Employee Relations:
Dealing with Employee Grievances
Source: Managing
a Small Business
When discipline is based heavily on
enforcement, complaints will inevitably arise from too rigid adherence to rules or from
excessive penalties for violations. But discipline related problems are not the most
frequent sources of grievances. Dissatisfactions leading to grievances can come from
almost anywhere. Complaints about discrimination and favoritism in work assignments, work
standards, or physical working conditions are frequent sources of grievances. It is
important to remember, though, that anything about which an employee is dissatisfied can
lead to a serious grievance. Grievances need not necessarily be based on real problems;
they can be the result of misunderstandings.
If a positive climate exists, in which there is considerable trust between employees
and manager, dissatisfaction rarely turns into grievances.
Even in the best environment though, the people who work for you will occasionally feel
unhappy about something. They may not get paid on time, or may feel that the room is too
hot, too cold, drafty or too dark. They may feel that they deserve a merit increase, or
you may have hurt their feelings inadvertently. When this happens; good personnel policies
require that employees know how they can express their dissatisfaction and obtain some
consideration.
A written grievance procedure, known to employees, can be very helpful in creating a
positive atmosphere. It informs employees how they can obtain a hearing on their problems
and it assures that you, the owner/manager, become aware that the problem exists. When
employees know that someone will listen to them, grievances are less serious and hearing a
complaint carefully often is half the job of resolving it.
A good grievance procedure begins with the manager making it a point to be actively
looking for signs of possible sources of dissatisfaction, and by noticing changes in
employee behavior which signal that a problem may exist. This often makes it possible to
handle a situation when it is still easy to resolve. Positive and effective grievance
prevention requires, besides the positive discipline steps discussed previously in this
section, a few steps which will assure that the best possible solution to the problem is
found. Such steps could include:
1. Discussion, on a one-to-one basis between the employee and you, or if there is a
supervisor, with him or her. Often misunderstandings are cleared up at this
point and that ends the grievance. If more than a misunderstanding is involved, a
compromise solution can often be found at this point.
There are a number of steps which you, or your supervisor, should follow to assure the
best results from such a discussion:
a. Make sure that the employee is comfortable and that your conversation will not be
disturbed. An atmosphere of concern and trust is necessary and these precautions can help
to start the discussion on a positive note.
b. Listen to the employee attentively and hear him or her out. This will help you more
clearly understand the entire problem, not only the immediate cause of the
dissatisfaction. There is often more than one thing which disturbs an employee and
contributes to the problem.
c. Explain how you see the situation.
d. When all the facts are known, try to come to some mutual understanding or workable
compromise. If that is impossible, suggest that you will think about the situation and
that the employee should do the same thing. Set a specific date when you will let the
employee know what it is that you can, and will do.
e. Follow up on the situation. Make certain that you carry through on all aspects of
your decision. If you promised to review something, or to have something fixed, be sure
that these really happen. Otherwise employees will not feel that you are sincere with them
when you discuss their complaints and dissatisfactions with them.
2. If disagreement continues, employees should be aware that they can bring the
subject up again for further discussion or that they can take it to the owner/manager if
their initial discussion was with a supervisor.
3. Some small businesses use the managers of neighboring businesses to serve as
mediators in such disputes. If that is done, the business owners agree to help each
other in such situations. The "mediator" talks independently to employee and
owner and thus brings an impartial point of view to the situation. A competent mediator
can make both sides see the situation clearer, and it is therefore more likely that a
mutually satisfactory solution can be found.
If a mediator is used, his or her role should be clarified; that function is to explore
and seek various possible solutions that might be acceptable to both sides, not to suggest
specific solutions.
This guide has presented ways to implement a grievance procedure in a small business.
There are several positive results of a good grievance procedure:
1. Providing relief for any negative feelings of employees, before these feelings are
released in non-constructive ways - being late, not reporting for work, etc.
2. Restoring employee morale by clearing misunderstandings and improving working
conditions.
3. Notifying management of any dissatisfactions at an early stage. |
