Archives for April 1998

Exploring Alternatives to Downsizing

April 1, 1998 by IRC Queen Uni

Market pressures force organizations to change rapidly. Given this unrelenting pace, leaders find they no longer can mull over decisions before taking action. Organizations must be nimble in considering and acting on changing needs in staffing. Leaders must ask:

What mix of skills do we need today?
What skills are we likely to need in the future?
Do we have the right number of people employed today?
How will these numbers change in the future?
How do our staffing costs compare to others in out type of business?

Whither the Trade Unions?

April 1, 1998 by IRC Queen Uni

The trade union movement in Canada, as in many other industrial countries, is in the throes of change. Among other things, it is grappling with pressures stemming from the rapid pace of economic and technological change as well as shifts in business practices, employment patterns and social attitudes. This report briefly examines some of the challenges facing trade unions on the eve of the new millennium.

The Cycle of Change

April 1, 1998 by IRC Queen Uni

Resistance to change often appears when people are at different points on the cycle. Take the time to compare the relative positions on the cycle held by everyone involved; it can help you anticipate potential problems and develop the most appropriate strategies.

The richness of the cycle comes in the potential tension between your position on the cycle and others’. I will write as if there were only one other group, so you will be looking at only two points on the cycle — where you are and where they are. Actually, there are probably many different groups, each with its own interests and position on your cycle. To thoroughly understand the situation, you would need to complete this quick assessment with each of the other key individuals or groups.

Mediation: An Early Dispute Resolution Procedure for the Workplace

April 1, 1998 by IRC Queen Uni

Dispute resolution is an integral part of management. Almost seventy-five percent of job-related stress is generated by internal disputes, and more than eighty-five percent of people leaving their jobs do so because of some perceived internal conflict. Festering disputes are time-consuming and can result in feelings of alienation, reduced productivity, loss of production quality, and strained relationships. All too frequently, employees in conflict ‘win the battle but lose the war’ because they confuse long- and short-term conflict resolution goals and objectives. If employees are likely to work together in the future, dispute resolution procedures should be designed to encourage the development and the maintenance of healthy long-term relationships. Mediation is becoming a popular early dispute resolution procedure in many companies and provincial organizations.

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Archives for April 1998

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