HROE5602 Employee and Labor Relations
Employee and Labor Relations is the functional area of Human Resources Management. Every Human Resources professional is required to have a working knowledge of the historical and legal perspective of work, employee relations and worker movements as well as state and federal laws and regulations that are applicable to employee and labor relations. These laws form the basis of company policy but often are only the starting point. Human Resources professionals are required to know, be able to design and draft, and implement organizational policies that apply to today's workforce. In order to compete for top talent, the goal of all Human Resources professionals must be to be able to attract, develop, deploy and retain its greatest asset: its people. This course builds upon the material covered in the Navigating the HR Legal and Regulatory Environment course and focuses on the intricate balance of establishing and upholding the minimum standards governed by applicable laws, developing and enforcing policies that may set stricter standards than the laws dictate, and the role of the HR manager as the cultivator of culture in order to develop and retain top performing employees. Upon successful completion of this course students will be expected to have gained: an overview of all relevant work, class and equality theories, applicable laws, governmental authorities, and constituencies that govern the modern day workplace; knowledge of employee and labor relations concepts (organizational behavior, fair treatment, discipline, union security, management rights, collective bargaining, etc.) related to designing and implementing effective organizational labor and employment practices; oral and written communication skills for developing, implementing, and administering employee and labor relations programs and policies that govern the modern day workplace; research and investigative skills, critical and analytical thinking, and problem solving skills to manage employee performance, employee conflicts and disputes, and overall employee relations; and an appreciation of current issues and best practices in the area of employee retention.