Works Council (OR) Basics

Just elected to the works council and still finding your role? This basic course gives you a grip on the Dutch Works Councils Act (WOR), on your rights as a works council member and on consultation with the director. You go home with concrete steps for your works council.

Description

The works council is more than a consultative body. You represent your colleagues, you weigh up interests and you keep the director sharp on important decisions. To do that well, you need to know what the law asks of you and what the law gives you.

This course sets out the Dutch Works Councils Act (WOR) for you. You learn the difference between the right of advice (article 25) and the right of consent (article 27), you understand when to take which step and you practise with a real request for advice. This gives you a feel for how to build up your advice and which questions to put to the director.

Alongside the law, you will look at how to make the works council work from within. Who does what, how do you prepare for the consultation meeting and how do you stay in touch with the people you represent? You will discuss recognisable situations from your own organisation, so the theory sinks in straight away.

At the end of the course you know what you have taken on. You have a clear picture of your task, you know the ground rules and you have a list of first steps for your works council in your pocket.

Topics

• The main principles of the Dutch Works Councils Act (WOR)
• Role and task of the works council: weighing up interests, the constituency and scrutiny of the director
• Right to advise (article 25): which decisions fall under it and how to arrive at sound advice
• Right of consent (article 27): which arrangements, and what if you do not consent
• The right to information: what information you may request and when
• Consultation with the director: agenda, preparation and interview technique
• Division of roles within the works council: chair, secretary and committees
• Communication with the constituency
• Practising with a real request for advice
• Simulation of a consultation meeting
• First concrete steps for your works council

Result

After this course you will understand what the works council is in legal terms and what rights you have. You will recognise which decisions fall under the right of advice and which under the right of consent, and you will know what to do if the works council withholds its consent.

Specifically, by the end you will be able to:

• explain the main points of the WOR to a fellow works council member
• determine whether a decision falls under article 25 or article 27
• assessing a request for advice and drawing up a structured recommendation
• preparing a consultation meeting with the director
• set up the division of roles between chair, secretary and members
• communicating effectively with your constituency
• putting a list of first steps into practice for your works council

Target audience

If you have just been elected to the works council or are about to be, this is the right place for you. The course is also suitable if you have been a member for a while but would like to go through the basics of the Works Councils Act (WOR) again.

The course is intended for:

• new works council members who have just been elected or will be shortly
• Works council members with limited experience who want to refresh the basics of the Works Councils Act
• Works council secretaries and chairs who want to set up their role properly
• HR professionals and employee participation support staff who work with the works council
• directors who want to know what their works council is working on

Teaching method

You work under the guidance of an experienced trainer with practical works council experience. Brief explanations of WOR articles alternate with exercises. You discuss situations from your own company, so that the law connects directly to what you will encounter tomorrow.

You work on a real request for advice, practise the division of roles in a short simulation of the consultation meeting and receive feedback on your approach. The trainer links the articles of the law to concrete examples, so that the theory becomes tangible.

At the end you draw up a personal list of first steps for your works council. That way you take something workable back with you, rather than just knowledge.

Prior knowledge

No prior knowledge is required. This course is designed for people who have just been elected to the works council or are about to start. Some affinity with your organisation and a willingness to think about decision-making is enough.

Comments

For a complete works council that wants to make a start together, an in-company course is often the most efficient format, because you can practise straight away with issues from your own organisation.

In-company

Would you like to organise this training for a whole group or several groups? This can be cost-effective. For example, we can tailor the content entirely to your organisation, and training a whole group is also cheaper.

Are you looking at large numbers of participants or a complete academy? That involves a great deal. Consider planning and communication, for example, or identifying and agreeing the objectives and content of the training. Or differences in level, feedback mechanisms and safeguarding. Fortunately, Learnit has extensive experience in this field (more than 25 years) and we are happy to help you through this process.

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Language

The training is given in Dutch as standard. The trainer has a good command of English. English-language course material can be used. With a minimum enrolment of 3 participants, the training can also be given entirely in English.