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Organizations that are worried about unionization should ask themselves: Are our employees engaged?
September 10, 2009
Gallup offers insights into a perennially controversial subject: why employees are more or less likely to form unions in their workplaces. This is a particularly hot topic right now as pending legislation before the U.S. Congress aims to make it easier for employees to organize.
Leading economist Alan Krueger argues that companies can get away with paying lower wages than competitors without losing many employees, though there are hidden costs. He also says that organizations are right to keep pay a secret.
An expert on well-being, John Helliwell explores the connection between distrust and unionization, why too much paperwork can cause workers to feel less engaged, and why we are apt to keep office politics alive, even when it makes us unhappy.
Measured by the statement "I have a best friend at work," this element has proven to be incredibly controversial to executives. But those business leaders who think friendships are none of their business don’t understand human nature, according to the authors of 12: The Elements of Great Managing.
