Trade Unions Relations Training for Employers: a snapshot of the post-Covid landscape

25 years of Providing Trade Unions Relations Training for Employers: a snapshot of the post-Covid landscape

Why employers need now, more than ever, to invest in polishing their negotiation and bargaining skills to meet new challenges

Employer/union relations have always been a minefield and in the 25 years we have provided training in this area, we have seen some huge changes in the content of our courses.

“Our all-new training content will respond to very real challenges faced by employers with regard to unions, reflecting the issues that have arisen during and after the pandemic,” stated Elizabeth Smith, Head of Research at Business Forums International. “We’ve seen relations between employers and unions transform drastically over the past quarter century, and Covid has accelerated many of those changes.

During the pandemic, employees took to social media to join civil right protests and responding to social media movements and formulating responses as well as recognising platforms as a way of employees’ organising, has shot up employer agendas. Similarly, employees are keener to engage in influencing issues such a workplace safety and conditions. Online activism and the continuing growth of social media will make trade unions more influential over the coming years.

Employers are also challenged by keeping up to date with key legal changes and developments; returning employees to the workplace post-furlough is a tricky process as is formulating and agreeing policy on workplace vaccination, mask-wearing and other potentially contentious issues.

“There are real positives to be seen,” adds Elizabeth. “In some cases, Covid has made union relations better as employers and trades union representatives have collaborated over furlough and redundancy packages.”

Updating their negotiation skills and getting to grips with the new post-Covid union relationship will benefit all employers. BFI has updated and re-written over thirty new training courses for employers to reflect the new post-pandemic world of working. Given their long and unrivalled track record, it would make sense for employers to visit our extensive range of programmes. 

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Register today: Effective Negotiations with Trade Unions Post-Covid Workshop