HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PRACTICE - Fichier PDF

15The employment relationshipThis chapter explores the nature of the employment relationship and the creation of aclimate of trust within that relationship.THE EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP DEFINEDThe term employment relationship describes the interconnections that exist betweenemployers and employees in the workplace. These may be formal, eg contracts ofemployment, procedural agreements. Or they may be informal, in the shape of thepsychological contract, which expresses certain assumptions and expectations aboutwhat managers and employer have to offer and are willing to deliver (Kessler andUndy, 1996). They can have an individual dimension, which refers to individualcontracts and expectations, or a collective dimension, which refers to relationshipsbetween management and trade unions, staff associations or members of joint consultativebodies such as works councils.NATURE OF THE EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIPThe dimensions of the employment relationship as described by Kessler and Undy(1996) are shown in Figure 15.1.