Involving staff in implementing new regimes can turn out to be a disaster if not handled properly. There can be a drop in morale, loss of quality staff and problems in fulfilling contracts because of a lack of employees to carry out the work. This can then lead to contracts failing and, in the worst case scenario, can end up with court cases.

Here is a list of how employee involvement can go wrong. This can happen through failure:

• to ensure senior management commitment.
• of senior management to deal with any resistance by middle and junior managers and supervisors.
• to define the purpose of the arrangements.
• to think about the purpose of the arrangements in the context of existing employee relations and management style.
• Failure to recognise that employee involvement is not just about policies and procedures but it is also about management attitudes and styles.
• to monitor implementation.
• to act on monitoring reports.
• to commit resources to information briefs, training and development.

also

• Expectation that arrangements can be introduced on an ad hoc basis.
• Adopting an arrangement because it is currently in favour generally.
• Assuming that all the benefits of employee involvement can be quantified.