Syllabus: International Baccalaureate - Individuals and Societies - Business management (Higher Level)
Module: Unit 2: Human Resource Management
Lesson: 2.7 Industrial/Employee Relations (HL only)

Introduction

Unit 2.7 of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Business Management Higher Level (HL) curriculum explores industrial and employee relations, focusing on the dynamics between employers and employees within a business setting. This topic is vital for understanding how effective communication, negotiation, and conflict resolution contribute to organisational success.

Aligned to the IB Diploma Programme’s emphasis on international perspectives and ethical dimensions, this unit encourages students to critically evaluate differing industrial relations approaches in global contexts. For teachers, it offers an opportunity to connect classroom theory with the evolving nature of work, stakeholder engagement, and workplace conflict management.

Key Concepts

The official IB syllabus for Unit 2.7: Industrial/Employee Relations (HL only) covers the following core areas:

• Approaches to employer–employee relations, including individual and collective bargaining

• Negotiation tactics and processes, including strike action, arbitration, conciliation, and employee participation

• Trade unions and employer associations, including their roles and influence

• Sources and resolution of conflict, including causes (e.g., pay, conditions, communication breakdown) and mechanisms for resolution

• Industrial action, including work to rule, go-slows, and strikes, along with consequences for businesses and employees

• Legislation and ethics in managing employee relations across different jurisdictions and cultures

• Impact of poor employee relations on motivation, productivity, and business performance

• Strategies to improve industrial relations, including open communication channels, grievance procedures, and employee representation

These topics offer a structured way to explore not just how conflict arises but also how it can be resolved constructively through communication and strategic planning.

Real-World Relevance

Industrial relations is a highly topical subject given recent events in both the UK and globally:

• UK Rail Strikes (2022–2024): The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) led a series of strikes over pay and conditions. This provided a real-life example of industrial action, negotiation stalling, and the long-term impact on public perception, government policy, and organisational profitability.

• Starbucks Unionisation Movement (US): Employees at various Starbucks locations initiated unionisation efforts, leading to pushback from management. This scenario provides a global perspective on employee voice, collective bargaining, and corporate responses to labour demands.

• Amazon Labour Disputes: Ongoing concerns over working conditions and pay at Amazon warehouses in Europe and the US demonstrate the complexity of multinational industrial relations, especially when navigating differing legal frameworks and cultural expectations.

Using these case studies in class allows students to engage with real business consequences of industrial relations decisions, enhancing critical thinking and commercial awareness.

How It’s Assessed

Within the IB Business Management (HL) framework, Unit 2.7 content may be assessed across various question types, particularly in Paper 2 (Data Response) and Paper 1 (Case Study Application). Key assessment guidance includes:

• Command terms such as evaluate, discuss, recommend, and analyse are used to explore students’ ability to apply industrial relations theory to case scenarios.

• Students are expected to compare different conflict resolution approaches, analyse the impact of industrial action, and evaluate strategic options for improving employee relations.

• Mark schemes typically reward:

  • Clear application to the scenario provided

  • Balanced arguments considering multiple stakeholders (e.g., employees, managers, shareholders)

  • Justified recommendations supported by theory

Formative assessments can include role plays of negotiations, mini-debates, or creating stakeholder maps as revision exercises.

Enterprise Skills Integration

This topic strongly aligns with Enterprise Skills Ltd’s strategic themes of Decision-Making & Problem-Solving, Commercial Awareness, and Workplace Readiness:

• Decision-Making & Problem-Solving: Students develop evaluative thinking by examining how different approaches to industrial disputes can lead to varying outcomes. They learn to consider consequences, stakeholder priorities, and ethical implications.

• Commercial Awareness: Understanding the cost implications of industrial action, employee disengagement, or poor communication aligns with key workplace realities that affect profitability and brand reputation.

• Workplace Readiness: Scenarios involving conflict resolution prepare students to navigate professional environments where communication, compromise, and strategic alignment are essential.

Enterprise Skills simulations, such as Skills Hub Futures, allow students to explore these dynamics through structured role-plays and conflict resolution tasks, improving their ability to manage professional relationships under pressure.

Careers Links

This topic maps directly to Gatsby Benchmarks 4, 5, and 6:

• Benchmark 4: Curriculum learning is linked to careers through real case studies and employer scenarios.

• Benchmark 5: Employer encounters are embedded through case examples like Amazon, Starbucks, and NHS workforce issues.

• Benchmark 6: Simulated workplace experiences, including mock negotiations and stakeholder mapping, provide tangible experiences of workplace dynamics.

Relevant career paths include:

• Human Resources (HR Officer, HR Business Partner)

• Employment Law (Legal Advisor, Labour Law Consultant)

• Trade Union Representation (Union Officer, Negotiator)

• Management Consultancy

• Operations Management (especially in logistics and manufacturing)

Students exploring these careers benefit from understanding the mechanisms and consequences of employee relations decisions.

Teaching Notes

Teaching Tips:

• Use role play exercises to simulate trade union negotiations or workplace disputes. Assign students different stakeholder roles to evaluate competing interests.

• Introduce decision-making frameworks such as force field analysis when examining change management or dispute resolution.

• Integrate video content from recent labour disputes to prompt classroom discussion.

• Encourage students to track a current industrial relations case over a few weeks to observe progression and media portrayal.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid:

• Oversimplifying trade union roles or presenting them as inherently antagonistic.

• Ignoring cultural and legal differences in international employee relations.

• Overloading students with legislation without applying it to context.

Extension Ideas:

• Invite a guest speaker from a local HR department or trade union.

• Use a business simulation (such as those from Enterprise Skills) to simulate decisions during a strike or grievance scenario.

• Encourage cross-curricular links with Politics or Law departments to discuss labour rights and workplace regulation.