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QUEENS COLLEGE
HUMAN RESOURCE SUPERVISION LEVEL IV
LEARNING GUIDE #04
IMPLEMENT ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONS PROCEDURES

LG Code: EIS HRO4MO4 LO1-LO3

TTLM Code: EIS HRO4 MO4 TTLM 0119V1

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
LO1: Communicate & implement organization’s organizational
relations policies & procedures
LO2: Assist in minimizing organizational relations conflict
LO3: Enhance organizational relations

Aug, 2024 G.C

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MODULE TITLE: Implementing Organizational Relations Procedures

Nominal Duration: 70 Hours
Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this module the trainer will be able to
LO1: Communicate & implement organization’s organizational relations policies & procedures
LO2: Assist in minimizing organizational relations conflict
LO3: Enhance organizational relations
LO1:Communicate & implement organizational relations policies & procedures (20Hrs)
1.1 Sourcing and disseminating relevant legislation, agreements, policies and procedures to all
relevant persons and groups
1.2 Implementing agreements, policies and procedures in accordance with work place , organization
and statutory requirements
1.3 Developing strategies to effectively communicate with relevant persons and groups on
organizational relations matters
1.4 Promoting the organization’s organizational relations procedures to relevant persons and groups
1.5 Represent the organization appropriately in discussions with key stakeholders
LO2:Assist in minimizing organizational relations conflict (25 Hrs)
2.1 Monitoring the implementation of organizational relations policies and procedures
2.2 Processing and reporting to management on potential organizational relations conflicts
2.3 Preparing and forwarding documentation to management and other relevant parties about
potential organizational relations conflicts
2.4 Working in conjunction with managers to overcome organizational relations conflicts
2.5 Working with employees to resolve personal grievances and to prevent escalation of
organizational relations conflicts
LO3:Enhance organizational relations (25 Hrs
3.1 Implementing strategies to monitor the implementation of the organization’s organizational
relations policies and procedures
3.2 Implementing strategies to facilitate feedback on the organizational climate
3.3 Implementing strategies to strengthen relationships with relevant persons and groups
3.4 Providing information and feedback to management on organizational relations
3.5 Providing information and advice to relevant persons and groups

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INFORMATION SHEET 1

LO1: COMMUNICATE& IMPLEMENT ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONS POLICIES

& PROCEDURES (20 Hrs)

1.6 Sourcing and disseminating relevant legislation, agreements, policies and procedures
to all relevant persons and groups
A policy is a definite course or method of action to guide and determine present and future
decisions. A policy is also a guide to decision making under a given set of circumstances.
Policies are usually based upon accepted, well-defined norms/standards of practice.
Norms/standards are needed to establish consistency; expectations and patterns for practice.
.A procedure is a particular way of accomplishing something, an established way of doing
things, a series of steps followed in a definite order ensuring the consistent and repetitive
approach to actions.
Why Do You Need Policies and Procedures?
The main purpose of having policies and procedures is to establish a high degree of
understanding, cooperation, efficiency and unity among employees. The fundamental
OBJECTIVES OF THESE PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT POLICIES ARE TO:
• Promote and increase efficiency and economy among employees;
• Provide fair and equal opportunity to all employees and qualified applicants on the
basis of demonstrated merit and fitness as ascertained through fair and practical methods
of selection;
• Develop a program of recruitment, advancement, and tenure that will make
employment with the agency/facility attractive as a career and encourage each employee
to render the best service; and
• Establish and promote high morale among the employees by providing good working
relationships, a uniform personnel policy, opportunity for advancement, and
consideration for employee needs and desires.

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1.7 Developing strategies to effectively communicate with relevant persons and groups on
organizational relations matters
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION IN THE WORKPLACE
Proper communication ensures everyone is on the same page and things flow a little easier.
Tips for Developing your Communication Skills
1. Listen: Communication isn’t all just about you doing the talking. A great deal of
communication involves you listening to other people. One mistake people make is that
when someone else is talking they tend to only be thinking about what they want to say when
it’s their turn to talk again, and therefore they are not fully listening to what is being said to
them. That’s when key information is missed.
2. Pay Attention to What You Are Saying without Saying It: Here’s another great example
as to how communication is not just about talking. A great deal of it is not done verbally. We
communicate so much just with the expression on our faces, the gestures we make, and the
way that we stand or sit. When interacting with others, always put your best self forward.
Make direct eye contact, stand tall or sit up straight, and give firm handshakes.
3. Know Your Audience: Have you ever taken notice as to what communication method
provides you with the best response? For instance, does your boss not respond to your emails
but gives you instant feedback when you stop by her office? Or maybe you have a colleague
that takes forever to look at the drafts you email them. Have you thought about printing the
materials and giving him a hard copy to look at? Figure out how your coworkers like to
receive information, you’ll find things move along more smoothly.
4. Remember The Message Sent Isn’t Always The Message Received: Everyone is their own
filter, and not everything comes out how we intend it. Many negative situations can arise
from making incorrect assumptions, especially in an email or a text message. In these
situations, we often find ourselves determining a tone of voice when there is none. Take a
step back and ask for clarification face-to-face if you need to so you don’t end up making
something out of nothing.
5. Get to the Point: Just as you are probably extremely busy with your daily tasks, so are your
colleagues. Sometimes a little more background information is needed; other times, it isn’t.
Make sure you are concise and clear in what your expectations are in your messaging and

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you will see a quick turn around in the results. In addition to being direct, keep tips 3 and 4 in
mind with this one. Some people might appreciate a little more small talk or respond better
with a change in tone.

INFORMATION SHEET 2

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LO2: ASSIST IN MINIMIZING ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONS CONFLICT (25

Hrs)

2.6 Monitoring the implementation of organizational relations policies and procedures

Monitoring
This is the systematic and continuous collection and analysis of information about the
progress of a piece of work over time. This process identifies a project’s strengths and
weaknesses, and helps to provide an understanding of the reasons for these, so that decisions can
be made to resolve any limitations. The main elements of monitoring are project inputs,
performance and progress.

A good monitoring system should include both process monitoring and impact monitoring:
A. Process Monitoring, for:
 Reviewing and planning work on a regular basis
 Assessing whether activities are carried out as planned
 Identifying and dealing with problems as they arise
Key Questions While Monitoring and Evaluating Status of Implementation of the Plan
1. Are goals and objectives being achieved or not? If they are, then acknowledging, reward
and communicate the progress. If not, then consider the following questions.
2. Will the goals be achieved according to the timelines specified in the plan? If not, then
why?
3. Should the deadlines for completion be changed (be careful about making these changes --
know why efforts are behind schedule before times are changed)?
4. Do personnel have adequate resources (money, equipment, facilities, training, etc.) to
achieve the goals?
5. Are the goals and objectives still realistic?
6. Should priorities be changed to put more focus on achieving the goals?
7. Should the goals be changed (be careful about making these changes -- know why efforts
are not achieving the goals before changing the goals)?

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8. What can be learned from our monitoring and evaluation in order to improve future
planning activities and also to improve future monitoring and evaluation efforts?
Frequency of Monitoring and Evaluation
The frequency of reviews depends on the nature of the organization and the environment in
which its operating. Organizations experiencing rapid change from inside and/or outside the
organization may want to monitor implementation of the plan at least on a monthly basis.
Reporting Results of Monitoring and Evaluation
1. Always write down the status reports. In the reports, describe:
1. Answers to the above key questions while monitoring implementation.
2. Trends regarding the progress (or lack thereof) toward goals, including which goals and
objectives
3. Recommendations about the status
4. Any actions needed by management
Deviating from Plan
It’s OK to deviate from the plan. The plan is only a guideline, not a strict roadmap which must
be followed.
Usually the organization ends up changing its direction somewhat as it proceeds through the
coming years. Changes in the plan usually result from changes in the organization’s external
environment and/or client needs result in different organizational goals, changes in the
availability of resources to carry out the original plan, etc.
The most important aspect of deviating from the plan knows why you’re deviating from
the plan, i.e., having a solid understanding of what’s going on and why.
Changing the Plan
Be sure some mechanism is identified for changing the plan, if necessary. For example,
regarding changes, write down:
1. What is causing changes to be made?
2. Why the changes should be made (the "why" is often different than "what is causing" the
changes).
3. The changes to made, including to goals, objectives, responsibilities and timelines.

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Manage the various versions of the plan (including by putting a new date on each new version of
the plan).
Always keep old copies of the plan.
Always discuss and write down what can be learned from recent planning activity to make the
next strategic planning activity more efficient.
2.7 Processing and reporting to management on potential organizational relations conflicts
Conflict management
Conflict is a 'clash of interests, values, actions, views or directions.' People disagree because
they see things differently, want different things, have thinking styles which encourage
them to disagree
Conflict situations arise because of fear, force, fair or funds. Fear is an imaginary concern for
future. Force of any kind initiates and concludes conflicts. Fair is the sense of fairness, which
determines the moral values of an individual. Tangible as well as intangible costs may provoke
conflict, and also help towards its resolution. Interpersonal conflicts arise because of differences
in personality, perceptions, status and ideological and philosophical outlooks. Other causes of
conflict can be communication gaps; personality differences; substandard performance; disputes
over approaches, responsibility and authority; lack of cooperation; or competition for limited
resources.
Managing conflict is a major responsibility of managers. To create a dynamic and healthy
environment in the organization, conducive to effective working, the research manager should
deal skillfully with conflict situations. This can only be done if she or he understands the
scientists fully, i.e., their problems, interests, limitations and the factors motivating them. .
Effects of conflicts
Conflict situations should be either resolved or used beneficially. Conflicts can have positive or
negative effects for the organization, depending upon the environment created by the manager as
she or he manages and regulates the conflict situation.
Positive effects of conflicts
1. Diffusion of more serious conflicts. Games can be used to moderate the attitudes of
people by providing a competitive situation which can liberate tension in the
conflicting parties, as well as having some entertainment value. In organizations where

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members participate in decision making, disputes are usually minor and not acute as the
closeness of member’s moderates belligerent and assertive behavior into minor
disagreements, which minimizes the likelihood of major fights.
2. Stimulation of a search for new facts or resolutions. When two parties who respect each
other face a conflict situation, the conflict resolution process may help in clarifying the
facts and stimulating a search for mutually acceptable solutions.
3. Increase in group cohesion and performance. When two or more parties are in conflict,
the performance and cohesion of each party is likely to improve. In a conflict situation,
an opponent's position is evaluated negatively, and group allegiance is strongly
reinforced, leading to increased group effort and cohesion.
4. Assessment of power or ability. In a conflict situation, the relative ability or power of
the parties involved can be identified and measured.
Negative effects of conflicts
Destructive effects of conflicts include:
 impediments to smooth working,
 diminishing output,
 obstructions in the decision making process, an
 Formation of competing affiliations within the organization.
The overall result of such negative effects is to reduce employees' commitment to organizational
goals and organizational
Elements of a conflict
Organizational conflicts usually involve three elements, which have to be appropriately matched
through necessary organizational arrangements in order to resolve the conflict.
Power is the capacities and means that people have at their disposal to get work done. Power
includes budgetary discretion, personal influence, information, time, space, staff size and
dependence on others. If used efficiently, power creates an atmosphere of cooperation, but can
generate conflicts when misused, withheld or amassed.
Organizational demands are the people's expectations regarding a person's job performance.
Usually such expectations are high, and making them rather unrealistic.

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When these expectations are not fulfilled, people feel disheartened, angry, let down or cheated.
Consequently, conflict situations can arise.
Worth refers to a person's self-esteem. People want to prove their worth in the organization.
Superiors control employees' pay, performance rating, performance and appraisal, etc. How
much of these are received by a person reflects their worth. An individual may also feel loss of
worth if some basic needs are not fulfilled. Generally, conflicts arise from mismatches between
power, organizational demands and feelings of personal worth.
Ways to resolve conflict
When two groups or individuals face a conflict situation, they can react in four ways. They can:
1. FIGHT, which is not a beneficial, sound or gratifying approach to dealing with a conflict
situation, as it involves 'tactics, strategies, offensive and defensive positions, losing and
winning grounds, and exposure of weak points.' Fighting as a way of resolving a
conflict can only be useful in courtroom situations, where winning and losing
becomes a by-product of the judicial process.
2. NEGOTIATE, towards a settlement with the other party. Negotiations take place within
the prevailing situation and do not involve problem solving or designing. Third-party
roles are very important in bringing the conflicting parties together on some
common ground for negotiations.
3. PROBLEM SOLVE, which involves identifying and removing the cause of the
conflict so as to make the situation normal again. However, this may not be easy. It
is also possible that the situation may not become normal even after removing the
identified cause, because of its influence on the situation.
4. DESIGN, which is an attempt towards creativity in making the conflict situation normal.
It considers conflicts as situations rather than problems. Designing is not confined to
what is already there, but attempts to reach what might be created given a proper
understanding of the views and situations of the conflicting parties. The proposed idea
should be appropriate and acceptable to the parties in conflict. A third party participates
actively in the design process rather than being just a an umpire.
CONFLICT-RESOLUTION BEHAVIOR

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1. Avoiding

Someone who uses a strategy of "avoiding" mostly tries to ignore or sidestep

the conflict, hoping it will resolve itself or dissipate.

2. Accommodating

Using the strategy of "accommodating" to resolve conflict essentially

involves taking steps to satisfy the other party's concerns or demands at the
expense of your own needs or desires.

3. Compromising

The strategy of "compromising" involves finding an acceptable resolution

that will partly, but not entirely, satisfy the concerns of all parties involved.

4. Competing

Someone who uses the conflict resolution strategy of "competing" tries to

satisfy their own desires at the expense of the other parties involved.

5. Collaborating

Using "collaborating" involves finding a solution that entirely satisfies the

concerns of all involved parties.

INFORMATION SHEET 3

LO3: ENHANCE ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONS (25 Hrs)

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3.6 Implementing strategies to monitor the implementation of the organization’s

organizational relations policies and procedures
Public relations can and should make an important contribution in helping to form an
organization’s ideas about what it is, what it should do and what its publics want and expect from
it.
 Communication Management: The public relations role that calls for developing
communications objectives that are consistent with an organization’s overall objectives. As
two-way communicators, public relations practitioners interact directly with key publics,
relaying the resulting information (with recommendations) to other members of the
management team.
 Crisis Management: Establishing methods and policies to be used when an organization’s
operations become involved in an emergency affecting the public. This includes policies and
procedures for the distribution of information to employees, media, government and other
key publics.
 Issues Management: This involves identifying problems, issues and trends relevant to an
organization and then developing and executing a program to deal with them. Included is the
study of public policy matters of concern to an organization.
 Relationship Management: This involves the role of public relations in identifying key
publics and establishing strategies for building and maintaining mutually beneficial
relationships with those publics.
 Reputation or Image Management: The planning and implementing of policies, procedures
and strategies that demonstrate an organization’s commitment to public and social
responsibility, ethical behavior, corporate identity and reputation with key publics.
 Resource Management: PR’s management of human and financial resources revolves
around setting objectives, planning, budgeting, recruiting and hiring PR staff and
administering those resources.
 Risk Management: As preventive PR, this role involves helping an organization recognize
areas of potential danger and recommending needed changes before potential dangers
develop into crises.

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 Strategic Management: Acting as a counselor, the PR practitioner serves on the

management team helping the organization develop sound policies that are in the best
interests of the public as well as the organization. The PR practitioner integrates an
understanding of the concerns and attitudes of key publics into the organization’s managerial
decision-making process.

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