Employment Relations Quality Assurance ® Stuck in the 20th century? Employment Relations Quality Assurance is about ending the Cold War at work. It’s about extending the benefits of quality assurance from production to employment relations. It’s about employers and employees acting together as guarantors of job quality, productivity and performance.

Employment Relations Quality Assurance ® There is a positive relationship between the quality of the employment relationship and productivity and performance. NZ Department of Labour 2009 …you can’t build a company that’s fit for the future unless you build a company that’s fit for human beings. Gary Hamel, whom Wall Street Journal called “the world’s leading expert on business strategy”, ranking him #1 among the Top 20 most influential business thinkers. If you want people motivated to do a good job, give them a good job to do. Management guru Friedrich Herzberg 1963

Employment Relations Quality Assurance ® Employers need employees to produce a quality product in an efficient manner, at the right cost, to make a profit. In order to deliver upon this, employees need quality employment relations. The extent to which we help each other with these goals cannot be set in stone. It cannot be determined by either party alone. It cannot be hard-coded in regulations or legislation. It cannot be produced in motivational workshops or negotiated into existence through collective agreements. It is beyond 20 th century employment relations. Like quality in production and services, quality in employment relations must be created by the participants themselves, in their own workplaces. Employment Relations Quality Assurance ®

Step One: Seek a joint mandate Our first step is to seek a joint mandate from both employers and employees. Shall we set up an ERQA Forum together? If you and your colleagues are interested, we will approach your employer in confidence to discuss the idea. Your name will not be mentioned. If they are willing to play their part, we will proceed with a simple, secret ballot of all employees. This can be done locally, online or by post. If there is clear assent from both sides, we will proceed to... Employment Relations Quality Assurance ®

Step Two: Build participation The ERQA Forum is made up of representatives from each group identified in the workplace. The parties themselves decide who these groups are. However, we strongly suggest the CEO is involved, along with at least one union member (if there is a union on site). An independent ERQA Moderator will also be provided. This person will have problem-solving skills and relevant industry knowledge. After representation is decided, the ERQA Moderator will… Employment Relations Quality Assurance ®

Step Three: Establish a benchmark The ERQA Survey identifies issues, feelings, strengths and obstacles in the workplace. More importantly, it helps launch the ERQA Forum by guiding representatives towards a shared, objective assessment of the current situation. From that moment onwards, Forum discussions are subject to the Chatham House Rule. “Participants are free to use any information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s), nor that of any other participant, may be revealed”. This ensures focus is placed on the issues of concern rather than the particpants. Employment Relations Quality Assurance ®

Step Four: Establish a benchmark The ERQA Moderator then works with the Forum to implement the ERQA process. This involves jointly Identifying the current environment; Identifying a preferred environment; Identifying measurable steps to close the gaps; Identifying concrete, achievable steps to begin. It is the role of the ERQA Moderator to ensure this process produces continuous improvement. Employment Relations Quality Assurance ®

ERQA and third parties The Forum Moderator is charged with maintaining the Forum’s shared commitment to problem-solving. There may be times when employers and employees choose to take a more positional approach. In order to keep lobbying and advocacy outside of the Forum, the ERQA Moderator may seek to work co-operatively with unions and workplace consultants. However, at all times his/her independence will be preserved. Employment Relations Quality Assurance ®

Costs Annual ERQA survey$250 + $3 per employee +GST (to a maximum of $750) ERQA ModeratorFrom $95 per hour + costs +GST End of year reportFrom $750 + GST Employment Relations Quality Assurance ®

Benefits Improved workplace culture Increased employee engagement Increased productivity and/or service outcomes Increased job satisfaction Decreased absenteeism and presenteeism Reduced staff turnover A more sustainable future for all those involved in the organisation. Employment Relations Quality Assurance ®

Contact Returning to Step One The best map in the world will not get you anywhere. Only going will get you there. Anonymous You now have some idea of what Employment Relations Quality Assurance involves. Now it’s time to hear from you. Shall we set up an ERQA Forum together? Employment Relations Quality Assurance ®