Expert Workplace Grievances Advice
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What is a grievance at work?
A grievance at work is where an issue, concern or problem is raised by an employee with their employer. It can refer to any situation that an employee is unhappy with at work, and which they have made known to their employer by way of an informal or formal complaint..
How to handle grievances at work?
Workplace grievances can manifest in various forms, ranging from interpersonal conflicts to concerns about unfair treatment and violations of employment contracts.
While there is no specific UK law that mandates organisations to have a formal grievance policy in place, Acas strongly recommends that employers have a grievance procedure as good practice and an effective way for employers to manage workplace disputes and conflicts.
All employers must have a written grievance procedure in place which complies with certain minimum standards of fairness, as set out in the Acas Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures. This includes the way in which an employee should raise their grievance, as well as the way in which their grievance will be handled.
These grievances can be broadly categorised into two types: informal grievances and formal grievances.
Informal grievances often arise from day-to-day interactions within the workplace. They may involve minor disputes, misunderstandings, or interpersonal conflicts that can be addressed through open communication between employees and their immediate senior manager.
When informal channels prove ineffective or when the nature of the employee’s grievance is more serious for example it involves sexual harassment or unwanted conduct, your employee may choose to escalate the matter and raise a formal grievance.
What are the reasons that an employee would file a grievance at work?
The top three reasons for employee to raise grievances to the employer are for issues involving bullying or harassment, relationships with managers and relationships with colleagues. However, 37% of respondents reported pay and grading as the main cause of grievances.
Aside from these, there are further reasons why employees may raise grievances to their employer’s:
- Discrimination
- Issues with the Terms and Conditions of their contract
- Unrealistic workload/expectations
- Health and safety breaches
- Failure to follow procedures
How long does an employer have to respond to a grievance?
Employers should however deal with grievances within a “reasonable” timeframe, and the Acas Code of Practice suggests that when a grievance is raised, a meeting should ideally be convened within 5 working days to discuss the issues raised.