Like cilantro, it’s an either-or kind of thing. Either your organization and unions like one another and get along palatably. Or you don’t. Many of us have had a first-hand (or maybe arm’s length) experience from one side of the fence or the other. For unionized organizations intending to introduce or raise employee engagement levels, rallying union support around engagement surveys can be like scaling an extra high wall. It’s not without its challenges.
In 2016 there were 14.6 million wage and salary workers belonging to a union in the U.S.—a decline of 240,000 from the year before. In 1983, the year comparable union data was first available, there were 17.7 million union workers representing 20.1 percent of the American workforce. Today that percentage stands at 10.7 percent, nearly 50% less. Another noteworthy 2016 tidbit highlighted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is that union membership rates continue to be highest among workers aged 45 to 64. Given that unions support seniority over merit it’s not a stretch to guess what side of the fence that puts Millennials on.
By all accounts, membership is receding but that doesn’t diminish the sensitivity and perennial quest for bargaining chips that are characteristic of unions. Fortunately for some organizations, the union relationship is strong. For others, however, it’s downright cantankerous. Adversarial at best.
Unions are threatened with the engagement survey process. Think about it: by engaging staff, organizations eliminate the need for a union in the first place. Plus, well-meaning employee engagement programs focus on a common interest rather than the US vs THEM attitude typically perpetuated in unionized environments. So instead of building bridges, defensive union representatives put up blockades. They obstruct employee surveys by sending out messages urging membership not to participate – saying surveys aren’t confidential and managers will be able to tell who says what; beware the consequences.
Bringing union representatives into the engagement survey process is essential. It’s also essential to set ground rules. Make it clear they’re the same as everyone else, especially around confidentiality (because like everyone else, they’ll want to see results with the intention of identifying certain members). Yes, to a union/non-union break-out of results. But no, an absolute NO, to looking at individual responses. Not up for debate. Convey questions specific to union or department special interests won’t be happening either, though there may be a question asking people how they feel about labor relations in general.
Remember too, unions will want to use the information that comes out of an engagement survey for negotiations. They’ll participate in the process, then turn around and say, “oh, look how unhappy our members are about … this, that and the other…”. Being mindful of these challenges and staying true to the principles of employee engagement can help diffuse confrontational situations.
Quite often unions (possibly within your own organization), have programs and services in place that help with professional development, health and well-being. They’re already contributing to employee engagement, unwittingly. Including unions in the engagement survey process is KEY to higher and honest participation rates. This starts with survey design right through to post-survey actioning. Getting that buy-in can be difficult, particularly if the union doesn’t trust management.
A little something from a passionate advocate of employee engagement surveys and outcomes to wrap this all up: “If your organization isn’t organized, employee engagement can be a preventative measure; it can ward off unionization if managed well. Conversely, if your organization is organized, employee engagement tends to make the relationship with your union a lot better.” – Norm Baillie-David, Senior Vice President of Engagement, TalentMap.
To understand how employee engagement increases employee productivity it’s important to put employee engagement into context and…
Are meetings really a waste of time? Not all of them. Not all the time.…
When people think of diversity and inclusion in the workplace the first image that often…
New technologies can impact organizations and their work cultures in many ways. They can save…
As the COVID-19 crisis sweeps the globe, businesses are rapidly adjusting to current conditions and…
Imagine a circle with an employee or manager in the centre and employees who work…