How to avoid grievances in the workplace

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Tim discusses how to effectively solve grievances between colleagues.

By Tim Frear

Grievances can be a headache, time consuming and costly with investigations and subsequent disciplinaries costing businesses time, money and resources. On the flip side grievances can be a great way of understanding where breakdowns have happened and ultimately how you fix and make your organisation a better place to work.

Is there any way of preventing grievances?

Yes there is! Effective communication is key to resolving grievances in the workplace. If there are clearly defined boundaries that are aligned with your company vision and values, detailed in your handbook and lived within the workplace, you are in a better place to avoid grievances.

Building and maintaining a culture of open communication should bring any informal issues to light before they become formal grievances. 1-2-1s and effective appraisals should encourage openness and frank discussions; this allows employees to be open and honest with their leadership team. When the informal issues have arisen, they should be dealt with effectively and in a timely manner, giving feedback to the employee that allows them to move forward in their working environment.

Soliciting feedback is essential, however you need to ensure everyone has the same message about what is acceptable in your workplace. Make sure you talk to your team in your meetings about business ethics, team communication and what your expectations are – you want to keep it fresh, up to date and relevant to ensure all employees are on the same page.

When did you last review your handbook or policies? If you need help and advice on grievances or aligning your business priorities with the needs of your employees, just give us a call on 0113 287 8150.