Customer Service Course, Help Needed

[Cian89]

Hello everyone,

I have been doing a customer service course but I have been stuck on one answer for a while and I have no idea what to put.

Question: State the employer and employee rights and responsibilities under employment law and the importance of having these within your organisation.

Tutor: I still need some further information about the reasons for having rights and responsibilities within an organisation. I am looking for information about people knowing where they stand, knowing what is expected and what they should do and also about people knowing how they should be treated and what the working environment should be like.

If any one could help me I would appreciate it.

[factor-fiction]

I would take each of your tutor's points in turn and make sure your answer covers these in addition to what you have written already

[factor-fiction]

Imagine what things would be like if there were no such rights and responsibilities, then turn it around to say why they are so important

[Cian89]

Thank you factor-fiction for you tips (just to add, I didn't come to ask for someone to answer me, just to help)

[Cian89]

Your**

[Cian89]

Just to add, this is my answer so far;

The employer has the responsibility to pay the correct amount of taxes to HMRC, also, the employer has the responsibility to provide the employee the employee their contract stating the hours and location of where the work will take place, also pay and how much taxes the employee will have to pay, as well as outlining disciplinary procedures etc. The employer also has the responsibility to make sure that anti-discrimination procedures and policies are set which covers age, gender and disability and religion, it is also the employers responsibility to make sure that any equipment is safe to use and that’s it’s check regularly.

It is the employee’s responsibility to do their duty set out in their contracts, to work at the location set and the work the set amount of hours stated in the contract. It is also the employee’s right to be able to work within a safe environment and that means that any equipment is safe to use but it’s also their responsibility to make sure they look after any equipment, lastly it is the employee’s responsibility to make sure that anyone with a disability is treated fairly and not discriminated against.

It is important to have these rules and regulations or a business wouldn't be able to operate correctly, the business would eventually be dissolved or liquidated and cease trading as several laws would be broken.

Every employer has a right to ask employees to; 1. Do the job they are employed to do (Performance), 2. Behave appropriately when within the workplace (Behaviour) and 3. Turn up for work when they are meant to (Attendance). If business owners had a better understanding of the ‘challenges' of managing under-performance or unsatisfactory behaviour and made better use of the basic Performance Management tools, many performance, behavior and attendance issues would be resolved more effectively and without infringing the basic employment (or human) rights of employees.

Employees are expected to receive the terms and conditions of their work setting out when their work commences, what their main duties are, who they are accountable to, rates of pay, and other entitlements.

Equal Opportunities legislation sets out that all employees should receive the same pay and conditions for carrying out the same or broadly similar work. There are also laws against sexual, racial and disability discrimination.

The Minimum Wage Act sets out the Minimum Wage that workers can expect to receive which today is more than £6.50 an hour. The Minimum Wage is regularly reviewed and will increase over time. There are also European Union requirements governing the maximum number of hours that workers will be expected to work in a typical week which is currently set at 48 hours.

Employers and employees are expected to meet minimum legal requirements for such areas as Health and Safety at Work, and minimum standards and conditions related to hours, and the treatment of people in the workplace. Along with rights for employees there are corresponding responsibilities such as the expectation to work in a safe way and to have regard for the safety of work colleagues.

[Maydup]

Perfect well done.

[Cian89]

@Maydup, I just need to add this last bit then it's finished.

[boxtops]

I would move some of your answers about, cian, so they are in a priority order.

The employers first responsibility must be to provide employees with a safe place of work, and safe risk-assessed methods of working, with appropriate training and updating at specified intervals.

The organisation should have policies in place to cover all aspects of the employment, including issuing a contract of employment which states expected working hours, rate of pay, holiday entitlement, disciplinary and grievance processes, appraisal process, to know who your line manager is, and so on. One size never fits all, but those are the basics.

You won't find anything in a contract of employment which says "we undertake to deduct tax and NI and hand it over to the relevant bodies" - that's a given really, that's not part of employment law, that's part of financial responsibilities for the organisation.

Employment law practices should show that the employer is aware of all current legislation and the statutory and mandatory responsibilities which apply both to employer and employee.

[boxtops]

PS rights and responsibiities also include complying with legislation and policies about equality of treatment at work, equal opps, equality and diversity (including disability) so everyone is treated fairly where the circumstances allow.

[Maydup]

Just one comment... This assumes businesses are not good at management..

////If business owners had a better understanding of the ‘challenges' of managing under-performance or unsatisfactory behaviour and made better use of the basic Performance Management tools, many performance, behavior and attendance issues would be resolved more effectively and without infringing the basic employment (or human) rights of employees. ////

A more realistic view would be...

Businesses who have a good understanding of ... And who make good use of...

Etc

Thse are the successful ones who keep and develop a productive and loyal workforce. Not all need to be better at it.