Section 2 Description Text
Consultation is about involving and developing your organisation’s employees.
Employees that feel involved in decisions that affect them are more engaged with the business and the organisation is far less vulnerable to misunderstanding, rumour and resentment. It is important in modern business that employees are not only aware of what they should be doing but also why they are doing it.
It is important to understand that consultation does not simply mean showing a new procedure or policy to the workforce and telling them it will be in force in two weeks. An effective consultation process involves not only gathering and considering feedback from the workforce but also making sure employees know that their feedback was considered and how it has shaped the final decision.
It is equally important to understand that consultation does not mean having to cater for all individual feedback but rather considering all positions to arrive at a reasonable decision. There is no surer way to have your workforce cease to be engaged in the business than to ignore feedback, suggestions or other staff communications. No worker will be interested in your process if they feel that anything they say is ignored and so always make sure staff are aware of the process and understand what has been considered and why decisions have been made.
Date printed: 16 Dec 2025
