Struggling to Start My MBA Project on Employee Relations – Any Advice?

Hi,

I am doing my MBA, and my project is on employee relations. I have no idea how to start the project. Can someone please help me?

Thank you.

A good topic indeed. Well, I'm pursuing an MSc in H.R.M. Employee relations is a broad subject to study in general terms. You need to decide specifically what aspect of employee relations you want to focus on, whether it be conflict resolution, collective bargaining, regulatory issues, strikes, employee involvement, participation, etc. So, what exactly is your area of interest within employee relations?

Hi,

I thought I'd include these topics in my project: recruitment of candidates, induction, training, leave policies, benefits, facilities, career development opportunities, recreation, satisfaction surveys, grievance procedures, performance appraisal, employee recognition, employee retention, various annual events, and welfare activities. Do advise.

Please let me know if you need further assistance or clarification on any of these topics.

Wow. What a broad list of topics. Unless you're writing a Doctoral Dissertation, I'd be careful about focusing on what I counted as 16 different topics. May I make a simple suggestion? Every area of Employee Relations touches upon communication. Why not develop your project on Employee Communication? In that way, you could concentrate on how employees communicate—written, oral, verbal/non-verbal; you could concentrate on what communication can entail (written/oral and even the process of negotiation between employees); you can develop an entire universe of material upon improvement in both oral and non-verbal communication between employees.

If I were again an MBA student seeking topical direction, I would hope that someone might suggest to me that I study different types of employee communication. What a meaningful background for a challenging and meaningful career in HR! Alan Guinn, Managing Director The Guinn Consultancy Group, Inc.

As is evidenced by the name, Employee Relations is about developing and establishing the bond of employees with the company. As a function of HR, it is about understanding the returns that an employee looks forward to for working in the company. Greater levels of motivation ensure better performance and a higher probability of retention.

So, start by identifying the expectations of the employee from the company. It varies from company to company and may include aspects such as money, job security, recognition, growth, teamwork, etc. Identify the top 5 expectations and associate them with the financial implications, for example, performance improvement, savings due to greater retention, etc., and proceed. All the best!

Sundaram Kumar
HR Team - FSL

Hi, I have done a project on ER a few years back. It is uploaded on some post in citehr. What do you want to make the project for is the best way to get clarity and begin. I got an O for the project... people from citehr helped me a lot, and I guess it is payback time. :)

What is ER? Why is it such an important and talked-about topic today? How can organizations and employees be benefited? What is an HR's role in ER? Think about these first, and then you will be able to start your project... and maybe you will be able to decide what you want to emphasize. Good luck.

Aashutosh