Intangibles Needed for Union Prevention

Abstract

Union prevention can involve many tangible approaches. Items such as competitive wages and benefits, safe workplaces, and workplace recognition are all items managers and employees can see. An important set of tools, however, includes those that cannot be seen—union prevention methods that build on the relationship of the employee to the company. It is these intangible approaches that, while taking longer to become useful, can be the most powerful in developing a comprehensive union prevention plan. In this month's Management Report, we touch upon three of these items—accentuating the positive, fairness and consistency, and integrity.