A lot of workplace disputes come down to communication. Both sides have deep rooted feelings and communication often gets in the way.
I’ve recently dealt with a number of grievances for businesses who have in-house HR already, however, they will often outsource it to an external HR consultancy so that the outcome can be completely independent. It also helps to have a fresh pair of eyes to look at where things could have been improved and also to provide suggestions as to how things can be bettered in the future.
One key thing that I’ve found in all of the grievances that I have dealt with recently is that communication seems to have fallen down. Both the employer and the employee seem very set in their own views and cannot see the other side’s point of view. This makes it difficult to move forward and can really make the relationship between employer and employee very strained.
I’ve also found that timing can be a key factor in workplace disputes. If someone’s dispute is dealt with quickly, then this is more likely to get both sides feeling like they have had their position heard, whereas if investigations or responses to disputes take several days or weeks, then this can leave the employee feeling that they are isolated and not listened to.
My suggestions for combatting work disputes are as follows:-
- Have clear policies in terms of a grievance process so that employees know if they have a grievance, what they need to do;
- Communicate with your member of staff and set clear timelines for when responses will be given;
- Openly encourage conversations with staff such as forums, suggestion boxes or a suggestion e-mail inbox;
- Consider an employee engagement survey so that you can get a baseline as to how your staff are feeling;
- Consider an employee engagement programme (EAP). This can be really useful when employees are feeling frustrated as they have an independent and confidential service that they can use to obtain further support.
Does any of the above sound familiar? If so, then please drop us a line and let’s arrange a coffee (even if it’s a virtual one!)
