Criteria for Evaluating Sources
Not all information available for consumption is usually of comparable quality. Similarly, the availability of material at a library or other source is never a guarantee that such information is correct or that sufficient research was conducted. As a result, some criteria contribute to the evaluation of a source in order to ensure its validity. Authority, accuracy, content, relevance, objectivity, and the target audience are all frequent factors. Such an approach is required because it eliminates the widespread misconception that if sources are available in the library, they are reputable and of high quality for use in academic research. Based on such a perspective, this paper analyses various sources as a means of evaluating their credibility and authenticity employee rights and protection.
Employee Protection
Employee protection has in the recent past become one of Human Resource Management's primary areas of concentration. Ideally, employees stand as the most influential individuals for the success of any organization, and as such, their welfare within the organization remains an equally important affair. The National Labor Relations Board has been at the forefront in championing for the protection of rights of a majority of the private-sector employees, regardless of whether they have unions affiliated to them or not (Human Resource Management Function 5). The protection of such rights is an important aspect in ensuring that the employees get proper remuneration and have befitting working conditions.
Challenges Faced by the National Labor Relations Board
The National Labor Relations Board has had to deal with various challenges about the protection of employee rights. Indeed, the Board has been working tirelessly towards the expansion of worker rights through the directives of rulemaking as well as through the general counsel. However, since 2011, the board drifted back to the previously used fashion of issuing its decision in Perexel (Hall, 2011). Such aspects provide for various employee rights that remain unknown to a majority yet imperative. A critical example is the case of comparison of wages among different employees both in the unions and the non-unionized.
Importance of Employee Rights Protection
Employee rights and its protection is indeed an essential element both to the employees and the organizations in which they work, especially for the human resource management department. For the employees, championing for their rights ensures that they get all the benefits they are entitled to and equally enhancement of their working conditions. Most importantly, is the fact that protection of employee rights ensures that the employees have a stand of defense against the employer in times when conflict arises between them (National Labor Relations Board website). A good example is an instance in which an employee is dismissed inappropriately. As such, the protection rights stand as a mediation bridge, thus providing the guiding principles for determining such cases.
Industrial Relations and Employee Relations
Industrial relations are equally important aspects of discussion about employee relations and the relationship with the human resource management. Ideally, good industrial relations remain elements of vital importance, most especially regarding the relationship between the workers, employer, and the different government agencies responsible for addressing employees' welfare (Heidi). Despite the complexity of such a relationship, considering the difficulty in providing an appropriate definition of good industrial relations, there have been positive outcomes regarding how the matters of each party are addressed. Whereas in certain cases as in the case of the Western nations, employees and their employers have the freedom of making agreements and rules that guide the engagement processes; however, such a perspective does not lockout the element of government interference whenever a need arises. Instances in which interference from government quarters is allowed about employee-employer relations include the protection of the weak especially concerning wages, elimination of instances of discrimination, determination of the minimum standards of safety, health as well as the other conditions of service (Human Resource Management, 2011). Moreover, there are incidences that abuse of power has been witnessed about employer-employee dealings. Under such instances, it is the government's role in its various bodies to provide effective mediation.
Impact and Benefits of Employee Rights Protection
To a significant extent, the establishment and protection of employees' rights have indeed been an important occurrence in various organizations, especially those in the private sector. For the employees, such steps have enabled them to have their working conditions improved and their remuneration packages set at the required standards. Besides, the prospects have contributed towards the elimination of discrimination among the employees by their employers as was the case previously. For the employees; therefore, the protection of their rights has indeed been a great achievement. For the employers, especially the Human Resource Management department, the protection of employee rights both at the organization and at the national levels has contributed immensely towards the improvement of the organizations (County of San Bernardino Human Resources, 2006). With excellent remuneration and proper working conditions acting as motivating factors towards enhanced performance, employees tend to perform better in their duties, thus promoting the overall business performance.
Ongoing Challenges
From the available statistics, it is evident that much has been done as a means of ensuring that employee concerns are addressed appropriately in ensuring they work in the most appropriate conditions both by the HRM departments in organizations and by the National Labor Relations Board. However, there is still much that needs to be done, especially concerning the terms of engagements with all the concerned parties. Elements of bias have been reported in the manner of employee treatment, and that remains an area of concern that requires a further address.
References
County of San Bernardino Human Resources (Nov. 2006). Supervisor’s guide to employee relations, retrieved from http://www.sbcounty.gov/hr/PDF/Supervisor%20Guide.pdf
The source is a quality source as it provides all the viable information in their rightful structure by determining the critical elements necessary for authenticity. The source is well documented with high level of relevance to the subject.
Hall, B. (Feb. 4, 2011). Retrieved from http://www.employerlawreport.com/2011/02/articles/workforce-strategies/nlrb-creates-pre-emptive-strike-unfair-labor-practice/
Despite the fact that the source is extremely relevant to the subject of discussion, the lack of appropriate documentation and appropriate format limits its authenticity as a credible source.
Heidi C. Laws Affecting Human Resource Management. Retrieved from: http://yourbusiness.azcentral.com/laws-affecting-human-resource-management-14263.html
The source is good in terms of its relevance to subject and authority. Besides, it has got a reference point and as such the documentation is very appropriate. However, the lack of publication date and use of inappropriate format eliminates its authenticity on credibility.
Human Resource Management, (2011). Retrieved from: http://open.lib.umn.edu/humanresourcemanagement/front-matter/author-bio/ (
The above source is very good in terms of the purpose, publication, relevance, and authority. However, it fails in providing sufficient documentation, most especially in terms of its lack of author details.
Human Resource Management Function 5: Industrial Relations, retrieved from http://www.accel-team.com/human_resources/hrm_05.html
Despite the fact that the source is indeed good in terms of the information availed, it fails in that there is the lack of the initial publication date and lack of appropriate documentation.
National Labor Relations Board website, retrieved from http://www.nlrb.gov/rights-we-protect
The source is relevant to the subject through information provided, authority and relevance. However, it fails in the lack of proper format, documentation, and publication necessities.
