Decent Work in Australia: Employee Relations
For a number of years, the concept of decent work has been promoted by the International Labour Organization, and becomes important in terms of addressing a number of issues related to employment relations. Being the goal of many employees, decent work has been an important concept that encompasses not only what happens at the workplace and what employers do, but also covers broader issues in the society. With this, this paper discusses the concept of decent work and its components, the different views of the actors of employment relations regarding decent work, including the strategies that can be used to create decent work. From this, the argument of the paper will be developed, which leads to the conclusion of the paper.
The expression “decent work” can be understood by analyzing the word decent itself, as being “satisfactory, and of an acceptable standard” (2006). This just means that a decent work is characterized as being a work or job that is sufficient, both in quality and quantity (2006), and provides a good source of income and livelihood for employees and employers. In addition, it is also characterized by a productive work, protection of rights, adequate pay, social coverage, and tripartite approach and social dialogue (2006). Moreover, decent work has four dimensions (2002), from which the development and improvement of organizations and companies are based in order to implement strategies in relation to employee relations and other related issues such as unemployment and equality. The four dimensions are:
Work and Employment – in a decent work, the quantity and quality of work available includes having enough work and income, considering the working hours and intensity of work
Basic Rights at Work – this is expressed as including labor standards, freedom of association, right to a living wage, a safe work environment, freedom from child labor, forced labor and many other rights
Security – in a decent work, right to job security and social protection is an important aspect, especially when faced with adverse economic conditions
Representation and Dialogue – a decent work involves having the right to representation and employee ‘voice’ and workplace democracy, such as with trade unions.
These dimensions are essential to take note of, for they become good basis for the improvement of employee relations that would contribute to a successful organization. In addition, decent work is the basic demand for all working individuals, as it represents the identification for decent jobs, homes, food, education, adequate income, social protection, respect for union rights, democratic participation and social dialogue, such that it contributes to the prevailing economic stability and order of a nation (2003). The success, along with the failure of the economy and labor market has profound effects on the living standards of individuals, and in the assessment of how work is evolving, it is essential to devote particular importance to understanding wages, hours of work and forms of employment, which determine employee relations and conditions (2006).
In relation to this are the different views of the actors of employment relations on decent work, namely, unions, employers and the state. For the union, decent work involves the expression of the voice of the workforce in representing workers and employees, to create the basis for both dynamic efficiency and ‘sword of justice’ ( 2003). The help of trade unions help concentrate the minds of managers and workers on developing and maintaining decent, viable and efficient employment and labor practices (2003). For employers, establishing a decent work involves their support and management through new technical assistance support service that provides consultancy and helps to build new networks that better link business and workforce development, and the monitoring and evaluation of performance measures of employees (2006). Lastly is the view of the state of Australia, which aims to obtain decent and productive work, in conditions providing freedom, equity, security and human dignity, including the growth of opportunities for wage development and self-employment. Thus, these goals tend to provide solutions in combating poverty and unemployment, increasing personal and national economic security, increasing efficiency, and improving equity and strengthening social integration (2005). The view of decent work by the state involves the change of focus in the Australian workplace relations systems, which has already moved away from a reliance on external intervention, and towards encouraging employers and employees to come up with agreements at the workplace ( 2007).
Strategies that can be used to create decent work in Australia involve the following. The regulation of work and employment relations is now a decentralized regulation of work and employment relations, having individual contracts of employment, contingent forms of work, and a unitarist approach, in which collective forms of worker representations are diminished (2003). In addition, terms including ‘high commitment’, ‘high involvement’, and ‘high performance’ work systems have entered the language of employment relations to indicate new approaches by management, which stress the importance of teams, multi-skilling, and employee involvement, in order to achieve high levels of quality and productivity ( 2003). The application of having a more flexible working hours and duties is also a good strategy, including job control, use of new technology, changes in work organization, employee empowerment, involvement in decision-making, information-sharing, formal grievance procedures, non-hierarchical forms of work, and use of teams or autonomous work groups ( 2006).
The argument of this paper is that decent work is useful as it is concerned not only with what happens at the workplace and what employers, but is also about much broader issues in the society. Decent work for most individuals is about companionship and ideally, giving them an opportunity to take pride in their profession ( 2006). Among the desired features of a job includes ‘good people to work with’ and ‘ability to do satisfying and interesting things’, which involves the deepening of competence, or the ability to undertake increasingly more challenging tasks (2006). With good employee relations within an organization, the management would have the opportunity to maintain and sustain good interrelationships with one another, thus improving the capabilities and knowledge of accomplishing tasks. Getting managers and employees with the appropriate knowledge and experience, skills, style, and attitude plays a very crucial role in ensuring effective and efficient operational performance (2006), thus, ensuring a decent and stable work that would provide Australian citizens with fulfillment and satisfaction. With good employee relations, possible problems arising in the company would be resolved, thus, maintaining the company’s good reputation, regaining employees’ trust, and ensuring their motivation. Motivation serves to be a key especially in terms of an employee’s performance, and becomes the drive for him or her to achieve his or her goal and exert effort toward organizational objectives and consequences. In addition, decent work requires the interaction of all the three actors in employment relations, namely the trade union, employers and the state. The interaction of these three enables the smooth, effective and efficient operations of organizations in Australia. This in turn, promotes the concept of decent work, for their interaction would promote and encourage all their views and actions that would establish all the rights that each employee deserve to have from their employers and from the state. Furthermore, the improvement and development of employment relations in relation to decent work would decrease cases of racism and discrimination within Australian organizations. Due to discrimination, some are denied of jobs, trainings, or in extreme cases, suffer brutal harassment and death because of wrong prejudice. In this sense, the improvement of employment relations would be beneficial in providing decent work for Australians and non-Australians alike, for equal opportunities for both women and men will be achieved. In addition, many will know the concept of cultural relativism and gender sensitivity thus, further decreasing the incidences for discrimination. With this, respect and justice will be upheld in the society, helping each to attain his or her rights and privileges. The interaction of such factors and changes leads to realization and understanding that employee relations poses an important role in providing a decent work in Australia.
It can be deduced from the discussion that decent work, thus, not only include the basic needs of employees, but also having harmonious relationships with colleagues to ensure teamwork, coordination and cooperation, for the effective operation of the company. It also includes the interaction of the three basic actors of employment relations, which are responsible for promoting and encouraging the concept of decent work. With this, it has been emphasized that decent work involves the interaction between employees and employers and involves much broader issues in the society.
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