Works Councils or Unions are an essential partner when implementing an employee survey program. In some countries like Germany, gaining Works Council agreement before deploying new technology is a legal requirement, so it’s best to plan ahead. While every organization has a unique proposition that they’ll have to present to their Works Council, there are some themes that you can start focusing on now.
Five tips to get started
When it comes to partnering with your Works Council, advanced preparation is key.
Tip #1: Start the dialogue early.
Works Council meetings can often be planned months in advance, and approval can take a long time, so it’s best to get on the agenda as soon as is practical.
Tip #2: Find out what’s on the minds of your Works Council members.
This will give you an idea of what questions to expect and what issues worry them—whilst not distracting them with things they are already comfortable with.
Tip #3: Offer to join your Works Council’s meetings to provide support.
Whilst written materials are often more than sufficient, sometimes the personal touch can signal that there is nothing to hide, and sets a good atmosphere of support.
Tip #4: Treat your Works Council as another stakeholder in the process.
Works Council is interested in employees’ opinions. It should be receptive to the concept of an employee engagement survey, and just want to ensure that it’s implemented well.
Tip #5: Find out what approvals are needed, by when, and by whom.
Sometimes there are only limited windows to get approval from your Works Council, so knowing how to navigate this is essential.
Five questions you might hear
These are commonly asked questions from Works Councils.
Question #1: Do you and your third-party providers demonstrate compliance with GDPR and local implementing law?
Explain the overarching data security and privacy strategy.
Question #2: How do you and your third-party providers protect your data?
Ensure the confidentiality, availability and security of your data.
Question #3: How do you and your third-party providers store your data?
Provide information on what is stored, where, and for how long.
Question #4: How do you control access to your data?
Explain access rights and access controls (manager/employee access, passwords, SSO, etc.).
Question #5: What system audits and certifications do you and your third-party providers have?
Show evidence of an industry-standard audit (likely an annual SOC 2 Type II) and various Privacy-Shield certifications.
Five facts about Glint and Works Councils
When it comes to Works Councils, every organization has a unique situation. But you can prepare in advance to set yourself up for the best possible outcome—and Glint can help you.
Fact #1: Glint’s platform is designed to demonstrate compliance with GDPR and local implementing law.
Glint operates fully within all local, national and international laws.
Fact #2: Glint gives employees a voice.
This aligns with your Works Council’s purpose to represent employees and look out for their best interests.
Fact #3: Glint has Works Council expertise.
We have German staff and native German speakers; a dedicated Customer Security Assurance team and a People Science team; and an EMEA Data Protection Officer and Legal team; who together have extensive experience in helping to answer Works Council questions.
Fact #4: Glint has reached over 5 million employees around the globe, including Germany.
Glint serves multinational companies that have headquarters and satellite offices and worksites around the world.
Fact #5: Glint wants to help make the program a success as much as your Works Council does.
Our mission is to help people be happier and more successful at work. We achieve this only when we help our customers establish a positive relationship with their Works Council.
The Business Transformation Network has posted this article in partnership with Glint.
