Handling Grievances (including bullying/harassment)
When an employee raises a grievance, it can be a tense and volatile time for all parties involved.
Grievances can be raised about any concern an employee may have, but underlying many grievances are problems in the relationship between colleagues, or between employees and their managers. A high proportion of grievances relate to fractures in these working relationships, and sometimes allegations of bullying and harassment.
As an employer, you must investigate each grievance and the complaints made within it, and attempt to resolve the concerns which the employee has raised, hopefully informally in the first instance. Employees can appeal against the outcome of their grievance if they are not satisfied with it, with a second phase of grievance resolution taking place at the appeal stage.
Swift HR is here for you, to help manage grievances smoothly through to a resolution, with sensitivity and in line with legal requirements. Our services in relation to grievances are:
Promoting early informal resolutions to issues wherever possible.
Conducting Independent Grievance Investigations on your behalf, producing a report and recommendations.
Supporting your managers to conduct grievance investigations.
Attending grievance meetings alongside you.
Advising on supporting wellbeing of all those involved.
Conducting informal facilitated discussions between the parties to rebuild working relationships.
Writing or reviewing Grievance Policy and Procedures.
Providing training for your managers in resolving grievances.
Bullying is any unwanted behaviour that causes someone to feel intimidated, degraded, humiliated or offended. It is not necessarily always obvious or apparent to others, and may happen in the workplace without an employer's awareness. Bullying can occur between two individuals or it may involve groups of people.
The Equality Act 2010 defines nine protected characteristics, and discrimination or harassment toward employees, workers or job applicants on the basis of any of those characteristics can result in a discrimination claim at the Employment Tribunal.
Where an allegation of bullying, harassment or discrimination is made, it is important that the matter is investigated and resolved, with disciplinary action taken if appropriate. Our services for bullying and harassment allegations include all those listed above plus:
Writing or review of Anti-Bullying and Harassment Policy and procedures.
Conducting Independent Workplace Investigations into allegations of bullying, harassment, victimisation or discrimination, producing a report and recommendations.
Advising on supporting the well-being of all those involved.
Conducting informal facilitated discussions between the parties to rebuild working relationships.
Providing training for your managers in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.
For more information and to talk in confidence about any grievances that you would like support with, and/or bullying or harassment allegations you are managing, please call us on 07918 015846.
