Chief labour officer Vincent Burnett believes a greater level of trust between employers and employees will help companies to weather tough economic times.
He was speaking to the media during a seminar on Labour Legislation And Industrial Relations Best Practices, hosted by the Labour Department at the Warrens Office Complex, Warrens, St Michael, on Wednesday.
Burnett said in some cases companies may be finding it difficult to maintain their levels of profit.
“We like to encourage cooperation between employers and employees so there is a lot of trust and better understanding,” he said.
When this happens, Burnett noted, “The employer may take the opportunity at that point in time to discuss with the employees the true state of the business . . . the effect that the economic conditions are having on the business.”
“If we get a lot more of that transparency between the employer and the employee then you find employers are more willing to share the information with the workers.
“Out of that would come better decision-making,” he said.
Burnett said once a lot of trust is built up, discussions at the workplace can flow more easily.
“Therefore you would find that whatever decisions have to be made would be more appreciated by all concerned,” he said.
Burnett noted that in hosting the seminar, the Labour Department was trying to get a wide cross-section of employers in a forum where they can discuss labour practices and legislation. (NB)
