Across the picket line?
Many of today’s managers have no experience of dealing with industrial action. Martin Addison from Video Arts writes in The People Bulletin about what support managers need during a strike.
Organisations typically aim for a partnership, not a stand-off with their unions. However, in the public sector, the sheer scale of the spending review cuts has unleashed a growing concern that we could be facing a period of industrial unrest and coordinated strike action. The private sector has also been impacted, as companies, such as AstraZeneca, British Airways and Coca-Cola have recently experienced costly strike action because of issues such as pay, changes to employment terms and pension cuts.
Management perspective
Strikes can not only have a detrimental impact on revenues and end users, they can also have a negative impact on the working relationships within the organisation concerned. Any decision to strike can divide the workforce: some will support the action; others will oppose it. Any manager who has to deal with the stresses, conflict situations, dilemmas and confused loyalties that can arise in a strike will find the experience incredibly challenging.
1. Know the rules.
Managers don’t have to be experts in employment law but they do need to know what’s expected of them and where the lines are drawn. HR and the senior management team should make clear what support is available to managers and the organisational policies that apply. Managers should always keep the ‘end game’ goal in mind: that is to facilitate a smooth return to work when the strike is over.
2. Keep lines of communication open.
Industrial action can awaken emotions in people that you might not expect. When strike action appears imminent, working relationships with colleagues on different sides of the divide will change. Managers should meet with their team and ask them to remain professional. They should allow their team members to air their views and they should address any concerns promptly.
3. Be assertive, not aggressive.
Anything that happens during the strike is likely to taint the atmosphere when everyone returns to work. Managers should try to avoid conflict and confrontation. People will be looking to the manager and gauging the situation by his or her reactions. It will be important for them to assert control but not to show aggression. At all times, they have to see it as a professional dispute and not personal.
4. Set an example to restore relationships.
When the strike ends and people return to work, there may be some lingering animosity. Managers should try to calm the situation and get the team to work together to resolve any ongoing issues. Visible leadership will be critical at this time. Managers should set the example by role modelling the behaviours they want to see in others. They should also provide a forum where people can air their views and tackle any grievances quickly and professionally.
With the increased threat of industrial disputes, every organisation should ensure that their managers are fully equipped to cope in the event of a strike situation. How a manager handles a dispute will have a significant impact on the organisation’s ability to perform, once the dispute is over.
Note: These tips are taken from a new video-based learning resource, called Industrial Action: A Manager’s Guide. Produced by Video Arts in association with Pukka Films. Designed to stimulate discussion on how to respond to industrial action, it includes advice on running a training session lasting from 90 minutes to a half-day.
