IDS HR Study 858, November 2007

Information & consultation arrangements

• Covers the practical issues in establishing and running an employee forum
• Looks at different representative structures, their remit, the role of elected representatives, the election process and the importance of training for those involved
• Includes a concise guide to the new statutory rules on information and consultation from April 2005
• Details how information & consultation arrangements work in practice in six organisations

Many UK employers have now adopted information and consultation arrangements, with some doing so in direct response to Government legislation. But whatever the reasons or introducing a company council, if it is going to have a positive impact on employee engagement and business performance, it is important that it is seen as a forum for genuine consultation, where employees’ views are listened to and taken on board before decisions are made.

There is no single model for an employee forum. Employers can pick an arrangement that they think best suits their purpose and that provides sufficient representative coverage of their workforce. Arrangements are typically either single-tier – taking the form of a single national council or a series of local groups – or multi-tier, with local councils feeding into a national forum. In unionised companies, the information and consultation forum often coexists with a separate negotiating body.

Employers are increasingly recognising the potential business benefits of accommodating employee forums. Involving employees in business decisions can provide a useful quality control mechanism for decision-making. Moreover, any changes made, even potentially unpopular ones, are more likely to be accepted if employees feel their viewpoints have been considered and taken into account.

Featured case studies are:

• Comet
• ITV
• Isotron UK
• The Grimsby Institute
• MHA Care Group
• EDF Energy

... and an IDS HR Compliance Guide

To complement this HR Study, we also publish an IDS HR Compliance Guide on Information & consultation which explains what the regulations require, reviews options in the key problem areas and provides checklists to help employers shape their arrangements.