Employee Representation

The GBC requires all employers to engage with worker representatives and to ensure there is a voice that represents employees around the boardroom table.

22.3%

The number of workers in the private sector protected by a collective agreement.

BEIS, Trade Union Membership, 2022

1.4%

The number of FTSE350 companies who have worker directors on their board.

Workforce Engagement and the UK Corporate Governance Code, 2021

Impact – Why Employee Representation Matters

Enabling all people to have a voice at work will ensure that the best ideas are heard and help to protect vulnerable workers from exploitation. With continued reports of sexual harassment in the workplace, it is more important than ever that workers have a voice, know how to use it, and most importantly, have confidence that they will be heard and, where appropriate, action will be taken. When that doesn’t happen, trust and confidence in an organisation soon unravels.

Worker representatives, including trade unionists where they are present, are key to this, alongside some type of employee forum to facilitate this, along with regular employee satisfaction surveys, where issues are escalated to senior management.

Employee Representation In Practice

Case study: How to ensure all employees have a voice

We spoke to some of our accredited organisations to explore their proactive efforts in meeting the employee representation component.

Case study: The essence of employee representation

We invited Anthony Fitzpatrick, Head of Colleague Experience and Employment Policy at Aviva, to speak at a GBC webinar “Creating Supportive and Inclusive Workplaces”. This blog pulls out the key lessons shared at this webinar, on how Aviva engages with its employees and harnesses their voices to ensure employee representation.

Case study: The power of employee networks in driving change

This case study highlights TSB’s commitment to employee representation as part of its Do What Matters Plan. Through employee networks, TSB has driven meaningful change, and has demonstrated how empowering employee voice fosters inclusivity and positive impact.

Resources

Our Stance On – Whistleblowing

We believe it is very important to have an open culture where people are encouraged to speak out. Aside from consultation and engagement with workers, we would also expect organisations of all sizes to have a mechanism for whistleblowing where, if employees see a danger, risk, malpractice or wrongdoing that affects others, they are clearly informed on how to report that internally or externally. This mechanism should include protection for whistleblowers from reprisals.