of consultation. Disciplinary or competence action against a representative must not relate to their representative rights and duties. If in doubt consult Acas or get legal advice.
• Works/staff councils should have a constitution including their terms of reference and procedure for electing representatives. You should commit time and resources to enable it to operate (meeting, training, facilities etc). Read guidance on employee representation at the Acas website.

It is also important to meet legal obligations and enable individual representatives to do their job well, and you must allow: 

• paid time off for employee representatives to carry out their role and for relevant training
• reasonable access for representatives to employees
• accommodation and other facilities to representatives for their duties
• reasonable unpaid time off for union members to take part in union activities during working hours
• paid time off for trade union officials for union duties

It is also important to avoid wasting time and losing control by:

• allowing minor issues to dominate the agenda
• using consultation as an excuse for indecision
• dealing with representatives who are not accurately representing the workforce's view - for example you might consider workforce questionnaires to check on a particular issue, but take care to act sensitively

Subjects covered in this guide

• Introduction
• The role of employee representatives
• Employee representatives and the law
• Redundancies and transfers
• Health and safety, pensions
• Information and consultation, works councils, working hours
• Representation of individual employees
• Working effectively with employee representatives

 

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