Understanding Employee Grievance

Employee dissatisfaction with the company and its management is referred to as employee grievance. A company or employer is required to provide a safe working environment, a clear understanding of job responsibilities, adequate compensation and respect for its employees.

Employee complaints may not always be reasonable. They must, however, be effectively addressed by the leadership team because they impact not just the employee’s productivity and commitment but also the workplace culture. If it is not checked, employee issues might develop into major internal conflicts. Other employees’ motivation may be affected as well. So, employee grievances must be properly addressed in any firm.

Employee grievances must be handled in a structured and well-defined manner. A structure established in policy should be effectively established in every company. This is because if employee empowerment is raised or someone reports a problem with a policy or something they are displeased with or needs to criticise, the policy can be referenced and relative measures can be taken. 

Types of employee grievances

These are some of the most prevalent employee complaints.

• Pay and benefits
• Bullying
• Workplace circumstances
• Workload

Pay and benefits

As an employer, employee dissatisfaction with compensation must not be new to you.

1. Your employee could say:
2. They desire a better wage.
3. They assume they are being paid less than others doing the same job.
4. They could be attempting to claim reimbursement for expenses such as their commute.

Make sure you have a pay and benefits policy in place that explains how often you’ll perform salary and benefits reviews with your employees and that any documents they receive follow this policy.

Bullying

It’s unavoidable that certain employees at your company will clash. This should not be an excuse for abuse or harassment in the workplace. A zero-tolerance policy is required. Make sure everyone is aware of your anti-harassment and anti-bullying policies, and send any updates or adjustments via email. If a complaint of bullying or harassment is lodged, these policies should spell out the legal measures you’ll take.

Workplace circumstances

Nobody wants to lose a valuable employee due to issues with their working environment. 

1. Consider cleanliness in the workplace or the kitchen
2. Desk etiquette
3. Bathroom situation
4. Hazards to one’s health and safety
5. The workplace’s temperature

Frequently do occupational risk assessments to identify any possible dangers, such as a breach. Have a first-aid officer on hand, as well as a first-aid kit and fire exit signage. Install fire extinguishers in your workplace. Other obvious requirements include garbage cans near seats and around obvious places such as a kitchen or cafeteria. Toilet paper and hand soap/sanitiser should not be forgotten.

Workload

There is frequently a correlation between employee complaints about their high workload and pay and benefits concerns. Employee problems are very common in the following situations:

You are increasing your employee’s workload rather than hiring a replacement when another employee leaves.

You are increasing an employee’s burden because you’ve laid off other employees to save money.

If you increase an employee’s workload, be ready for them to question, “What’s in it for me?” And asking your employee to complete extra work without improved salary or perks, much alone an official promotion, upsets them.

They will come to resent you and believe you are using them. They’ll do less work as a result. They might also start looking for new employment. If they feel they have no choice but to resign, they may have a case for constructive dismissal in this situation.

Employee grievance policy

An employee can submit a grievance with their employer if they believe they have been harmed, whether it be due to an unfair salary, an uncomfortable task, or personal harassment. This is a legal complaint procedure that the investigation must follow in most cases.

Procedures and rules differ from company to company. Often, grievance procedures are laid out in contracts, and therefore they must be followed. Companies must consider all issues in theory, but some employees do not care enough to register a formal complaint, or sometimes Human Resources (a supervisor or a grievance committee) overlooks informal complaints. 

A complaint, on the other hand, establishes the existence of a problem. If the employer decides to address the problem, the individual can generally pursue charges using the documentation.

Managing Employee Grievances Effectively

• Have a casual chat with the employee: Have a brief good chat to determine the source of the problem. 
• Making people feel heard is important: If the employee persists in filing a formal grievance, you can request a written statement and take appropriate action.
• Create a system for dealing with complaints: Make clear to the employees that they can address their concerns and troubles they are going through. Establish a grievance policy that is available to all employees. Inform them of their point of contact and guarantee them confidentiality. Most essentially, set a deadline for responding to the complaints.
• Recognise the problem: The most important thing is to make someone feel that somebody is there to listen to their problems. Although the remedy may not be practical, it is vital to inform them that the problem will be resolved in a fair, transparent, and timely manner.
• Investigation of complaints: To handle the employee’s complaints, form an investigating committee. Inquire about the situation, if required, speak with other employees, and allow them time to offer evidence for their accusations.
• Make an educated choice: After completing research and accumulating information, make an informed decision.
• Provide a general guideline: Create a general guideline and guidance on how the employee should manage such situations in the future.
• Allow for appeal: If an employee is unhappy with the decision, they should be allowed to appeal. Recognise the appeal and include those not involved in the original judgement. Give them the evidence so they can make an informed decision.
• Take care of the source of the problem: Employers must ensure that the problems do not recur. As a result, you need to determine the root cause and eliminate it.

Conclusion

Employee grievance refers to a formal complaint made by an employee against a coworker, management, or even the company. Employees typically file complaints about workplace harassment, discrimination, nepotism, team management issues, and employment terms. It is not always necessary to file a written complaint. Employees can make mistakes.

Employers must manage grievances with prudence and justice since it demonstrates that you are listening to their problems, following a transparent method, and taking the required steps to resolve them. Failure to do so will result in low staff morale, a high turnover rate, and, in certain cases, legal implications.