What is a grievance?

A grievance is a formal employee complaint that’s filed when an employee or group of employees is negatively affected by violations of workplace policies or contract terms. In unionized workplaces, grievances are typically filed when the terms of the collective bargaining agreement aren’t being met. In nonunionized workplaces, employee grievances are often filed when a written company policy has been misinterpreted or misapplied.

Your grievance procedure is the formal process for handling these complaints. It outlines how an employee should raise a complaint and what steps your company will take to resolve the issue. This typically involves an investigation, decision and consequences, as well as an appeal process.

Types of employee grievances

Some of the most common types of grievance procedures include:

• Individual grievances: This happens when a single employee is experiencing a problem in the workplace. This could include issues involving pay and benefits, excessive workload, workplace favoritism, bullying or workplace discrimination, lack of a transparent promotion process, etc.
• Group grievances: When a group of employees has similar complaints and experiences within the workplace, they can file a group grievance. Examples include grievances related to the gender pay gap, employee schedules, organizational changes, etc.
• Union grievances: Unions file a grievance when they believe workers’ rights aren’t being protected. For example, a union might file a grievance if management didn’t properly deduct union dues.

Benefits of grievance procedures

A formal grievance procedure lets employees challenge management’s decisions, voice their opinions and concerns and resolve conflict quickly, fairly and effectively through conflict management. It can also help foster trust since having a written grievance procedure encourages employees to raise concerns without fear of workplace retaliation.

Grievance procedures can also:

• Prevent minor complaints or disagreements from becoming more serious
• Encourage you to develop company policies and employment contracts that are specific
• Help foster a company culture of transparency, openness and trust
• Make employees feel heard and valued
• Help prevent and address bias, discrimination and harassment
• Give employees a tool to resolve their problems
• Help avoid litigation
• Alert you to problems within your organization

Drawbacks of grievance procedures

As much as a formal procedure helps, it can have some negatives as well.

Potential disadvantages include:

• Employees not wanting to deal with the process and letting little issues go
• Extra paperwork and procedures for HR and managers
• Extended timeline for resolving issues, especially relatively minor ones
• Employees filing grievances for situations that aren’t true grievances
• Employees leave if they don’t feel the grievance was handled well

Creating a workplace grievance policy

You should document your grievance procedures in a formal workplace policy to ensure consistency. Think through the process to establish expectations and effective procedures. For instance, you might require employees to file formal grievances within a certain time period after the event occurred.

Include the following details in your grievance policy:

• Overview of the grievance procedure
• What qualifies as a grievance
• The time frame for reporting the grievance
• The steps in the grievance process
• Points of contact for reporting grievances or checking on the process
• How the situation escalates if it’s not resolved quickly
• Appeal options and processes

5 employee grievance process steps

How a business handles grievances varies from company to company—especially under different collective bargaining agreements and workplace policies. However, companies often follow similar general processes for addressing grievances in the workplace.

1. Informal meeting with supervisor

Before filing a grievance, encourage employees to talk with their managers. Often, having an informal chat with a supervisor can resolve a complaint. Establishing an organizational structure with a clear chain of command helps employees know how to address their issues.

For example, if an employee feels they deserve a promotion but haven’t received one, a manager may explain why they haven’t been promoted and the steps they can take to receive a promotion.

Related: Training on Conflict Resolution: Upcoming Trends

2. Formal grievance in writing

An employee can raise a grievance verbally or in writing, though the preferred method is often through writing. Consider creating a grievance form. You can also have employees send an email with details about the grievance.

If an employee approaches you about a grievance, formally document their complaint and keep a record of actions taken. This shows the employee that you’re taking their grievances seriously.

3. Evaluate the grievance

At this stage, you may choose to loop in your human resources department. For unionized workplaces, this is typically where union representatives get involved on behalf of the employee.

Evaluate the details of the grievance to determine your next steps. Perhaps it’s a simple fix that can be resolved immediately. If an employee receives an inaccurate paycheck, the grievance can potentially be resolved within minutes. However, if the grievance is more complicated and involves other staff members, the next step is typically a formal investigation.

4. Conduct a formal investigation

To conduct a formal investigation, you may need to interview the employee who filed the grievance and anyone else involved. Collect evidence to help with a resolution (e.g., email chains, witness testimony, receipts). You may also appoint an independent investigator to keep the process fair and unbiased.

5. Resolution

When you reach a resolution, write a formal conclusion based on the findings. Let the employee know your decision and what action you’ll take. If necessary, a mediator may be called in to help resolve the dispute. If you offer employees the right to appeal, include this in your grievance process policy.

Grievance procedure best practices for managers

Here are some helpful approaches to take regarding grievances.

Provide an employee handbook

Give all employees a copy of the employee handbook. Require all employees to sign a document stating they’ve received and read the handbook.

This helps in situations where an employee claims they don’t know the company rules or standards, and it gives them the opportunity to refer to the handbook any time they need clarification on company rules.

Conduct meetings with employees

The most important thing you can do to prevent employees from filing grievances is to build a positive and professional relationship with them. Many grievances are filed after a pattern of consistent negative experiences or behaviors. If you’re meeting with employees weekly, monthly or even once per quarter, you can learn of potential grievances sooner, allowing you to address any issues.

Hold all employees to the same standards

Standardizing your expectations makes disciplinary procedures simple and fair. Employees will feel like they’re on the same level as their peers, reducing the chances of an employee filing a grievance based on manager favoritism.

Document employee performance, infractions and grievances

As a manager or supervisor, keep track of the performance, infractions and grievances of your employees. This lets you visualize the issues that may be occurring in your department and predict them before they reach an extreme point.

For example, if an employee has been reported for harassing a coworker, implement a behavioral plan and track their progress. In this situation, it would also be beneficial to follow up with the employee who was harassed and provide them with support.

Offer frequent workplace training

While your employees may be skilled at their jobs, many factors contribute to a successful, well-functioning workplace. Scheduling consistent workplace training to teach employees how to interact positively or build stronger relationships with one another can benefit entire departments. It may help to schedule training that relates to your employees’ work responsibilities, which allows them to stay confident in their skills and may promote growth in their roles.

When employees feel a connection to their supervisors and peers, the morale of the department increases and dissatisfaction among coworkers decreases.

Related: How to Manage Employees

FAQs about grievance procedures

Why is a grievance procedure necessary?

A grievance procedure may be necessary because it explains an employee’s rights and allows them to express their workplace concerns with their manager. Grievance procedures give all employees the opportunity to maintain a safe, happy, collaborative workplace.

How long does the grievance process take?

There isn’t a set length of time a grievance procedure should take. Complex situations that require extensive investigation or mediation could take months. If the employee files an appeal, this extends the process. Initiate the grievance procedure as soon as an employee files a complaint to get things moving quickly.

Where do employees file grievances?

Grievances are usually filed with an employee’s immediate supervisor. If the issue pertains to the relationship or interactions between an employee and their immediate supervisor, the employee may file a grievance with another supervisor at the company. Offering this alternative process in your grievance procedures can help employees feel safe voicing their opinions.

Can a grievance lead to disciplinary action?

A grievance may lead to disciplinary action when an employee files a grievance against another co-worker or employee at the company. If that coworker continues to act in an undesirable or unethical manner, it may be necessary to provide them with a warning, suspension or termination in accordance with your business disciplinary action policy.