Negotiation skills 'necessary' for new NHS pay system
Local HR departments could have to negotiate pay deals
Local human resources (HR) departments in hospitals may be
required to improve their negotiation skills, it has been
claimed.
The coalition government has announced plans to allow health
service employers such as GP surgeries to determine the level of
pay for staff.
This will put pressure on HR workers to negotiate salary rises
when they may not have the required ability to do so.
Jon Restell, chief executive of Managers in Partnership, an
organisation which represents healthcare managers, expressed his
concern at the potential move.
He told peoplemanagement.co.uk: "Local pay bargaining is
resource-intensive and does require a particular level of
skills.
"It is also potentially wasteful to have duplicated discussions
around core principles, and for organisations to start developing
their own pay grading systems to support local pay bargaining."
HR workers could consider attending negotiation workshops in
order to improve their technique.