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Financial ServicesISCO 2423

Labour relations officer

A labour relations officer is a person who implements employment policy in an organisation and acts between management and the trade unions.

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Rate 5 of the 15 essential skills of this occupation (European ESCO data). No account needed.

represent the organisation

maintain relations with local representatives

gather feedback from employees

advise on conflict management

advise on organisational culture

About labour relations officer

What does a labour relations officer do? The officer advises the unions on workplace policy and negotiations, and management on personnel policy. The officer facilitates communication between the two sides, so that each side knows the other's position. A detailed knowledge of employment legislation is needed, including the rules on collective disputes.

Labour relations officer duties and responsibilities include settling disputes, advising on conflict management, running talks on work rules, pay and collective redundancies, and looking for a settlement before anything goes down a formal route. The officer builds trust on both sides of the table, with union representatives as well as with management. The officer represents the organisation outwards and, in mediation, also represents the interests of union members.

Feedback is gathered from employees and turned into changes in personnel policy. The officer also handles personnel management and keeps in contact with representatives of the local community.

Key Work Functions

Core areas of responsibility for a labour relations officer.

1

Dispute Resolution and Conflict Management

  • Handle employee grievances through mediation, investigation, and fair resolution procedures
  • Apply conflict management techniques to resolve disputes between employees, management, and unions
  • Advise management on conflict management strategies and best practices for prevention
  • Document disputes and maintain confidential records of resolutions for legal compliance
  • Represent the organisation in formal dispute proceedings, arbitration, and labour court cases if necessary
2

Labour Policy Implementation and Compliance

  • Implement government labour policies and ensure organisational compliance with employment law
  • Monitor changes in employment legislation and advise management on policy updates
  • Develop and communicate labour policies to all employees to ensure fair and consistent application
  • Ensure compliance with health and safety standards and labour regulations in daily operations
3

Union Relations and Collective Negotiations

  • Represent the organisation in negotiations with trade unions on wages, benefits, and working conditions
  • Advise union representatives on policies, procedures, and negotiation strategies
  • Maintain regular communication with local union representatives and shop stewards
  • Ensure union members' rights are protected and that collective agreements are fairly administered
4

Employee Rights Protection and Advocacy

  • Protect employee rights including fair treatment, non-discrimination, and safe working conditions
  • Ensure gender equality in the workplace and support workplace diversity initiatives
  • Support employability and career development of people with disabilities
  • Gather feedback from employees and identify concerns to address through policy improvements
5

Organisational Culture and Trust Building

  • Advise management on organisational culture initiatives that promote positive workplace environment
  • Build and maintain trust between employees, management, and union representatives
  • Establish collaborative relations and facilitate open communication channels
  • Manage feedback mechanisms and respond to employee concerns in transparent and timely manner

European Skills Framework

Skills and knowledge areas required for this occupation based on European classification.

Essential (15)

government policy implementationgovernment policy implementationThe procedures related to the application of government policies at all levels of public administration.personnel managementpersonnel managementThe methodologies and procedures involved in the hiring and development of employees in order to ensure value for the organisation, as well as personnel needs, benefits, conflict resolution and ensuri...employment lawemployment lawThe law which mediates the relationship between employees and employers. It concerns employees' rights at work which are binding by the work contract.represent the organisationrepresent the organisationAct as representative of the institution, company or organisation to the outside world.maintain relations with local representativesmaintain relations with local representativesMaintain good relations with representatives of the local scientific, economic and civil society.gather feedback from employeesgather feedback from employeesCommunicate in an open and positive manner in order to assess levels of satisfaction with employees, their outlook on the work environment, and in order to identify problems and devise solutions.advise on conflict managementadvise on conflict managementAdvise private or public organisations on monitoring possible conflict risk and development, and on conflict resolution methods specific to the identified conflicts.advise on organisational cultureadvise on organisational cultureAdvise organisations on their internal culture and work environment as experienced by employees, and the factors which may influence the behaviour of employees.ensure gender equality in the workplaceensure gender equality in the workplaceDeliver a fair and transparent strategy focussed on maintaining equality with regard to matters of promotion, pay, training opportunities, flexible working and family support. Adopt gender equality ob...support employability of people with disabilitiessupport employability of people with disabilitiesEnsure employment opportunities for people with disabilities by making appropriate adjustments to accommodate within reason in line with national legislation and policies on accessibility. Ensure thei...build trustbuild trustExpress intentions and behaviour in a coherent and transparent manner, inviting reciprocity and establishing the grounds for a trusting and reliable connection between people and teams.represent union membersrepresent union membersReplace and speak for the members in negotiations with management about workplace topics and represent the union at conferences and negotiations.protect employee rightsprotect employee rightsAssess and handle situations in which the rights set by legislation and corporate policy for employees may be breached and take the appropriate actions in order to protect the employees.apply conflict managementapply conflict managementTake ownership of the handling of all complaints and disputes showing empathy and understanding to achieve resolution. Be fully aware of all Social Responsibility protocols and procedures, and be able...establish collaborative relationsestablish collaborative relationsEstablish a connection between organisations or individuals which may benefit from communicating with one another in order to facilitate an enduring positive collaborative relationship between both pa...
Optional (12) — show
business communicationbusiness communicationThe process of effectively communicating within the workplace and to external bodies to achieve organisational goals.create solutions to problemscreate solutions to problemsSolve problems which arise in planning, prioritising, organising, directing/facilitating action and evaluating performance. Use systematic processes of collecting, analysing, and synthesising informat...moderate in negotiationsmoderate in negotiationsOversee negotiations between two parties as a neutral witness to ensure that the negotiations occur in a friendly and productive manner, that a compromise is reached, and that everything is compliant ...maintain relationships with government agenciesmaintain relationships with government agenciesEstablish and maintain cordial working relationships with peers in different governmental agencies.facilitate official agreementfacilitate official agreementFacilitate an official agreement between two disputing parties, ensuring that both parties agree on the resolution which has been decided on, as well as writing the necessary documents and ensuring bo...monitor company policymonitor company policyMonitor the company's policy and propose improvements to the company.respond to enquiriesrespond to enquiriesRespond to enquiries and requests for information from other organisations and members of the public.ensure cross-department cooperationensure cross-department cooperationGuarantee communication and cooperation with all the entities and teams in a given organisation, according to the company strategy.promote inclusionpromote inclusionPromote and respect diversity, and advocate for equal treatment of genders, ethnicities and minority groups in organisations in order to prevent discrimination and ensure inclusion and a positive envi...advise on government policy complianceadvise on government policy complianceAdvise organisations on how they may improve their compliance to the applicable government policies they are required to adhere to, and the necessary steps which need to be taken in order to ensure co...monitor organisation climatemonitor organisation climateMonitor the work environment and the behaviour of employees in an organisation to assess how the organisation culture is perceived by the employees and identify the factors which influence behaviour a...manage government policy implementationmanage government policy implementationManage the operations of the implementation of new government policies or changes in existing policies on a national or regional level as well as the staff involved in the implementation procedure.

Related Occupations

Occupations that need many of the same essential skills, so the move between them is shortest.

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Frequently asked questions

What does a labour relations officer do?

Labour relations officers implement labour policy in an organisation, and advise trade unions on policies and negotiation. They handle disputes, and advise management on personnel policy as well as facilitate communication between trade unions and managerial staff.

What skills does a labour relations officer need?

A labour relations officer needs 15 essential skills, including government policy implementation, personnel management, employment law, represent the organisation, maintain relations with local representatives.

Will AI replace labour relations officer jobs?

The AI disruption score for labour relations officer is 12/100 (very low risk). Skills most exposed to automation: respond to enquiries, employment law, advise on government policy compliance. Most resilient: build trust, represent union members, maintain relationships with government agencies.

Quick Facts

SectorFinancial Services
ISCO GroupBusiness and administration professionals
Essential Skills15

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