Employers need to have well-written grievance procedures in place that encourage employees to raise their complaints without fear of reprisal.
Further, they need to ensure that, when grievances are raised, they are handled sensitively and effectively.
Fair and efficient handling of complaints and grievances in the workplace can significantly contribute to good employee relations.
The adoption of a formal written policy and procedure will ensure consistency and a co-ordinated approach.
Should things go wrong and a poorly handled grievance lead to an employment tribunal claim of constructive (unfair or wrongful) dismissal, the employer will have a better defence if it can be shown that a comprehensive grievance procedure was in place and was correctly used.
In fact, failure to follow the new statutory grievance procedure may lead to a claim for automatically unfair dismissal.
The overall aim of a grievance procedure is to provide a framework for dealing promptly and fairly with employee complaints.
MY HR Services have extensive experience of dealing with grievances and with the right coaching they can quite often be turned into positive experiences.
