Comparing public and private sector approaches to workplace dispute and grievances

The case studies relate to three private sector organisations (a Bank, a Manufacturer and a Retailer) and three public sector organisations (a State Government agency, a Commonwealth Government agency, and a University). The approach of each organisation to the resolution of workplace disputes and grievances is examined in relation to the following six features (derived from Lipsky et al.): A proactive approach; Shared responsibility by all levels of management; Delegation of authority; Accountability; Ongoing training; Feedback loop. The results indicate that the approach of the three private sector organisations generally share these features. By contrast they are generally absent in all three of the public sector organisations. The presentation will discuss some possible reasons for this difference between organisations in the public and private sectors, including lack of competitive pressure; a risk averse culture, poor leadership, and adversarial workplace relations.2 page(s