How should I deal with a workplace dispute, when one of my employees has made a complaint?

 

Whilst an employer is able to deal with an employee's verbal complaints on an informal basis, if the employee raises a complaint in writing, you have set legal obligations that you must follow.

 

As an employer you are required by law to initiate a set Grievance Procedure to deal with any complaint, no matter how trivial you may think that complaint may be.  The set procedure requires you to hold a formal meeting with the employee to discuss the complaint; to investigate the complaint thoroughly and provide the employee with an outcome; and to provide the employee with an opportunity to appeal the outcome and attend a further appeal meeting.  The Grievance Procedure can be extremely time consuming and disrupt the day to day running of a business.  In addition, if you fail to follow the requirements of the Grievance Procedure you risk a disgruntled employee submitting a claim in an Employment Tribunal.

 

All of this makes it important that you identify potential complaints at an early stage and take steps to resolve them as soon as possible before they are allowed to become formal.  This will mean that you have a far happier workforce and will allow you to concentrate on making your business as successful as possible! 

 

Contacts:

 

Luke Rees