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In the dynamic landscape of today’s workplace, ensuring a harmonious and productive environment is a top priority for business leaders across all sectors. Despite best efforts to cultivate positive working conditions, employee grievance is inevitable.
From minor complaints to formal allegations of discrimination, understanding how to effectively address these issues is crucial for maintaining a healthy workplace culture. This blog post explores common types of employee grievance, outlines proactive steps for resolution and underscores the pivotal role of professional HR support in navigating these challenges.
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An employee grievance refers to any real or perceived problem an individual experiences in the workplace. They may result from an expressed concern that wasn’t addressed, becoming a more formal version of a complaint. Grievances can encompass numerous issues and may involve one or a group of employees. Among the most common examples of grievances in the workplace are the following:
In the workplace, discrimination occurs when an employee feels unfairly or unequally treated based on age, gender, race, disability, religion or other protected characteristics. Discrimination can be intentional or unintentional. Either way, it’s harmful and can prompt a complaint.
Employees don’t have to fall into a protected category to feel unfairly treated – for example, employees may express discontent if they believe a peer gets promotions or preferred assignments because a manager likes that person better.
Grievances over pay and benefits can occur for a number of reasons. Coworkers may have discussed their salaries, for example, leaving one feeling underpaid in comparison to the other. Part-time employees might file grievances because their benefits are less robust than what full-time employees receive. Some employees may simply feel underpaid compared to others in the industry with similar titles or responsibilities.
Instances of unwelcome behavior, such as verbal abuse, bullying or other offensive comments, create a hostile work environment and are likely to invite employee grievances.
Cleanliness, messy coworker spaces, temperature issues, safety concerns or inadequate tools required to perform the required work are all examples of potential workplace condition grievances. Complaints also can arise if workers believe the company is violating Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations.
Having too much work is a common workplace grievance. This can result from adding work to team members rather than hiring new staff or dispersing departed employees’ work among remaining team members after a reduction in force.
Grievances may arise if employees disagree with company leaders about policies, procedures or decisions.
Most company leaders would agree that some of the grievances employees raise are unjustified. However, each one must be handled seriously. Listening to how employees feel, giving a valid hearing to every grievance and working to resolve the employee’s concern – whether accurate or not – is important to your company’s culture.
Failing to take appropriate steps can be severely detrimental and could even mean that a legitimate, impactful organizational problem goes unnoticed. While dealing with grievances can disrupt the workplace, it also provides an opportunity to hear employees out and address the real concerns that could otherwise limit their productivity.
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While occasional discontent in the workplace may be inevitable, business leaders can plan ahead and establish a process for handling employee complaints and grievances. In some cases, the mere fact that a grievance procedure exists may prevent minor complaints or disagreements from escalating into more serious actions. One of the first steps is to develop and make employees aware of the company’s process, ensuring all workers are aware of the appropriate steps to take should they have a workplace grievance.
As an example, a reliable employee grievance process will include:
A key first step to resolve an employee grievance is to have an informal conversation with the employee. Often, stating the complaint and having it heard by leadership is a positive first course of action and can resolve the issue. This conversation will typically take place between the employee sharing the grievance and his or her direct supervisor. A constructive, cordial conversation may be all that is required to solve the problem.
As grievances arise, it is important to document them, even if they get resolved with an informal conversation. Through documentation and a centralized assessment of issues throughout the organization, a company can identify trends and key workplace issues that may need to be addressed across the enterprise.
Evaluate the details to determine the next steps. Depending on the nature of the complaint, it may still be possible at this stage to find a simple solution that addresses the employee’s concern.
If the grievance filed is of a very serious nature – a claim of sexual harassment or bullying, for example – identify a third-party professional resource like Axcet HR Solutions that can help you carry out an effective investigation.
An early part of Axcet’s investigation process will be to try to get a written statement from the person who is lodging the grievance. Getting the employee to formally communicate the grievance in writing eliminates he-said-she-said misunderstandings about what the employee has experienced and is asking the company to do in response.
A thorough and appropriate investigation will not only provide insight into how to respond to the grievance but also can help protect your company if the affected employee decides to file a claim with state or federal officials.
In some situations, it can be effective to bring involved parties together to mediate the issue. Usually, a trained, neutral third party will be the most effective facilitator to drive the discussion toward a mutual agreement.
If mediation is not an option, it may be necessary for a business leader to decide the employee grievance. In most cases, that decision should be vetted with an HR professional and perhaps also with an employment law attorney. When the decision is communicated, leadership should be as transparent as possible and provide reasoning for how the outcome was determined.
Continue to monitor the situation to ensure the grievance has been sufficiently addressed. Ongoing monitoring, along with documenting all company complaints, can help your organization identify trends and address issues before they turn into grievances.
While employee grievances may not be completely avoidable, employers can and should double-check their usual practices to reduce the potential for complaints to be lodged. For example:
An employee grievance, while challenging, offers an opportunity for growth and improvement. By understanding the common grievances and implementing a robust process for addressing them, businesses can foster a positive and productive work environment. However, navigating the complexities of employee relations requires expertise.
Axcet HR Solutions, a certified PEO based in Kansas City, stands ready to provide the HR and employee relations expertise necessary to manage workplace grievances effectively. From developing grievance processes to conducting investigations, our team offers the support business leaders need to resolve issues efficiently and maintain a harmonious workplace.
Take the first step towards a healthier workplace culture. Schedule a consultation with Axcet HR Solutions today and leverage our expertise to enhance your HR practices.
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