Recent orders
The Domestic Violence Leave and Decent Work
The Domestic Violence Leave and Decent Work
The Domestic Violence Leave legislation marked another milestone in the efforts to promote decent work in New Zeeland fully. Domestic violence, in most cases, does not occur at the workplace, but it directly affects the productivity of the victims at work. Decent Work Agenda necessitates respect for individuals’ fundamental rights, including the rights of employees to work in a safe and environment and get decent remuneration. It also advocates for the respect of the mental and physical integrity of the workers during employment. Accordingly, Domestic Violence Leave legislation aims to promote respect for people’s fundamental rights, for instance, the right to health and the rights of workers such as safe working conditions.
The Domestic Violence Leave legislation offers employees new rights. It guarantees the workers at least ten days of paid domestic violence leave that is separate from the usual annual, bereavement, and sick leave. The act also provides the employees with the ability to negotiate for flexible short-term working arrangements of up to two months with the employer. Besides, the law expressly discourages the adverse treatment of domestic violence victims at the workplace due to their situation. Primarily, such treatment amounts to discrimination. Overall, it does not matter when the domestic violence occurred for the employees to enjoy these rights.
Domestic violence leave has positive impacts on the decent work agenda. One of the fundamental aspects of decent work agenda is to enhance a safe working environment for workers. Ferraro et al. (2015) argue that a safe and healthy environment entails both physical and objective health and safety conditions associated with employee well-being. Domestic violence impacts the health of workers, both physically and mentally. The victims may require time off to seek medical attention or recover from stress and other psychological issues associated with domestic violence. Workers may not be in the best psychological state to work. Because of these reasons, domestic leaves workers help promote safe and healthy working conditions of workers. It ensures that workers can seek treatment or recover from domestic violence effects. Indeed, the health of workers is essential in the promotion of safe and healthy working conditions and giving domestic violence time off to heal a decent work agenda.
Another significant component of decent work influenced by domestic violence leave is the combination of family, personal life and work. Work-life balance impacts social security and other forms of support for workers. Promoting work-life balance entails providing workers with sufficient time to address issues that significantly affect their lives (Ferraro et al., 2015). In this case, domestic violence is a pressing personal life issue that victims must be given time to address. Besides, it has effects on work since some of the victims indicate that it distracts them from work. Domestic violence leaves then support workers to get the work-life balance, which is essential for proving their quality of life.
In conclusion, Domestic Violence legislation directly influences the decent work Agenda. It influences two thematic areas of decent work agenda, including safe and healthy working conditions and supports work-life balance. Indeed, domestic violence victims undergo adverse challenges that may require time off from work to solve. They need time to recover physically and mentally from the effects of domestic violence. Hence, support to get leave with pay will help them relieve the pressure of work and life. Subsequently, it improves their health and quality of life.
Social Democracy and Neoliberlaism
Ideological orientations directly impact public policy, including employment relations policies. Social democracy and neo-liberalism are critical ideologies that influence the public space and policies in the New Zeeland. Social democracy is a policy system that advocates for social and economic interventions to enhance social justice (Hicks, 2018). Neoliberals refer to a market-oriented policy framework, for instance, lowering trade barriers, deregulation capital markets, and removing the price controls (). The two forms of ideologies are entirely different because they focus on the deregulation of the markets. In contrast, the other focuses on the regulation of the markets to enhance social justice. Therefore, depending on the ideology that the government or policymakers are aligned to the employment relations and the associated policies may differ.
Social democracy advocates for government involvement in the markets to enhance economic equality and social security (Hicks, 2018). Since unemployment is one of the leading causes of insecurity and inequality, full employment assurance represents the first step towards economic efficiency and equity. In this view, social democrats tend to encourage state regulation over state ownership of production means and an extensive social welfare program. Hence, social democrats easily support decent work agenda and would push for employment relations and policies that help improve workers’ social welfare. As such, the social democrats would seek to have regulations that support the workers to attain safe and healthy working conditions. Besides, social democracy is about social equity and justice (Johnstone & Wilkinson, 2016). In this view, the policymakers who believe in social democracy tend to push for policies that promote equality in the workplace. Social democrats encourage the development of regulations, such as equal pay legislation. Overall, social democracy adopts the objective of state regulation of the industries and businesses as sufficient to foster economic growth, equitable income, and appropriate employment relations.
Unlike social democracy, neoliberals advocate for policy models that concentrate on free-market competition. It is characterized by an emphasis on free markets as an efficient means of resource allocation and minimal state intervention in social and economic affairs (Acharya, 2019). It also calls for freedom of capital and trade. Primarily, individuals aligned to neoliberals advocate for a free labor market with minimal interference by the government. As such, they may not find policies such as equal pay and legislation on domestic violence leave essential in promoting employee relations. In neoliberals, all things in an organization, including people, become instruments for generating profits. Therefore people are likely to approach employee relations with the instrumental goals in mind. As such, the employment relationship under neoliberals is nothing but an instrumental exchange between the employers and employees. Besides, neoliberalism is individualistic, and people are expected to pursue individual interests in an employment relationship. It encourages competition, making relationships at workplaces a matter of competition among workers within the organization and those in the labor market (Howell, 2020). Employees can be removed from form the organization at any time. Neoliberals may not result in the attainment of good employment relations practices and policies.
In conclusion, social democracy and neoliberals influence different outcomes regarding employee relations and policies. Social democrats would enforce decent work relationships by encouraging the development of laws to enhance it. At the same time, the neoliberals would push for markets to aim to achieve a decent work agenda without legislations. Subsequently, neoliberals may not fully achieve decent employee relationships because they are not bound by the government, and its nature is instrumental, competitive, and individualistic. On the other hand, social democracy encourages the development of decent employee relations through the creation of laws that will promote safe and healthy working conditions, equal pay, and support the welfare of the employees.
Effects of Corona on Employment in New Zeeland
The abrupt emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic is dealing an adverse blow to the businesses, economies, and workers across the globe. The response to the pandemic requires strict measures that derail the progress of the economy. Countries are limiting access tit heathers, retail stores, concert halls, and many non-essential businesses where there is a high risk of coming into close contact among people. Besides, the government has warned people to try and stay at home when possible and limit unnecessary movements. Moreover, the business has closed to protect its workers from contracting Corona Virus. Perhaps the most visible closure is the universal shutdown of the professional sports industry. These unprecedented problems are having economic ripple effects across New Zeeland and illustrate how employment has suffered significantly.
Covid-19 has significantly changed the labor market of New Zeeland. Several indicators, such as actual hours worked, usually worked hours, and underemployment in the country, demonstrate the significant challenges of the coronavirus. The Covid-19 alert of New Zeeland was lifted to level 4 from 25 March 2020 to 27 April 2020. Such government actions have enhanced the ability of several individuals to work and our capability to collect data to demonstrate Corona’s effects. New Zeeland Air industry has seen about 1300 staff lose their jobs due to grounding of Airport operations. Studies show that approximately 80,000 people would lose their jobs in a new wave of unemployment in New Zeeland starting from June (Theunissen, 2020).
The number of new employments has also reduced significantly since new businesses cannot open while the current ones cannot expand. The employment opportunities are limited. Unemployment of New Zeeland in March was estimated at 4.2 percent and increase from the last years’ quarter, which was about 4.0 percent (Theunissen, 2020). This demonstrates that the amount of unemployment has increased over time to the highest level in the recent past. This increase in the unemployment rate is attributed to the Corona Virus, which has destabilized the labor market. A majority of the unemployment resulting from Covid-19 is the unskilled laborers.
The government in realization of the significant effects of Corona on the labor market tried to create a business continuity package to influence employment. The government provided NZD 12.1 billion to ensure that business continue with their operations without sending employees packing. Therefore, the role of the Unions is to negotiate for better deals for their members, both with the employers and the government (Piller, 2020). The unions have a responsibility to engage the employers to negotiate for a review of the employment agreements and ensure the interests of their employees. The businesses are protected for posterity and continuity during and after Corona.
In conclusion, Covid-19 has negatively affected the labor markets across the world and in New Zeeland. Businesses are struggling due to the measured put in place by the government to respond to the restrictions of movement and operations. In this view, companies have been forced to reduce its employees with thousands losing their jobs across the country. However, the workers’ hope lies with the unions, which should negotiate for better engagement and review of employment agreements. Besides, the unions can also petition the government to intervene and help their businesses and employees. Through such engagement, unions can ensure that employees can earn salaries and wages to sustain their livelihood as the economy slowly picks up.
References
Acharya, S. (2019). Liberalism, Neo-Liberalism and Post-Liberalism; A Reference of Nepal. A Reference of Nepal (July 11, 2019).
Employment New Zeeland. (2020). Domestic violence leave. Retrieved https://www.employment.govt.nz/leave-and-holidays/domestic-violence-leave/
Ferraro, T., Pais, L., & Dos Santos, N. R. (2015). Decent work: An aim for all made by all. International Journal of Social Sciences, 4(3), 30-42.
Hicks, A. (2018). Social democracy and welfare capitalism: A century of income security politics. Cornell University Press.
Howell, C. (2020). Rethinking the Role of the State in Employment Relations for a Neoliberal Era. ILR Review, 0019793920904663.
Johnstone, S., & Wilkinson, A. (2016). Developing positive employment relations: international experiences of labour–management partnership. In Developing Positive Employment Relations (pp. 3-24). Palgrave Macmillan, London.
Piller, F. T. (2020). Ten Propositions on the Future of Digital Business Models for Industry 4.0 in the Post-Corona Economy. Available at SSRN 3617816.
Intercultural Communication
Students Name
Institution of Affiliation
Course Title
Date
Intercultural Communication
I spent my time with a Muslim, a person who shared Islamic culture since being born. We spent around 5 hours together, chatting and walking around, making fun. During our time together, I asked several questions, one being why women wear ‘hijab’ that covers their faces to their toes. Again, I asked about their take on terrorism and why the Muslim religion is so much aligned with terror. From the little time we spent together, I can say that I learned many things in regard to their culture and religion. In regards to the Muslim culture, women are not allowed to show off their faces as well as their legs and thus are expected by the society as a culture to wear black clothing mostly dark that will cover their body from head to toe with only leaving an opening for the eyes. It is a tradition that has been in existed for decades as, according to her, her grandparents still carried on with the tradition, and she only inherited it at a young age, mostly she doesn’t know the age exactly. I demanded to know whether there are some cases when the clothing can be removed, she said yes, but no one is expected to get out to the people without it. You can remove it when at home alone.
Aside from covering the eyes, I also questioned the relationship between Islamic religion and terrorism. To her, terrorism is individual, it is not the religion that is bad or that teaches terrorism, but it is the individuals who tend to paint it negatively through engaging in extremist behavior. I liked her perspective challenging my religion – Christianity, where she said that even members of the Christian religion might practice extremist activities that may as well be termed as terroristic. I also noted that they had a special way of greeting their elderly, especially when talking to older men in their culture. They don’t speak directly and try as much as they can to avoid eye contact. Respect is one of the greatest virtues that the Islamic culture instills into the people.
I was more of the interviewer, and thus, I am pretty sure that she did not pic much from me. I asked most of the questions while she made the responses. But despite this am sure she grasped a thing or two, and one of them is that most of us – Christian tend to stereotype people, especially those from the Islamic religion. The inference was so open when I asked about the relationship between Islam and terrorism, and she seemed to be appalled, saying that “You people do judge a lot.” I am sure she never took it positively, and I felt sorry for that.
Another thing that I can say that she could have picked from my culture is the code of dressing. She said that we are lucky that we can change clothes and look different for different occasions as they have to put on the clothing, making them look the same. It would be hard to differentiate women, especially when they are wearing the same.
Based on this assignment, I can attest that I learned several things, one of which includes appreciating other people’s cultures. Culture is unique, and it is difficult to change, though change can be gradual, it would be difficult to completely erase the cultural attachments regardless of the geographical location or the separation with the rest of the society members such as the family. Another key takeaway that I learned is that different cultures have different approaching styles, some of the cultures are still hard on the conservation of traditional concepts, maintaining the ancient practices that include dressing, cuisine, and socialization. We do need to appreciate cultures as they are a symbol of diversity, and we learn from them, whether knowingly or not.
Significance of Business Ethics
Students Name
Institution of Affiliation
Course Title
Date
Ethical Leadership
Leadership plays a crucial role in guiding the direction of a business as it is involved in decision making as well as the supervision of employees (Xu, Angela, Raymond and Hang-yue Ngo). Therefore, a business cannot thrive without the executives who will make decisions on behalf of the company; however, business decisions should be made in an ethical manner to prevent negative consequences that may arise from bad decisions. Ethical leadership should, therefore, be part of the executives both in terms of decision making and supervision. A leader must execute their duties in a manner that respects the rights, integrity, and dignity of other people especially the employees through employing the ethical principles such as justice and fairness, transparency and respect for them to be regarded as ethical leaders.
Business leaders should possess ethical leadership behaviors that will guide their decision making as well as the activities that they may engage in in the course of guiding the business to achieving its goals. One of the critical ethical behaviors that leaders must possess include honesty and trustworthiness as well as integrity in dealing with customers and employees (Freeman). Effective leadership must be guided by trust as it is perceived that high ranking business leaders who tend to be honest with their employees earn more respect and confidence as they instill to the employees the aspect of belonging as part of the whole team entrusted with steering the company towards its realization of the set targets, working together as a team. Telling the truth will help earn trust from the constituents as they will always be ready to agree with their leader, thus less disagreements.
Paying attention is another critical aspect of ethical leadership, not only for the stakeholders but also to the employees and other junior leaders (Kaptein). All interested parties in a business should be treated fairly by the decisions made by their representatives as the failure to address the constituents fairly will create and increase divisions within the organization. Decisions made must always be geared to maximizing the profits of the company but at the same time looking at the welfare of the employees. Maximizing profits may be coupled with such decisions such as cutting off costs that include laying off unproductive employees to reduce the payroll cost. Acts such as reducing payrolls and reducing health benefits are unethical, and such decisions should not be part of a leader who minds the welfare of their employees.
Teamwork plays an essential role in achieving the set objectives in a business as it is easy to realize the goals without disagreements. Divisions reduce the pace of production, and therefore, it is upon the leaders to team up their employees and assign objectives that need to be achieved together and not individually (Katzenbach and Douglas). Leaders should be at the forefront to spearhead the achievement of goals and therefore, should always be available for consultations. They are also entrusted with appointing leaders in the groups who will be guiding the supervision in the ground as they cannot be able to oversee all activities in a business. Working together builds up a community that has the sole purpose of achieving the company’s objectives.
Respect and inclusivity is another virtue that ethical leaders must possess in their positions of leadership (Wuffli). People have different opinions, and this can be used in a business to promote diversity not only on culture but also in decision making. Leaders as the center of focus in a company cannot make decisions alone as they have a single idea, which at times may not be valid or viable. Including the employees and other stakeholders in decision making allows for inclusivity as well as the provision of a variety of decisions that the business can choose from, which is a great benefit to the business as it will never fall short of valid ideas. Leaders, therefore, should not only include employees and other stakeholders into decision making but also make sure that they respect the opinions contributed as they are for the benefit of the company.
Works CitedFreeman, R. Edward. “Ethical leadership and creating value for stakeholders.” Business ethics: New challenges for business schools and corporate leaders. Routledge, 2016. 94-109.
Kaptein, Muel. “The moral entrepreneur: A new component of ethical leadership.” Journal of Business Ethics 156.4 (2019): 1135-1150.
Katzenbach, Jon R., and Douglas K. Smith. The wisdom of teams: Creating the high-performance organization. Harvard Business Review Press, 2015.
Wuffli, Peter A. “Introduction: A framework for inclusive leadership.” Inclusive Leadership. Springer, Cham, 2016. 1-7.
Xu, Angela J., Raymond Loi, and Hang-yue Ngo. “Ethical leadership behavior and employee justice perceptions: The mediating role of trust in organization.” Journal of Business Ethics 134.3 (2016): 493-504.