The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and the trade union, Prospect, have recently published a paper, 'Strong partnerships, good jobs, productive workplaces', which proposes steps to improve workplaces and support economic growth.
An article appearing on Prospect's website which talks about the publication of the paper states that it provides a blueprint which would help underpin and support efforts to transform the economy.
The paper points out that too often the quality of both work relationships and workplaces is missing in discussions on expanding opportunities and growing the economy. As the paper points out, "We need a broader conversation about the future of work in which people are central". It aims to promote "a new public policy emphasis on improving the quality of workplaces and jobs through strong and enduring relationships between workers and employers" and sets out a number of recommendations. These include:
- Establishing a Workplace Commission to strengthen social partnership at a national level and to co-ordinate policy-making on workplace issues across government departments and relevant agencies. This would bring together Acas, the Low Pay Commission, employer representative organisations, a range of trade union and workforce representative voices and other independent expert bodies to provide expert policy advice.
- Supporting an extension of trade union membership and recognition. It is proposed that employers that do not already recognise a trade union should have a duty to enable trade union access to and communication with workers where there is evidence of significant interest or support.
- Developing a more progressive labour market enforcement system. This could be achieved by boosting Acas's capacity, incentivising smaller firms to allow Acas to conduct free annual HR "MOTs" of their employment practices, and enabling tribunals to make wider recommendations for employers to improve their practices. This Single Enforcement Body would have a central role in supporting the effectiveness of the employment tribunal system.
- Strengthening sector based social partnership and collective employer representation. The Paper suggests that the government could set out the ambition to enhance key sector bodies and strengthen their ability to drive collective employer action on workplace practices to improve skills development, job quality and technology adoption.
