By Adam Turteltaub

The words “works council” inspires fear and dread in the hearts and minds of many who have never worked with them. They need not, says Lisanne Winde, attorney at law at Wybenga advocaten and Alain Lambert, regional ethics and compliance officer for Central Europe at WSP.

In this podcast, they share how the works council can actually help compliance teams.

These entities are not unions but are specific to the company. They can be helpful for facilitating communication with employees and giving greater legitimacy to company policies. In practice they collaborate with management and can be more helpful than those unfamiliar with them may think.

However, there are times when working with the works council is not just a nice to have but a requirement. Issues relating to whistleblowing and disciplinary policies are two examples. And there may be others, as well.  The laws vary by country.

To make the most out of the relationship they recommend taking time to listen to what the works council says. Make sure they understand your role and the independence it has from management, and invite their participation early. It’s better to find out what issues are and benefit from their expertise early rather than too late.

Listen in to learn more, then, take a deep breadth and relax next time you hear the words “works council.”

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