GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE A grievance is a sign of employees discontent with job and its nature.

An employee will have certain aspirations and expectations which he thinks must be fulfilled by the organization where he is working. When the organisation fails to satisfy the employees needs, he develops a feeling of discontent or dissatisfaction. Thus, grievance is caused due to difference between employee expectation and management practices. Beach defines grievances as any dissatisfaction or feeling of injustice in connection with ones employment situation that is brought to the notice of the management. NEED FOR A GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE Grievance procedure is necessary for any organisation due to the following reasons. 1. Management can feel the pulse of the employees with regard to the policies and practices of the organization 2. Employees get a chance to ventilate their feelings and let off steam through an official channel 3. Morale of the employees will be high when their grievances are redressed in a just manner 4. It keeps a check on the supervisors attitude and behavior towards their subordinates FORMS OF GRIEVANCE Factual: When an employee is dissatisfied with his job, for genuine or factual reasons like a breach of terms of employment or any other reasons that are clearly attributed to the management, he is said to have a factual grievance. Thus, factual grievances arise when the legitimate needs are unfulfilled. The problem that he has is real and not virtual. Imaginary: When an employees grievance or dissatisfaction is not because of any factual or valid reason but because of wrong perception, wrong attitude or wrong information he has. Such a grievance is called an imaginary grievance. Though it is not the fault of management, the responsibility of dealing with it still rests with the management. So the problem is not real. It is in the mind or just a feeling towards someone or something. So be careful your grievances could be very much imaginary! Disguised: An employee may have dissatisfaction for reasons that are unknown to himself. This may be because of pressures and frustrations that an employee is feeling from other sources like his personal life. I am sure you will agree that if you have fought at home and come to the institute, you cannot concentrate in the class. Similarly if you have had a bad day in the institute, that will reflect in the mood at home. We are all humans and are sensitive to the environment that we operate in!

CAUSES OF GRIEVANCE Economic : Wage fixation, overtime, bonus, wage revision etc. Work Environment : Physical conditions of workplace, production norms, defective tools and equipments, poor quality of materials, materials not available in time, lack of recognition, unfair rules etc. Supervision : Complaints against a particular senior, notions of bias, favoritism, nepotism, caste affiliations etc. Work group : Unable to adjust with colleagues, feels neglected etc. Miscellaneous : Promotions, safety methods, transfer, disciplinary rules, granting leave, medical facilities etc.

EFFECTS : Grievances, if they are not identified and redressed, may affect adversely the workers, managers and their organisation. The effects include : On production Low quality of production Low quality of production and productivity Increase in the wastage of material, spoilage/leakage of machinery Increase in the cost of production per unit On employees Increase in the rate of absenteeism and turnover Reduces the level of commitment, sincerity and punctuality Increases the incidence of accidents Reduces the level of employee morale On managers Strains the superior-subordinate relations Increases the degree of supervision, control and follow up Increases in disciplinary action cases Increases in unrest and, thereby, machinery to maintain industrial peace

BENEFITS OF GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE : According to Jackson, benefits that will accrue to both the employer and employees by adopting grievance redressal procedures are: It encourages employees to raise concerns without fear of reprisal It provides a fair and speedy means of dealing with complaints It prevents minor disagreements developing into serious disputes It saves employers time and money as solutions are found for workplace problems It helps to build an organisational climate, based on openness and trust

DISCOVERY OF GRIEVANCE : Grievances can be uncovered in a number of ways to uncover the mystery surrounding grievances. 1. Gossip and grapevine : They offer vital clues about employee grievances. 2. Observation : A manager / supervisor can usually track the behaviours of people working under him. If a particular employee is not getting along with people, spoiling materials due to carelessness or recklessness, showing indifference to commands, reporting late for work or is remaining absent the signals are fairly obvious. Since the supervisor is close to the scene of action, he can always find out such unusual behaviours and report promptly. 3. Grievance Procedure : A systematic grievance procedure is the best means to highlight employee dissatisfaction at various levels. Management, to this end, must encourage employees to use it whenever they have anything to say. In the absence of such a procedure, grievances pile up and explode in violent forms at a future date. By that time things might have taken an ugly shape altogether, impairing cordial relations between labour and management. If management fails to induce employees to express their grievances, unions will take over and emerge as powerful bargaining representatives. 4. Gripe boxes : Gripe boxes may be kept at prominent locations in the organization for lodging anonymous complaints pertaining to any aspect relating to work. Since the complainant need not reveal his identity, he can express his feeling of injustice or discontent frankly and without any fear of victimisation. 5. Open door policy : This is a kind of walk-in-meeting with the manager when the employee can express his feelings openly about any work-related grievance. The manager can cross-check the details of the complainant through various means at his disposal. 6. Exit interview : Employees usually leave their current jobs due to dissatisfaction or better prospects outside. If the manager tries sincerely through an exit interview, he might be able to find out the real reasons why X is leaving the organization. To elicit valuable information, the manager must encourage the employee to give a correct picture so as to rectify the mistakes promptly. If the employee is not

providing fearless answers, he may be given a questionnaire to fill up and post the same after getting all his dues cleared from the organization where he is currently employed. 7. Opinion Surveys : Surveys may be conducted periodically to elicit the opinions of employees about the organization and its policies.

ESSENTIAL PRE-REQUISITIES OF A GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE 1. Conformity with statutory provisions : The procedure should be designed in conformity with the existing statutory provisions. Due consideration must be given to the prevailing legislation while designing the grievance handling procedure. 2. Unambiguity : Every aspect of the grievance handling procedure should be clear and unambiguous. All employees should know whom to approach first when they have a grievance, whether the complaint should be written or oral, the maximum time in which the redressal is assured, etc. The redressing official should also know the limits within which he can take the required action. 3. Simplicity : The following points should be noted in this regard: The procedure should be simple enough to be understood. The steps should be as few as possible. Channels for handling grievances should be carefully developed. Employees must know the authorities to be contacted at various levels. Information about the procedure should be thoroughly disseminated among all employees through pictures, charts, diagrams, etc. If the procedure is complicated it may discourage employees and they may fail to make use of it in a proper manner. 4. Promptness : Speedy settlement of a grievance is the cornerstone of a sound personnel policy. It should be remembered that justice delayed is justice denied. The procedure should aim at a rapid disposal of the grievance. This can be achieved by incorporating the following feature in the procedure: As far as possible, grievances should be settled at the lowest level No matter should ordinarily be taken up at two levels, i.e. normally there should be only one appeal. Different types of grievances may be referred to appropriate authorities. Time limit should be placed at each step and it should be rigidly followed at each level. 5. Training : In order to ensure effective working of the grievance procedure, it is necessary that superiors and representatives should be given training in working of the grievance procedure. All the policies should be conveyed to the concerned parties. 6. Follow up : The personnel department should review the working of the grievance procedure periodically and necessary changes should be introduced to make it more effective. This is generally ignored by the organizations. A regular follow up of the system increase the faith of the people in the system. Therefore it is necessary that the grievance procedure should be reviewed whenever it is so required.

STEPS IN THE GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE A. Identify grievances : Employee dissatisfaction or grievance should be identified by the management if they are not expressed. If they are ventilated, management has to promptly acknowledge them. B. Define correctly : The management has to define the problem properly and accurately after it is identified / acknowledged. C. Collect data : Complete information should be collected from all the parties relating to the grievance. Information should be classified as facts, data, opinions etc. D. Analyse and solve : The information should be analysed, alternative solutions to the problems should be developed and the best solution should be selected. E. Prompt redressal : The grievance should be redressed by implementing the solution. F. Implement : Execute the solution G. Follow up : Implementation of the solution must be followed up at every stage in order to ensure effective and speedy implementation.

GUIDELINES FOR HANDLING GRIEVANCES The following guidelines may help a supervisor while dealing with grievances. He need not follow all these steps in every case. It is sufficient to keep these views in mind while handling grievances. 1. Treat every case as important and get the grievance in writing. 2. Talk to the employee directly. Encourage him to speak the truth. Give him a patient hearing. 3. Discuss in a private place. Ensure confidentiality, if necessary. 4. Handle each case within a time frame. 5. Examine company provisions in each case. Identify violations, if any. Do not hold back the remedy if company is wrong. Inform your superior about all grievances. 6. Get all relevant facts about the grievance. 7. Maintain proper records and follow up the action taken in each case 8. Be proactive.