Employee Participation Strategies:
Consultation
Consultation may be either on specific proposals put forward by management or in an open situation – the ‘blank paper’ approach – but the essence of it is that the views and recommendations of those consulted are fully taken into account by whoever is responsible for taking the final decision. Consultation can be a very effective process for employee involvement in decision making, but do not call it consultation if you have already made up your mind about what you are going to do! It will only cause frustration and resentment. With consultation, management must basically be prepared to go along with whatever recommendations may emerge, or be able to show very good and convincing reasons why it is unable to do so.
Joint Decision Making
- Collective bargaining is a form of co-determination. In collective bargaining, a decision is reached by a process of negotiation and compromise between different starting positions, but the ultimate decision is neither management nor the union’s, it is determined jointly.
- There can however be joint decision making in other contexts, through a process of co-operation rather than negotiation, where there is an agreement in advance to accept whatever agreed recommendations emerge. In consultation, it is understood that, in the end, management will make the decision.
- With joint decision making, however, the decision itself is made by the group. Joint decision making calls for a rather different approach by all parties, and a greater commitment to reach an agreement. It means also that management is committed to accept whatever decision emerges. And it means that both parties share responsibility for the decision.
Joint Responsibility
- Joint responsibility for shared decisions is, however, a rather open question. On some issues, it may be possible, and employees will feel as committed to the decision as management. But on some issues, where decisions would otherwise be taken by management as part of management’s normal responsibility, the employee side may feel that although they have shared in making the decision, responsibility for it should remain with management.
- Delegated Authority A further process of participation in decision making is delegated authority. It is characteristic of a participative style of management that all decisions are taken as far down the line as possible, and employees are given maximum responsibility for their own jobs. This is a process that need not stop with management, there can be specific authority delegated to the workforce.
