People tend not to get along with each other. History is replete with examples. Family feuds, warring neighbors, strange Mrs. McGillicuddy at the drugstore. Obviously, there will be conflict in the workplace too, from time to time. Differing ideas and opinions among employees in the workplace is often required and productive. Negative conflict is what I am really talking about here, where people feel bullied, aggrieved in some way, harassed, discriminated against, disrespected. When that happens, an organization must have an effective grievance process in place to deal with problems that inevitably arise when groups of people interact together regularly.
Have a grievance process with multiple reporting options. In other words, avoid a lock-step process where the grievant must first go to his/her supervisor, then to the second level, etc. If you do this, what happens if the person who is the subject of the grievance is the immediate supervisor (i.e. the supervisor is the one sexually harassing the employee)? This produces a chilling effect on reporting. Have a process that allows first contact with human resources, an owner, an upper manager, a variety of individuals designated as possible contact persons, in no particular order.
Train your employees regularly on the multi-forked grievance process. Assure employees that retaliation for reporting concerns will not be tolerated. Follow up later with the grievant to make sure no retaliation has occurred as a result of a complaint. Consider as an additional option an anonymous suggestion box so that issues may get raised without a fear, real or perceived, of retaliation for reporting concerns. Just because a grievant doesn't give his name doesn't mean the concern raised is frivolous. There may be a legitimate fear of reprisal that is an issue in itself. Consider an ombudsperson, a telephone reporting hotline, a mediation process. There are many options and combinations of options to consider for grievance procedures. As an added bonus, effective internal grievance processes minimize litigation and can even be used as defenses to certain claims when an employee unreasonably fails to utilize an effective internal grievance process.
Why can't we all just get along? I don't know. But, I do know that conflict is inevitable and that an effective grievance process is necessary and invaluable.
http://www.employmentlawman.com/monday-morning-musings.html
Have a grievance process with multiple reporting options. In other words, avoid a lock-step process where the grievant must first go to his/her supervisor, then to the second level, etc. If you do this, what happens if the person who is the subject of the grievance is the immediate supervisor (i.e. the supervisor is the one sexually harassing the employee)? This produces a chilling effect on reporting. Have a process that allows first contact with human resources, an owner, an upper manager, a variety of individuals designated as possible contact persons, in no particular order.
Train your employees regularly on the multi-forked grievance process. Assure employees that retaliation for reporting concerns will not be tolerated. Follow up later with the grievant to make sure no retaliation has occurred as a result of a complaint. Consider as an additional option an anonymous suggestion box so that issues may get raised without a fear, real or perceived, of retaliation for reporting concerns. Just because a grievant doesn't give his name doesn't mean the concern raised is frivolous. There may be a legitimate fear of reprisal that is an issue in itself. Consider an ombudsperson, a telephone reporting hotline, a mediation process. There are many options and combinations of options to consider for grievance procedures. As an added bonus, effective internal grievance processes minimize litigation and can even be used as defenses to certain claims when an employee unreasonably fails to utilize an effective internal grievance process.
Why can't we all just get along? I don't know. But, I do know that conflict is inevitable and that an effective grievance process is necessary and invaluable.
http://www.employmentlawman.com/monday-morning-musings.html
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