Results-Driven Strategies to Handle Employee Complaints and Grievances

Employee complaints and grievances are inevitable in any workplace. No matter how hard you try to satisfy your employees, there will always be those who feel wronged somehow. As a manager or employer, it’s vital to take the time to listen to employee grievances and address them quickly and effectively.

If left alone, complaints and grievances may affect employees, management, and the entire organization in the long run. For instance, it may impact production by lowering productivity and increasing the wastage of materials. But it may also affect employees by increasing the rate of absenteeism and turnover. As well, the management may be affected by a reduced sense of loyalty and trust.

Fortunately, there are several strategies you can use to handle employee complaints and grievances. But first, let’s understand the difference between complaints and grievances and unmask their causes.

Complaints vs. Grievances: What’s the Difference?

Employee complaints are generally less serious than grievances and involve issues such as dissatisfaction with a supervisor or co-worker. Such complaints may be addressed informally in the workplace by discussing the matter with the parties involved.

Conversely, grievances involve more serious matters such as salary disputes, unfair treatment, discrimination, or safety concerns. These require formal resolution procedures and can usually only be addressed through a grievance procedure.

Causes of Complaints and Grievances 

Employees may lodge complaints or grievances when they feel their rights are violated, or their work isn’t appreciated. A few common causes include:

• Employee Relations: It’s not uncommon for employees to feel their rights are violated due to unfair treatment or discrimination from their colleagues. For instance, some employees may be subjected to bullying, harassment, or favoritism.
• Management Issues: Sometimes, it’s not the employees who are at fault but the management. This is especially true when employers fail to provide clear directions and guidelines for employees or do not recognize their hard work or achievements.
• Job Security: When there is a lack of job security, employees may lodge grievances as they feel their jobs are not secure. This can lead to a decrease in morale and productivity.
• Workplace Environment: Employees may feel the workplace is too stressful or toxic. They may also be unhappy with their working conditions, such as inadequate safety measures, long hours, and lack of benefits.
• Unclear Policies and Procedures: Some complaints stem from unclear policies and procedures. Employees who don’t understand the rules and regulations may feel their rights are being violated or not respected.
• Organizational Change: Employees may lodge complaints and grievances when a company experiences significant changes, such as a reorganization or downsizing. These employees may feel their job security is threatened or being treated unfairly.
• Miscellaneous: Finally, there may be other complaints that are unrelated to any of the above. These may include complaints about workload, disciplinary rules, fines, inadequate resources, etc.

Strategies for Handling Complaints and Grievances

Now that you understand the difference between complaints and grievances and their causes, let’s look at some strategies for addressing them in the workplace:

1. Listen and Acknowledge 

The first step to handling employee complaints or grievances is to listen and acknowledge the problem. Even if you can’t do anything about it, showing your employees their concerns are taken seriously is essential.

Here are a few practical tips to show employees that you’ve listened and taken their complaints seriously:

• Allow them to share their grievances without interruption.
• Maintain eye contact and provide non-verbal cues such as nodding or smiling to show you are listening.
• Acknowledge the problem with a statement like, “I understand why this could be a problem for you.”

2. Investigate and Follow-up 

Once you’ve listened and acknowledged the problem, it’s essential to investigate and follow up. This means looking into the matter further and taking measures to address it.

Here are a few tips to help you with your investigations:

• Gather evidence before making any decisions. This could include interviewing witnesses, reviewing documents, or conducting surveys.
• Ensure you clearly understand the issue by asking the employee questions.
• Make sure to document your investigation and all findings. This will help you take appropriate action if necessary.

3. Examine the Causes of the Complaints or Grievances

Before acting, you want to uncover the actual cause of the employee complaint or grievance. That way, you can address the root issue and prevent similar problems from occurring.

There are several strategies you can use to find out why an employee is lodging a complaint or grievance:

• Ask questions: Try to understand why the employee feels dissatisfied or frustrated. Ask open-ended questions to get a better understanding of their feelings and situation.
• Conduct surveys: Survey employees for their opinions on working conditions, safety measures, and other company policies.

4. Take corrective action 

Once you’ve identified the cause of a complaint or grievance, it’s time to take corrective action. Ensure to adhere to company policies and the legal framework as you decide on the appropriate corrective action.

To ensure the complaint is properly addressed, you should:

• Discuss the issue with the employee to come up with a solution. If necessary, involve other stakeholders such as supervisors or managers.
• Act promptly. The sooner you address a complaint, the better your chances of resolving it without further disruption.
• Ensure all relevant parties are notified of the corrective action taken.
• Keep track of changes and communicate with employees.
• Finally, it’s important to keep track of the changes you make and ensure they are communicated to all relevant stakeholders. This will help you monitor the progress and efficiency of your strategies for handling employee complaints and grievances.
• You should also check in with employees periodically to ensure their needs are being met. This could include sending surveys, asking for feedback, and maintaining open communication channels.

Bonus: Invest in the Right Employee Management Technology

Investing in the right employee management system helps you handle complaints and grievances efficiently. Below are a few excellent choices:

• HR software. Good HR software will provide a comprehensive view of your workforce, enabling you to quickly identify issues and take corrective action. This includes features such as performance tracking, grievance reporting, and dispute resolution tools. It can also help automate mundane tasks such as payroll processing and leave management, freeing up more time for you to focus on addressing employee complaints.
• Time tracking and productivity software. If your workforce predominantly complains about working hours, it’s time to invest in top-quality time tracking software. This software records the hours an employee works and tracks their attendance. It also provides insights into how well employees meet deadlines and goals, which could help you identify any underlying issues causing them to feel dissatisfied.
• Analytics software. Analytics software gives you a comprehensive overview of your workforce’s performance and data-driven insights into their well-being. This can help you identify any areas of concern and take quick action to address them.

Final Remarks

By understanding the root cause of employee complaints and grievances, taking corrective action promptly, tracking changes, and investing in the right technology, you can effectively handle employee complaints and grievances. Doing so will help create a healthy work environment that benefits employees and employers.

Our time tracking software, Time Tracker by eBillity, is designed to help you manage your employee’s hours and attendance. With our comprehensive reporting and analytics, you can quickly gain insight into their performance and take corrective action. Sign up for a free trial or contact us today for more information!