P.B. Beaumont

Customer‐supplier relations and the diffusion of employee relations changes

Describes the utility of supply chain partnerships as a mechanism for the diffusion of change in employee relations. Uses case study and survey evidence to explain the means by which this can be achieved. Examines data relating to both customer and supplier organizations in the manufacturing sector. Concludes that the customer‐supplier relationship can act as an agent of change in human resource management, particularly as they do not need to be artificially created, and can reach “peripheral” as well as “core” firms. Suggests that the local economic development agencies may be able to encourage the formation of networks of organizations in a particular industry and promote the spread of innovations in employee relations in this way.

Trust in senior management in the public sector

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the important issue of trust in senior management in the public sector. More specifically, the research aims to explore to what extent has there been a downward spiral of trust in public sector senior management in the eyes of their employees in recent years, and whether this trend spans the public sector as a whole.Design/methodology/approach – This paper draws on both quantitative and qualitative methodologies from two public sector organisations, which are of very different character. The question being asking of the data is whether a relatively similar percentage of the workforce lacks trust in senior management and whether this is for essentially the same reasons. An attitude survey of the population of both case study organisations was conducted in conjunction with focus groups.Findings – The findings in the paper revealed two important matters. First, longitudinal data indicates that relative distrust of senior management is enduring and cannot be e...

Bullying and harassment: a case of success?

Purpose – This paper aims to examine an attempt by an organisation to address the significant problem of bullying and harassment. In doing so the paper particularly centres on the question of how the relative success of bullying and harassment policies might be measured.Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on a quantitative longitudinal study of a single organisation.Findings – The findings revealed that there was a significant reduction in perceptions of bullying in the organisation. The level of trust in senior management, however, was not enhanced as a result of the success.Research limitations/implications – The study emphasises the need for further research on measuring the outcomes of bullying and harassment policies and also work is required to further the understanding of trust between senior management and their workforce.Practical implications – The paper highlights the importance, and difficulties, in assessing the success of policies such as bullying and harassment. In many respect...

Organisations and the issue of multiple identities: who loves you baby?

Purpose – This paper aims to investigate the relationship between organisational identification and identification with work group and profession for knowledge workers. The literature points to two competing standpoints, first, a compatible relationship between focal points of identity and second, a trade off relationship whereby an increase in one is at the expense of another.Design/methodology/approach – Using the population of a large public UK sector organisation ordinary least squares regression was used to examine these relationships.Findings – The findings established a strong relationship in which work group, organisational and professional identification were compatible.Research limitations/implications – The findings indicate, at least in this context, that no inherent trade off or problem reconciling multiple identities was evident. Regrettably the authors do not have the capacity to comment on the weighting or the relative importance placed on each focus of identity; this is an area for future...

Employee-management co-operation and workplace health and safety in Europe*

In recent years legislation in various European countries has sought to encourage employee-management co-operation in order to improve workplace health and safety conditions. This paper considers the resulting growth of joint health and safety committees and the ways in which management can seek to make these effective in their operation. The importance of a strong commitment on the part of senior management to the effective working of these joint bodies is especially emphasized. Finally, we conclude by examining various dimensions of the workplace health and safety problem in a number of European countries.

The Union Membership of Nurses: Another Look

The results are details of a survey into membership and recruitment of student nurses in training schools and hospitals into the main nursing unions – the RCN, COHSE and NUPE.