As employers it is good practice to make sure that staff have adequate or regular supervision, support and guidance (procedures should preferably be in place before the staff are in post). There are legal obligations too regarding Health and Safety and employment law. Make sure that proper policies and structures are in place and that everyone knows who staff are answerable to. However, it is also important that staff have only one line-manager. Another common cause of hostility is too many people becoming involved in a situation, leading to confusion, frustrations and contradictions.
As employers, too, you have a right to know what staff are doing and to ask questions about areas of work you don’t understand or challenge issues with which you are unhappy. Make sure, however, that you follow the set procedures for doing so.
As employers the committee can discipline and dismiss staff and should provide appropriate training to everyone to ensure that they know the correct procedures. Getting this bit wrong can be costly.
You should also provide a safe and secure working environment.
PAID STAFF AND THE COMMITTEE
The job of the Committee is to manage the Senior Worker, not to get
involved with the day-to-day running of the organisation. Where Committee
members can help, however, is by attending approved meetings on behalf
of the Organisation and ensuring that the Worker and Committee is briefed
afterwards. In smaller organisations one common cause for problems between
staff and management is the lack of understanding about the demarcation
lines of the different roles.
