QUESTION 3 (20 Marks) Read the News report below and answer the following questions. HSBC-NUBE dispute: Bank union to picket The National Union of Bank Employees (NUBE) carried out a series of picket throughout Peninsular Malaysia against HSBC Bank Malaysia Bhd (HSBC), which the former said has practiced injustice and discrimination to the employees. The first protest was held in Johor Bahru on March 10. Two weeks later, similar protest against HSBC Bank Malaysia Bhd over alleged discrimination and unresolved grievances was held in Penang. The Union accused HSBC of outsourcing jobs to third parties, forcing workers to take VSS (voluntary separation scheme) during the Covid-19 pandemic and not providing basic work necessities. The third protest was in Ipoh, on May 26, where the members alleged hypocrisy and dishonesty in resolving complaints submitted by union members since 2019. According to NUBE secretary-general J Solomon, they had to take up this picket after HSBC's former and current CEO had failed to resolve the Dispute Settlement process. "Not only have the HSBC Bank Malaysia Management refused to resolve the issues raised by NUBE during the past three years, have continued to violate the rights and interests of NUBE members, who comprise the B40 and M40 categories. "NUBE is left with no other options besides carrying out this picket, since HSBC Bank Malaysia has repeatedly refused to negotiate with NUBE, at every stage, to promote 5 Human Resource Management (BAGB2013) May 2022 Final Examination CONFIDENTIAL harmonious industrial relations, as provided under the provisions in the two Collective Agreements and the Industrial Relations Act 1967," he said in a statement yesterday. He added that the bank has also avoided NUBE's consultations in resolving these complaints. Solomon also said that the other trade disputes practiced by HSBC were its failure and refusal to comply with the Malaysian labour laws; discriminating against bank workers; breaching labour laws and attempting to control NUBE; providing unknown parties its customers' information; forbidding workers to enter meeting premises; outsourcing work to third parties and forcing NUBE members to layoff and submit for jobs within the bank as well as treating its workers as criminals. Last month, HSBC said it would collaborate with NUBE on the issues raised. "Given some of the issues raised or disputed by NUBE are currently being reviewed in the Malaysian courts, we reserve our comments on the same except to reiterate that HSBC continues to be bound by all applicable laws and regulations in all the countries in which we operate," the bank said in a statement. The bank said it would also provide opportunities to its employees to train, upskill and obtain qualifications so they would have the skills for both current and future jobs. 1. State FOUR (4) reasons from the article, why the National Union of Bank Employees (NUBE) arrive at a decision to picket against HSBC bank. (4 Marks) 2. 3. In the article, it was mentioned that NUBE organized a picket. Discuss the following with examples: a) the FOUR (4) legal conditions for Union to meet before they can organize the picket. (4 Marks) b) the FOUR (4) legal conditions for the Union to organize a strike. (4 Marks) [Total: 8 Marks] Discuss and provide examples the process of the trade dispute between HSBC Bank and NUBE. Then explain TWO (2) challenges faced by each party in this dispute. (8 Marks) QUESTION 1 Read the article below and answer the following questions. Four Ways to Re-Engage a Dissatisfied Employee By Laura Gassner Otting May 27, 2022 (20 Marks) Your best employee knocks on your door and hands you their resignation letter. What's your first move? Conventional wisdom says that bigger pay checks and better perks are the way to an employee's heart. But six months later, you may hear another knock, and in they'll walk, waving a similar letter. In 2021 and 2022, workers have been quitting their jobs in droves, sometimes without even having another job lined up. The number is particularly pernicious amongst mid-career employees, 30- to 45-year-olds, where the average resignation rate was 20% higher in 2021 than it was in 2020. But the problem isn't just confined to this age group or pandemic dissatisfaction. In surveying more than 5,600 respondents from various industries between January 2019 and December 2021, we found that employee dissatisfaction started as early as age 25-and it's been here since before our worlds turned upside down. 2 Human Resource Management (BAGB2013) May 2022 Final Examination CONFIDENTIAL If managers want to keep employees from leaving, throwing money at the problem is a band- aid solution at best. Our data revealed that just 38.2% of workers aged 25 to 45 assigns pay as the most important factor in their job satisfaction, even though we found that it was the most common managerial response to the news that an employee is leaving. More than anything, these employees told us that they crave work that inspires them and creates harmony between who they are and what they do. This makes them more engaged, more productive and more loyal. They want to feel like they're working toward something larger than themselves, as well as understand how their day-to-day job makes that happen, with autonomy to shape their role in it all. Source:https://www.shrm.org/ResourcesAndTools/hr-topics/employee-relations/Pages/Viewpoint- Four-Ways-to-Re-Engage-a-Dissatisfied-Employee.aspx 1. 2. 3. According to the above article there are employees "quitting their jobs in droves, sometimes without even having another job lined up." Explain with FOUR (4) points from Employee engagement perspective, the reasons for such situation to happen in organizations. (8 Marks) One way to mitigate the problems in Question No. 1 is, employers must build a positive employee's relations. Explain what employee relations is, and then provide TWO (2) measures to maintain positive employee relations. (4 Marks) In the above article, the writer said improving compensation packages is only a 'band- aid solution', to resolving issue of employee turnover intention. One way to deal with this problem is re-engaging measures. Suggest FOUR (4) of these measures to improve employee retention rate in ONE (1) industry in Malaysia. (8 Marks) QUESTION 2 Read the following article and answer All questions, (20 Marks) Ninja Van Malaysia: providing a safe and healthy workplace for employees STARPICKS Thursday, 28 Apr 2022 It's no secret that manpower is one of the most valuable assets of any organisation. Dedicated and loyal employees are the foundation of an organisation's growth and ability. In recognition of this truth, today has been declared as World Safety and Health Day at Work. The best way for any company to recognise its employees and the value they bring to the workplace is through creating a safe and healthy work environment where employees can thrive. As a premier courier company, Ninja Van Malaysia ensures its employees are well looked after when it comes to the workplace. Its Quality Assurance, Health, Safety and Environment (QAHSE) department embraces a pro-safety culture, which is promoted throughout the company at all levels in the interest of protecting the safety and health of all employees according to statutory requirements. This can also help minimise risk and prevent undesirable 3 Human Resource Management (BAGB2013) May 2022 Final Examination CONFIDENTIAL incidents and accidents at the workplace to create a safe and wholesome environment where employees have peace of mind as they go about their daily tasks. "We promote a positive safety and health culture by creating more awareness on the risks and hazards at work through our Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) alert, HSE bulletin and HSE posters. Our top management also gives us full support by being involved in the HSE committee, which includes representatives from various departments," said Ninja Van Malaysia's QAHSE department head Fairul Hidayah Jaffar. Other ways in which the department promotes a positive safety culture within the company is by hosting HSE induction sessions to introduce employees to policies and regulations regarding workplace safety, as well as putting up related signages in prominent areas as a reminder to employees to keep themselves and their workplace safe. Interactive activities such as HSE quizzes and HSE walkabouts are also held, while new HSE programmes are being planned and implemented towards keeping Ninja Van Malaysia as a safe place to work. Particularly during the pandemic, health and safety are even more important, and stricter measures needed to be put in place to protect employees. As part of essential services in the country, Ninja Van Malaysia's frontline staff - Ninjas who are involved in operations - need to be at work. This exposes them to risk of infection, particularly those handling deliveries. Furthermore, in the new normal, more people are ordering goods online, resulting in a high volume of parcels and delivery daily. "A few of our QAHSE initiatives carried out for employees during the pandemic include equipping our station staff with self-test kits, handling and monitoring booster programmes, as well as generating more awareness on Covid-19 management," said Fairul Hidayah. "We have also implemented escalation on positive cases via business continuity plans for our core operations." Other measures include administering swab tests as needed as well as involvement in the national vaccination programme to ensure all Ninjas are protected as much as possible against the Covid-19 virus. At workplace premises, 1m demarcations are clearly marked out to ensure social distancing is practised. Constant briefings and dissemination of updates and new information from the government is also held to keep employees updated on the latest developments. In addition, Ninja Van Malaysia also distributes facemasks to its Ninjas and daily sanitisation is carried out at the workplace. The company also practises strict adherence to pandemic standard operating procedures (SOPs) for utmost precaution and care in accordance with the needs of the times Signages are prominently displayed to remind everyone to observe the needs of the times. Signages are prominently displayed to remind everyone to observe the SOPs. With all these in place, Ninja Van Malaysia is set to put employees' safety and health first to ensure peace of mind for both the company as well as employees in knowing that they have the safest possible working environment. Source: https://www.thestar.com.my/starpicks/2022/04/28/ninja-van-malaysia-providing-a-safe-and- healthy-workplace-for-employees 4 Human Resource Management (BAGB2013) May 2022 Final Examination 1. 2. CONFIDENTIAL "As a premier courier company, Ninja Van Malaysia ensures its employees are well looked after when it comes to the workplace" and "promote a pro-safety culture." a) Discuss FOUR (4) ways how the company can achieve the abovementioned goals. (4 Marks) b) Using a different company as an example, explain in THREE (3) points why accidents in the workplace can be costly to organizations. (6 Marks) [Total: 10 Marks] For a delivery drive in company like Ninja Van, every minute counts because hundreds of parcels have to be delivered in a day. Daniel, a Ninja Van driver said, in order to complete the tasks, he has to be fast and know the route well. He added, sometimes he doesn't have time to eat lunch, thus making him very tired. (Source: https://www.8days.sg/seeanddo/whatsbuzzing/day-life-delivery-driver-singapore- 594941). Fatigue and trying to complete tasks quickly are accidents causes in the workplace because our judgments are impaired. According to the NewStraits Times (June 2022), 'Three or four accidents reported weekly among delivery drivers due to fatigue and being tied to the application system. As a Human Resource Manager in Ninja Van, discuss what are the policies that can ensure a better work life balance that include attractive compensation and benefits as well as a better safety and health in the workplace for employees like Daniel. (10 Marks)