When I first started negotiating with pilot unions in Hong Kong, I never imagined it would shape how I viewed the workplace. But after over 15 years working in employee and industrial relations across countries as varied as Canada, Australia, France, Hong Kong and the UK — from Cathay Pacific flight decks to French works councils and British union consults — I’ve developed an abiding interest in the architecture of employee voice.
Because here’s the thing: we tend to talk about employee voice as a universal good but it is not a universal experience.
At its best, employee voice reflects a well-calibrated, two-way relationship — not a megaphone for worker grievances or a compliance checkbox for the employer. But achieving that balance depends heavily on context: the legal framework, yes, but also the cultural/societal fabric. The assumptions about work, authority, and dialogue differ wildly across borders — and pretending otherwise can lead to disillusionment on all sides.
One Framework, Many Realities
In France, employee voice is institutionalised, codified, and legally protected. The Comité Social et Économique (CSE) is powerful, structured, and — let’s be honest — not always agile. You’re rarely negotiating with individuals; you’re negotiating with roles. It’s formal, precise, and often theatrical. And yet, when you earn the respect of a French works council, you’ve got something enduring — a reliable partner who’ll hold you to account, but also back you when needed.
Contrast that with the UK, where the relationship is more fluid. Unions can be strong negotiating partners, but their power is more contingent — often built on workplace sentiment, not legislation. There’s more room for pragmatism, but also more scope for erosion.
In Hong Kong and Australia, my experience with pilot unions added another layer. These were highly skilled professionals with strong identity and occupational pride — they weren’t only seeking pay rises, but respect, autonomy, and a voice that reflected their technical expertise. You couldn’t bluff your way through a negotiation. You had to listen properly and be technically credible.
In each case, employee voice was not just about what employees wanted to say — but how, when, and to whom they could say it.
Global Company, Local Voice
In recent roles, I’ve found myself increasingly drawn into the challenge of designing structures that accommodate this cultural variance — helping global companies avoid the trap of applying a single model everywhere. You can’t roll out a European-style works council to teams in Singapore and São Paulo and expect it to take root.
One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned is that voice travels better when it’s embedded in mutual respect. That sounds simple, but it’s not always easy. Respect is built through showing up: by listening, not performing. By recognising what matters locally, not what looks good globally.
I’ve worked closely with European teams where works councils are central actors — sometimes antagonistic, sometimes aligned. The key to making these relationships productive has been consistency, transparency, and a willingness to treat disagreement as a form of respect. If we’re arguing, it means we both care.
Voice as Strategy, Not Risk
Too often, in multinational settings, employee voice is treated as a problem to be managed — a risk to mitigate. But voice, properly harnessed, is a strategic asset. It reveals pressure points before they become more public problems. It surfaces insights that no survey ever could. And it keeps organisations honest — which, in the age of AI, ESG, and constant transformation, might be the most valuable thing of all.
Of course, voice is messy. It’s emotional, political, and sometimes obstructive. But leadership can be too, and nobody ever suggests we should do away with that.
A Final Thought
The biggest thing I’ve learned is that voice doesn’t look the same in every context. The goal isn’t to standardise it, but to enable it. To create the conditions for honest conversation, even if – especially when – it’s hard.
I’m encouraged that organisations like the IPA are creating spaces for this kind of reflection. As someone who’s sat across the table from some formidable negotiators across three continents, I can tell you: when you get voice right, everything else gets easier. Strategy, engagement, transformation — all of it.
So maybe the best question to ask isn’t, “Do we have an employee voice framework?”
But rather, “Do we really want to listen?”
Ian Renwick
July 2025