INFLUENCE  OF EMPLOYEE RELATIONS ON EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE IN AN ORGANIZATION.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Employees play the most significant role in every organization when it comes to attaining success and enhancing productivity. They constitute the important part in helping the organization to obtain a greater productive capacity. Conceptually, the term “employee relations" refers to the interactions, dynamics, and overall relationships between employees in an organization and between employees and the organization's management. It encompasses various aspects such as communication, teamwork, conflict resolution, and the general atmosphere in the workplace( Olaolu, 2019). However, employee relations is considered as a tool for developing and improving organizational performance in the institution. According to James (2016), it is the quality of the employee‟s workplace relationship that most impacts on the level of employee‟s motivation and subsequent performance. How well employees engage with the organization, especially with their immediate environment that are in most cases their colleagues, influences to a great extent their error rate, level of innovation and collaboration with other employees, absenteeism and, ultimately, how long they stay in the job. 

Similarly, employee relations offers assistance in a variety of ways including employee recognition, policy development and interpretation, and all types of problem solving and dispute resolution. It involves handling the pay–work bargain, dealing with employment practices, terms and conditions of employment, issues arising from employment, providing employees with a voice and communicating with employees (Frank & Jeffrey, 2010). However, organizations cannot perform better and achieve its objectives if there is a bad relationship between employees and employer, therefore it is very important for managers to create and maintain good relationship with their employees. Effective employee and management relationship is vital to the workplace whether at the time of recruitment, during an employees’ tenure or at the time of separation (Rose, 2018).

Further more, every organization needs good relationships between employers and employees because they motivate workers to perform better and deliver more results(Burns, 2017). Also, the application of human relations in managing human resource is critical in today’s business competitive environment (Christen, Iyer & Sober man, 2016). Factors such as job satisfaction are achieved when there is a great working relationship between labour and management (Boyle, 2016). Although, organizations can have competent, qualified and motivated employees but if there is no peace and harmony at the workplace their performance will be in danger. However, creating a positive and supportive work environment can result in better performance, increased job satisfaction, and various other positive outcomes that ultimately benefit both the employees and the organization as a whole. Effective employee relations are crucial for a harmonious and productive work environment. Therefore, a survey will be conducted in order to investigate the influence  of employee relations on employee performance in an organization.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Employee relations is a broad term that incorporates many issues from collective bargaining, negotiations, employment legislation to more recent considerations such as work-life balance, equal opportunities and managing diversity (Armstrong & Stephens, 2016). It comprises the practice or initiatives for ensuring that Employees are happy and are productive.

Despite the fact that employee relations is one of the pillars and crucial functions of human resource management which leads to effective employee performance and organizational performance. Some organization in Nigeria seems to throw employee relations behind them by not giving it special attention and priority, as a result, they are still struggling to establish and maintain effective employee relation. However, this has cause unnecessary disputes in these organizations which in turn affected their performance. Poor relations between the employer and employees among organizations operating in the globally and locally markets has become the challenge (Kaliski, 2017).It is in the light of these that the study seeks to examine the influence  of employee relations on employee performance in an organization.

1.3  Objectives of the Study

The main purpose of this study is to find out  the  influence  of employee relations on employee performance in an organization. Specifically, the study will;

1.        Investigate whether there is a significant relationship between employee relations and employee performance

2.        Investigate the causes of poor employee relations in an organization.

3.        Investigate the impact of adequate employee relations on the performance of workers in an organization

1.4 Research Questions

The following questions have been prepared for the study:

1.        Is there a significant relationship between employee relations and employee performance?

2.        What are the causes of poor employee relations in an organization?

3.        How does adequate employee relations impact the performance of workers in an organization?

1.5  Significant of the Study

The influence of employee relations on employee performance in an organization will be revealed to various organizations, employees, business owners, management, media houses and  students in this study. It will give employees the opportunity to state their individual perceptions toward employee relations and its effect on employee productivity, and make recommendations as to what they feel the organization should do to improve employee relations. The management will benefit from the study too, as the findings will be presented to them with recommendations from the respondents. It will also serve to make them understand the benefits of good employee relations and it influence on employee productivity. Additionally, it will enlighten management of various organizations of the effects of relationship practices between employers and employees. It will also bring out specifically, the employee relations practices which the companies have been able to make available to their employees. Also, it will enable students and academicians to understand the causes, consequences and solution of poor employee relations.

Further more, subsequent researchers will use it as a literature review. This means that other students who may decide to conduct studies in this area will have the opportunity to use this study as available literature that can be subjected to critical review. Invariably, the result of the study contributes immensely to the body of academic knowledge with regard to the influence  of employee relations on employee performance in an organization.

1.6 Scope of the study

The scope of this study is boarded on the influence  of employee relations on employee performance in an organization. Geographically, the study will be delimited to staff in Zenith bank, Plc., Nigeria.

1.7 Limitation of the study

In the course of carrying out this study, the researcher experienced some constraints, which included time constraints, financial constraints, language barriers, and the attitude of the respondents.

In addition, there was the element of researcher bias. Here, the researcher possessed some biases that may have been reflected in the way the data was collected, the type of people interviewed or sampled, and how the data gathered was interpreted thereafter. The potential for all this to influence the findings and conclusions could not be downplayed.

More so, the findings of this study are limited to the sample population in the study area, hence they may not be suitable for use in comparison to other schools, local governments, states, and other countries in the world.

 1.8 Definition of Terms

Employee: a person employed for wages or salary,.

Performance: is the accomplishment of an employee, organization in relation to stated goals and objectives.

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