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.

13.7%

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

2%

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

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.

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.