How to Handle Employee Grievances?

Employee grievances are an inevitable part of any workplace and how you handle them can make all the difference in creating a positive work environment and maintaining a healthy and productive team.

So, Hello everyone welcome to jobkariye.com, we know, this is not the most glamorous topic, "Employee Grievance". Just reading these two words might evoke a term in your mind that show a complaint, HR meetings or some uncomfortable conversations in closed door rooms, But let me tell you a thing:

Employee grievances are not just "HR issues" which need to be solved, but they are the signs, the signals that something is not sitting right, that somewhere, somehow and someone in your team feeling ignored or unheard and even disrespected.

And if we really care about our team (which we really do of-course) Then we need to know on how to fix this situation with care and not with only policies.

So let's talk about how to handle employee grievances, not like HRs and management team only but like a human dealing with another human.

So, let's just get into it.

1. Let's Rethink The Whole Concept

We often think of grievances as Problems but what if we flip the script?

Let's think this way, that consider every grievance as an opportunity, a chance to improve your communication, work, lead or just treating each other better.

Most grievances occurs from some kind of Miscommunication, Workplace tensions and sometimes, a person going through the rough time who needs to be seen and heard. These are basic human moments which needs a real attention.

2. Listen First, With all your ears

When someone comes up with a problem, it might be normal, literally small and big may be, but our first instinct might be to explain, defend or fix, but what they really wants is someone listens patiently and attentively without throwing a bucket full of maturity and understanding sort off knowledge.

Try listening, let them speak all the matter fully, Without interruption and encourage them by saying stuffs like,

  • "thanks for being honest"

  • "i appreciate your courage"

  • "i hear you, i feel you, let's work on it together."

3. Emotions comes First, then Facts

We are human, then employees, so feel before think.

If someone feel hurt or sidelined, stop jumping directly on the rules and policies let's take a moment and try to understand what was the reason behind this that incident or conflict?

Just seeing and figuring out things on what happened and instantly jumping on conclusion only makes things worse.

You can choose some better and empathetic words like,

  • "I get you that why you feeling this way, let's figure it out together"

The thing is here that you are not resolving their issue this way but you building a strong trust with that person by showing them that their feelings matter.

4. Investigate Honestly not just Formally

Now this doesn't mean a full blown investigation every single time someone feels off, but it does mean handling them seriously.

  • Ask questions according to the issue

  • Be neutral

  • Get the fact but not forget the context

  • Keep it confidential and respectful

And please, follow up cause people wanna know that they were not just heard but someone literally did something about it.

5. Preventing Grievances Before They Happen

Here is a secret about a lot companies that most the grievances can be avoided completely by building a workplace where people feel safe, heard and open to speak up before things explode.

See how you can create a culture like this:

  • By encouraging open conversation

  • By providing some of trainings that develops in managers the skills to notice when something or someone is off

  • By rewarding honesty, not just result

Conclusion

Look at the end of the day we all are humans, and so all have some good or bad days, and we all wants to be treated respected, supported and understood.

So grievances is not fully about rules and regulations but it's also about showing up for your staff as a supportive being.

Thus, the next time if somebody raises a concern, pause, listen, then take appropriate action with empathy.

jobkariye.com gives you sufficient and best of their knowledge to make you aware on the topics, that most of the people skips thinking it's not worth it, but trust me it is significant, especially if you are going to join the field of management or Human Resource!

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