How to Handle Employee Grievances: A Simple, Easy to Use Guide

One of the various responsibilities that fall under the remit of the HR department is finding solutions to problems that arise between the business and its employees.

There are many reasons why members of your workforce could have grievances with the company, from dissatisfaction over pay and benefits to unhappiness about heavy workloads.

The HR team should be ready with a strategy to manage these situations when they arise and to work towards solutions that are acceptable to the employee and the organization alike.

Common reasons for employee grievances

Knowing some of the most common reasons why employees have issues with their employers will help you come up with effective responses and solutions that can be applied in a range of scenarios.

Pay and benefits

Money isn't the only thing that matters to employees, but it's certainly a very important factor in how happy and secure people feel in their jobs and whether they feel appreciated by their employer.

If your pay and benefits packages start to fall below employee expectations, or are inconsistent with what similar businesses and competitors are offering, it won't be long before you start to receive questions about the fairness of the company's remuneration policy.

Workplace relationship issues

Every workforce is made up of human beings who spend a lot of time in each other's company, so occasional disagreements and disputes are to be expected. But when these issues escalate to the point where people's emotional wellbeing and ability to do their job is affected, the HR department must step in and take charge of the situation.

You should be particularly ready to act when employees come to you with concerns about serious risks that could require disciplinary action, such as bullying, harassment and workplace violence.

Workload

A heavy workload is one of the most common causes of employee burnout and is something every employer should be keen to avoid.

If you notice a trend of people saying they're being overworked and their mental or physical health is suffering as a result, make sure you're giving this feedback the attention it deserves and collecting the data you need to find a solution.

Health and safety

Every employer has a duty of care toward its employees that includes providing a safe working environment. Anyone who feels their health and safety is at risk in the workplace should be able to raise the issue with the company and get information about what actions will be taken in response.

This is more important than ever in the post-COVID world, with the pandemic compelling many organizations to place a fresh focus on health and safety.

Unfair treatment and discrimination

Everyone deserves to be treated fairly and equally in the workplace, and the HR department should be ready to respond to complaints or employee feedback that suggest this isn't the case.

There are many reasons why a staff member might feel they’ve been unfairly treated, from being overlooked for promotion to missing out on career opportunities because of their gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation.

5 steps to resolve employee grievances

Rather than waiting for employee grievances to occur and simply responding to them, be proactive and develop a strategy to manage these situations as efficiently as possible. Make sure your procedure is confidential, consistent and clearly detailed in your company policies and employee handbook, so every worker knows what they should do if they have an issue to raise.

1. Listen and acknowledge

It's crucial to listen carefully to every grievance and to make it clear to the employee that you value and care about their opinion.

One method that can prove useful in this regard is to let the individual talk before repeating what they’ve said back to them. This shows that you were genuinely listening and you understand their point of view.

2. Investigate

Some grievances will be completely valid and justified, while others might not give an accurate representation of a particular situation, or could be driven by ulterior motives. That's why it's important to conduct an impartial investigation and to collect as much information as you can about the issue in question.

This might involve speaking to other members of staff and getting outside opinions to draw fair, balanced conclusions. Formal meetings could also be required to collect evidence and compile an official record of what all relevant parties have to say.

3. Announce your decision and next steps

Once you’ve consulted with everyone involved in the situation and considered all available evidence, you can share your conclusions and announce what you’ll do next.

Some cases will warrant no further action, while others could lead to major changes in organizational culture or policy. Either way, it's crucial to explain the rationale behind your decision and the steps that led to it.

4. Provide the right to appeal

Employees who aren't happy with your conclusions should have the right to appeal and should be given information about how the process works. This might require them to write a letter explaining why they believe the decision should be reconsidered.

If the appeal goes ahead, the employee should have the chance to provide new evidence and to present their grievance to a manager or supervisor who wasn't involved the first time around.

5. Look for underlying reasons for grievances

Rather than viewing each grievance in isolation, look for common reasons why people are raising complaints and consider what you could do to address these underlying issues.

This will help you find long-term solutions to persistent problems, which is the best possible outcome for employees and the organization as a whole.