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Clear and effective communication is key to success at work. Clear communication also plays a crucial role in addressing and resolving concerns raised during grievance procedures. When information is communicated clearly and properly, the chances of a miscommunication happening are reduced and reaching an effective resolution becomes more likely.
Essentially, a grievance happens when an employee raises an official complaint with their line manager or employer. All grievance proceedings should be fair, transparent and constructive. They should follow a consistent framework which should include investigation and meetings that move the process towards a clear objective. A grievance has only been dealt with once there is a conclusive (and agreed upon) outcome.
An employee may decide to raise a grievance for a number of different reasons. Common causes for employees to feel unhappy at work include perceived unfairness around pay or promotion, unsatisfactory working conditions or poor treatment by others (including bullying and harassment). If these problems cannot be resolved with an informal chat, an employee may raise a formal grievance about their issue and will expect their employer or HR manager to respond in line with their company’s grievance procedure.
In a situation where a grievance has been raised, emotions can be heightened and tensions increased. During these times it is important to remain objective, to keep focused on a resolution and to communicate clearly with everyone involved.
When communication is clear and simple, everyone is aware of what is happening during the grievance procedure and will understand what is expected of them and what will happen next. If communication is unclear or inconsistent it can make employees feel anxious, or make it appear that their grievance is not being taken seriously or dealt with effectively.
Importance of Clear Communication
Clear communication in the workplace is important because it can reduce misunderstandings, boost employee engagement and morale and raise levels of workplace satisfaction.
Effective workplace communication has both long- and short-term benefits in the workplace such as:
- Driving better results
- Improving staff retention
- Supporting collaboration and cooperation
- Increasing staff loyalty
- Fewer workplace conflicts
Poor communication can result in a hostile or toxic work environment where staff feel unhappy, on edge and unsupported. Building good communication channels can improve company culture, make the working environment more positive and stop small issues from escalating into grievances.
Understanding Expectations
When everyone at work understands exactly what is expected of them, regarding both their job role and their general conduct, the chances of a grievance being raised should be reduced.
- Employees should understand what is expected of them at work and what the consequences of them failing to meet these standards could be
- Workplaces that have clearly defined roles and responsibilities have less conflict, fewer power struggles between colleagues and enjoy increased productivity
- Clearly communicating expectations prevents misunderstandings and confusion and allows employees to feel supported and empowered
- Conducting regular training sessions fosters a culture of compliance and understanding of best practice
It won’t always be possible to prevent grievances from arising; however, setting clear expectations can also help the complaints process to go more smoothly.
- Make sure company policies and your company grievance procedure are written clearly so everyone knows how to complain, who to complain to and what to expect at each stage
- Clear communication means that employees have an understanding of their rights, responsibilities and the grievance process itself
- Clear expectations support management to understand what is expected of them regarding grievance procedures, including what they have to do, how they should communicate information and what acceptable resolutions look like
- Clear expectations can also help to maintain compliance
Building Trust and Confidence
Transparent and clear communication helps to build trust and confidence between employees and employers. When there is mutual trust between workers and management, it is easier to believe in the fairness and integrity of grievance procedures because employees will feel supported and listened to.
To help build trust and confidence you can:
- Provide regular updates and feedback to employees during the grievance procedure
- Demonstrate accountability and a commitment to fairness
- Make sure that your actions align with your words and that you honour your commitments
- Lead by example and don’t be afraid to make difficult decisions
- Use the disciplinary process in a fair and proportionate way
- Ask for feedback and give workers a way to voice their views, concerns or suggestions
- Show workers that you respect and appreciate them and take their concerns seriously
It is vital that the information gathering process used when investigating grievances is thorough and fair. If you have built up trust with your employees, they are more likely to be honest and feel able to open up to you, which makes it easier to gather accurate information and testimony. You also need to stick to a realistic timeline, as employees don’t want to be waiting months for a resolution; however, as a manager you don’t want to be rushing the grievance procedure either. Communicate any delays straight away and keep everyone concerned updated as far as possible – let them know you would rather conduct a thorough investigation than a hasty one.
Facilitating Dialogue
Clear communication can help to facilitate effective dialogue between all parties involved in the grievance process.
To promote open and constructive dialogue in the grievance procedure, try to:
- Use active listening techniques
- Be empathetic
- Create an environment of mutual respect
- Improve your conflict/resolution skills
- Ask employees what they want to get out of the grievance
When dealing with staff who are experiencing difficulties, they will go through certain emotions such as feeling annoyed, unhappy and upset. It is important that managers are able to remain calm and professional and do not mirror these heightened emotions or try to minimise how their employee feels. It is also important to deal with all parties involved in an empathetic way which may include the person who has raised the grievance and the person who it has been raised against.
To begin to deal with a grievance that has been raised at work, it is important to gather all of the information you can find to build up a clear picture of what has led up to the grievance being raised. It may help you to communicate clearly if you take some time to think about the following five points:
Why are you communicating?
To try to deal with a workplace grievance that has been raised with you.
Who is the receiver, audience, or participant?
Everyone at work who is involved with the grievance, in particular the person (or people) at the heart of the issue.
What is your goal or objective?
To reach a satisfactory conclusion that resolves the grievance and to learn from the situation and take steps to prevent a recurrence.
What do you want the recipient to do as a result of the communication?
Reflect on the situation, provide information and help you to reach a satisfactory conclusion that ultimately makes them feel the grievance is settled.
What format will best accomplish your goal?
This will depend on the individuals involved, the nature of the complaint and what further evidence is needed – it could be a face-to-face meeting, email or video call.
Managing Expectations
Expectations should be managed through clear communication at each stage of the grievance procedure, from it initially being raised right through to the outcome being reached.
Clear communication plays a key role in ensuring that everyone understands the practicalities of the grievance procedure such as:
- Establishing clear and realistic timelines
- What the different steps involved in the grievance procedure will be
- What each person involved is expected to provide in terms of evidence or testimony
- Understanding the potential outcomes and being proportionate and realistic with them
It is also important to know what the parties involved are expecting to get out of raising their grievance and to consider whether this is realistic and within their manager’s capabilities.
Failure to effectively manage expectations may mean it takes longer to reach a conclusion. The situation may also become more complex than it needs to be and your employees will become more likely to feel dissatisfied by the whole process.
Failing to follow a formal grievance procedure can also affect:
- Morale in the workplace
- Levels of confidence in management
- The outcome of an employment tribunal (if the employee has grounds to escalate their grievance this far)
Each workplace should have its own grievance procedure. A sample outline for a grievance procedure may look like:
- Employee raises the grievance to their employer in writing (stating the nature of the problem and including any supporting documentation such as a payslip, employment contract, screenshot of text etc)
- Meeting is arranged (in person or online) to discuss the grievance raised (employee may be accompanied by a co-worker or union representative)
- Methodology for investigation and fact finding
- Decision on what appropriate action will look like
- Communicate the outcome with the employee
- Allow the employee the opportunity to appeal the decision if they are dissatisfied
- Monitoring and review of the situation and procedures
It is also important to keep clear, written records of grievances that have been dealt with and to follow the Acas Code of Practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures.
Best Practices for Clear Communication
We have discussed the importance of clear communication in grievance procedures but now we need to think about how to put these points into practice to ensure clarity and transparency at every stage of a complaint being investigated and resolved.
Here are some tips to embed clear communication in grievance procedures in the workplace:
- Write policies and findings in clear, plain English and avoid jargon or technical terms
- Share all relevant policies with staff during the onboarding process and make sure everyone knows where to find information on grievance procedures, anti-bullying policy etc
- Share written documentation outlining the findings of all investigations and final decisions on grievances or disciplinary procedures
- Make sure employees know how to move forward and how to appeal any decisions that are made
- Try to collect as much evidence as possible (including texts, emails, voicemails, witness statements etc) rather than relying only on hearsay
- Ensure management and HR understand any relevant legislation, such as the Employment Rights Act 1996, the Equality Act 2010 and the Acas Code of Practice
- Offer multiple channels for communications such as in-person meetings, emails, written correspondence or video calls
- Don’t shy away from tricky or sensitive situations – these scenarios require increased transparency and openness
- Use emotional intelligence and active listening skills to make staff feel supported and listened to. Show that you empathise with them
- If a grievance is especially complex or you are struggling to communicate clearly, consider reaching out to a third-party professional for help, such as Acas or a HR consultant. They can offer expert advice to help you to stay compliant and make sure everyone is on the same page at each step of the process
After a grievance procedure ends, it is important to know how to follow up. This includes making sure all parties understand the outcomes and what to do if they disagree. It is also helpful to review your communication methods to make sure they are still effective. If gaps are found in the grievance process, they need to be addressed and improved immediately.
Conclusion
In this article, we have considered the importance of clear communication in grievance procedures. Although it is important to deal with grievances correctly and in line with company policy, it is even better to prevent grievances from arising in the first place. Clear communication strategies can help to create a positive and supportive environment where employees are less likely to feel dissatisfied or want to raise complaints.
By using clear communication and well-defined roles, everyone will have a deeper understanding of what is expected of them at work. This encourages workers to take ownership and responsibility for tasks. It can also improve collaboration and help employees work more cohesively as a team.
By fostering a culture of trust and support, many instances that might have resulted in a grievance procedure will be avoided. However, it is inevitable that occasional grievances will arise and, in these instances, a supportive attitude helps employers to effectively deal with issues and increases their employees’ trust that their problems will be addressed and resolved properly.