How to deal with grievances and complaints

Problems with employees arise occasionally in every business. Now and then, once you have exhausted ways of preventing problems arising in the first place, you may need to discipline employees or confront with their grievances. If problems do arise it is much better to deal with them than to let them continue until your employee resigns. Disciplinary procedures are an aid to good management. This guide will show what procedures you need, how to handle disciplinary and grievance issues in practice, and the disciplinary action available to you. Any worker may have concerns or complaints about their work, employment terms, working conditions or relationships with colleagues that they want to discuss or bring to your attention. They will want you to address and, if possible, resolve these grievances. Standard grievance procedure The standard grievance procedure has three stages which should be followed: Employee gives written statement of grievance - the employee must give an account of the grievance in a written statement. If the grievance is against the employees direct manager the matter should be raised with a more senior manager if possible. Employer and employee meet - hold a meeting with the employee and if relevant, their colleagues. Inform the employee of any decision made and give them the opportunity to appeal. Appeal if necessary - if the employee wishes to appeal against the disciplinary action that has been decided, you must invite the employee to a further meeting. If reasonably practicable, a more senior manager who has not been involved in the grievance procedure so far should deal with the appeal. After the meeting you should inform the employee of the decision taken.

When dealing with a grievance: ensure you are familiar with the procedure and apply it correctly hold any hearing in private and without interruptions where a grievance relates to the person's direct manager, ensure that the employee can raise the grievance with someone else listen carefully to the person's explanation of the problem and consider whether there is a deeper issue which might be the root cause listen to any conflicting points of view weigh up all the evidence to see whether there is an issue you need to address decide what action to take, try to be fair to your employee without compromising your business or other workers inform all concerned parties of your decision and the appeal process ensure you resolve any problems relating to policies, procedures or conduct where the grievance procedure highlights these keep the process as confidential as possible

If a worker raises a separate grievance during a disciplinary hearing, it is good practice to adjourn the hearing until the grievance is dealt with. Deal with grievances sensitively, particularly where they concer