Couple of decades back employee relation was not on the list of a human resource department. However, things have changed in the last two decades or so and the major key result area for the human resource team is to maintain employee relation. This is because before the recession, the economy was booming and companies were willing to pay a premium for the right candidate. Attrition rates were very high and human resource team had to find ways to maintain employee relation and retain the talent pool.
The scenario still continues after the recession though the hiring rate is not as high as before. Talented candidates have also become choosy about their compensation, benefits and the culture of the company. As they are in high demand because of their specific skills, companies do not want to loose them and want to maintain the employee relation. Many companies have come out with different ways to maintain employee relation. One such way is yearly survey on different aspects of the company. As these surveys are usually outsourced and employee identity is usually kept anonymous, management can get a clear idea on employee views. This does not affect the employee and they can give the answers without any pressure from anyone.
Though such initiatives are welcome, very few companies use the information to plug the gaps. This is one of the major reasons for attrition level to be high in many companies or sectors. Employee relation should be taken seriously across everyone in the company management. Suggestion given by the employees should be considered seriously and where ever possible should be implemented immediately. This helps employees as they know that the management is serious about their welfare and will be willing to approach them on any issues. Such open forum and communication helps in maintaining and boosting employee relation.