Responding to workplace complaints requires a structured approach to ensure fairness, address concerns, and maintain a positive work environment. Complaints are sometimes unavoidable, so it’s necessary to have clear steps in place when responding to a complaint.
At Worklogic, we investigate and assess thousands of complaints each year and we promote positive cultural changes that can minimise conflict from the outset, before a complaint is raised.
Minimising Conflict
Conflict can arise for several different reasons:
- Lack of role clarity
- Failure to set and manage performance
- Unclear behavioural conduct standards
Clarity, collaboration and support are key factors to establishing positive culture in workplaces and contributes to creating a high performing workplace.
In our experience, from conducting workplace culture reviews, the happiest workers are the ones that are invited to participate in decision-making processes through collaboration with employees feeling that they have shared values.
Ensuring that staff feel safe and supported through the following can assist to minimise conflict from the outset:
Management supporting flexibility for employees.
If your industry permits, establishing a flexible work policy is highly beneficial ton staff morale and productivity. In consultation with staff, a clear outline of expectations and understandings around the parameters of working from home and flexibility around start and finish times.
Setting clear behavioural conduct standards.
Reviewing and/ or creating policies and procedures that work to implant appropriate workplace behaviour standards is essential- clear policy can protect company resources too.
Avenues for complaint and encouraging Upstanders.
Staff should be encouraged to raise concerns early, before they get out of hand. Having clear avenues for complaint resolution, and have clear procedures in place for raising unethical conduct will encourage staff to be Upstanders– speaking up when they see something inappropriate.
An anonymous, external complaint line such as Worklogic’s Integrity Line is a fantastic resource to encourage to staff to raise issues early.
The earlier an issue is assessed, the sooner it can be resolved.
Having Conversations that Matter
Staff training is essential in cementing positive cultural change. In particular, upskilling managers to have skills and be comfortable to have difficult conversations, identifying risk factors as well as managing poor performance.
Responding to Complaints
Complaints are sometimes unavoidable, even in organisations with established policies, work flexibility and regular staff training. A triage process that has clear steps in place when responding to complaints is vital to ensuring that a complaint will be resolved clearly and appropriately.
Asses the Complaint
The first step in triage is to assess the complaint.
Understanding what is a real complaint and if it is sufficiently serious. Is the complainant struggling with performance issues? Are there any systemic or cultural factors have allowed the dispute to continue?
At Worklogic, we recommended that people leaders who are in position to receive complaints are trained to assess and clarify complaints. Receiving a complaint is easier said than done and managing the expectations of the complainant is essential. Our training Triage: Early Intervention for Handling Complaints, provides managers with a clear understanding of a sometimes tricky process.
Clarifying the Complaint
Once a complaint is provided, it’s important for the person receiving the complaint to listen to all aspects and clarify the details. What is the resolution they are seeking?
After receiving the complaint, it’s important that employee understands all their options going forward, both informal and formal. Strong and clear policies around complaints make this process substantially easier.
There will be pros and cons to each option, so it’s important for the manager to understand what those may be and communicate them effectively.
Clearly document the process
Always document every conversation and follow up with the complainant in a reasonable time. Confirming what the next steps will be with the employee keeps their mental health and well-being in mind.
Action
And lastly, identifying the most appropriate course of action
What is the best response, looking at spectrum of risk and seriousness, informal and formal options and whether a formal intervention needed.
Can the complaint be resolved at a local level via informal discussions between the complaint and with guidance from the HR team?
Pitfalls and things to avoid
A trauma- informed and people centred approach is necessary and important. It’s easy to make silly errors that have a massive impact on the employee.
When triaging complaints, try to avoid:
- Jumping to conclusions
- Not getting to the root of the issue
- Committing to something you can’t deliver
- Keeping inadequate records of conversations
- Ambiguity about next steps -who, what, when, how?
- Not prioritizing follow up with complainant
- Failure to check in on the health of the complainant
Learning how to draw the line and differentiate between office gossip and a serious complaint is an essential manager skill. It can save you time and money -the sooner the complaint is assessed, the sooner it’s resolved! Get in touch, if you would like to discuss the needs of your workplace with one of our highly experienced consultants.
