PHR Exam - Employee Relations

Vocabulary flashcards covering Employee Relations, Strategic HRM strategies, Diversity and Inclusivity concepts, Alternative Dispute Resolution methods, and legal doctrines including At-Will exceptions and Weingarten rights.

Employee Relations

The concern with maintaining employer-employee relationships that contribute to satisfactory productivity, motivation, and morale while preventing and resolving problems that affect work environments.

Strategic Human Resources Management

A strategic approach to effective and efficient management of people to help an organization gain a competitive advantage and maximize employee performance in service of strategic objectives.

Hard HRM Strategy

An autocratic style rooted in McGregor’s Theory X that emphasizes employees are simply resources, characterized by little-to-no top-down communication and appraisals focused on performance evaluation.

Soft HRM Strategy

A proactive, democratic style rooted in McGregor’s Theory Y that emphasizes employees are valuable resources, concentrating on retention, long-term goals, empowerment, and professional development.

Diversity

The similarities and differences between people accounting for all aspects of personality and identity; characterized by Vernā Myers as "being invited to the party."

Inclusivity

The extent to which Each person in an organization feels welcomed, respected, supported, and valued; characterized by Vernā Myers as "being asked to dance."

Four layers of diversity

A framework consisting of 1. Personality, 2. Internal dimensions (age, race, etc.), 3. External dimensions (income, religion, etc.), and 4. Organizational dimensions (seniority, union affiliation, etc.).

Theory of the "Three R’s"

Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner’s framework for managing diversity where leaders must Recognize differences, Respect those differences, and Reconcile variances to build high-performing teams.

Procedural Justice

Also known as due process, it involves making and implementing decisions according to fair processes that treat people with respect and dignity to inspire loyalty and voluntary compliance.

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)

Methods for resolving disputes outside of traditional legal and administrative forums, such as open door policies, peer reviews, mediation, and arbitration.

Open door policy

A formal corporate practice that encourages employees to approach management at any time with issues, complaints, or grievances to prevent escalation to outside agencies.

Mediation

A non-binding dispute resolution method where an independent person aids contending parties in settling a disagreement; either side can walk away at any time.

Arbitration

A private, judicial determination of a dispute by an independent third party that results in a final, binding judgment rarely overturned by courts.

Positive discipline

A policy focusing on coaching and mentoring to success that uses tools like performance improvement plans to eliminate the root causes of policy violations.

Progressive discipline

A systematic process using increasingly punitive measures—verbal warning, written warning, final warning, and termination—to make violating policy an unpleasant experience.

Weingarten rights

Established by case law, these allow unionized employees to insist on the presence of a co-worker or union representative during an investigatory interview they believe will result in discipline.

Constructive discharge

An illegal form of termination where an employer creates intolerable work conditions, such as pay reductions or humiliating demotions, to force a worker to quit.

Retaliatory discharge

Illegal punishment of an employee for engaging in protected activities, such as filing a workers' compensation claim or opposing unlawful employer practices.

Involuntary or coerced retirement

Forcing a worker to retire; illegal except for Top Executives who are at least $65$ years old, held the position for $2$ years, and have non-forfeitable benefits of at least $44k$.

At-Will Doctrine

A common law principle where employers can hire or fire for any reason except illegal ones, and employees can quit at any time, provided no formal contract exists.

Public policy exception

A common violation of the at-will doctrine where an employee is wrongfully terminated for actions such as serving on jury duty, whistleblowing, or refusing to commit perjury.

Workplace defamation

Slanderous or libelous statements made by coworkers or employers that can result in serious damage to a person’s reputation or career.

Duty of good faith and fair dealing

A contract law assumption that employers will act honestly and fairly without breaking their word or using ominous means to avoid obligations.