How to protect your business from labour unrest
How to protect your business from labour unrest
Most business owners believe that a strike could never happen in their company. With the dramatic increase of labour unrest in South Africa over the last decade, can you be sure that your business is safe from the threat of labour action?
The impact of a strike can be devastating to your business. Not only is labour unrest devastating to your company’s productivity and bottom line, it’s also has a negative impact on the income of the workers.
It is important that you have a contingency plan in place to mitigate the occurrence of a strike in your business.
Four ways to ensure a strike doesn’t cripple your business
- Create open communication channels with your employees
To minimise the possibility of a strike happening in your business, you need to make sure that you communicate effectively with your employees. Develop strong communication channels and procedures and encourage your employees to raise any issues they have before it gets out of hand. Listen to your employees’ grievances and make sure that you take steps to address their issues.
- Deal with the issues as they arise
You don’t have to agree with every issue your employees raise but you must show a genuine interest in addressing these issues. Resolve the issues that you can address and provide honest feedback to your employees on the issues that you can’t address. Show your employees that you are willing to compromise.
- Build strong relationships with the labour unions
It is important to welcome union representatives into your workplace. This will allow you to discuss any issues that may be concerning you openly. By speaking directly to the union representatives, you’ll also be made aware of issues that the employees are not always willing to share with you directly.
- Educate yourself on the Labour Law
When dealing directly with the labour union representatives or your employees, it is important to have a solid knowledge of the South African Labour Law. You shouldn’t underestimate your employees’ understanding of the labour law. If you don’t have an in-depth understanding of the law, you could find yourself on the back foot.
How to deal with a strike before it occurs
- Form a team to deal with the crisis
Before rumours of a strike even start to circulate through your company, make sure that you are prepared by having a crisis management team in place. This team should consist of senior managers in your business. The team should put together action plans that will help you prepare for the worst case scenarios.
- Protect your employees
The chances of a labour strike turning violent are quite high. You first priority is to protect the workers that have reported for duty. Post extra security at all entrances and exits to your premises. This will ensure that any employees that are not part of the strike will not be threatened or turned away from your business
- Protect your assets from being destroyed
When strikes turn violent, protestors usually target the company’s assets first. Criminals and vandals could access your premises, steal valuable goods or vandalise or sabotage your operation. To stop this from happening, install more surveillance cameras and upgrade the alarm systems. Test this equipment regularly to make sure that it works.
- Don’t neglect our daily tasks
Even though your workers may be striking, you still have a business to run. While management’s attention is focus on the labour unrest, someone has to be in charge of the day to day operations. This means watching your competitors, monitoring your costs and keeping production stable. This might prove to be challenging but it’s essential that the company maintain its operations for the good of the employees who are still committed to making the business work.
By taking these steps to protect your employees and your business from the impact of costly labour action, you will find yourself in a better position to handle strikes if they occur.