Disciplinary & Grievances

"We won’t allow you to bury your head in the sand"

Disciplinary & Grievances

As an employer, it is inevitable that, at times, you will have to deal with grievances from employees. In some cases, you will have to take disciplinary action against certain employees. No matter what, it is always best to tackle both situations head on, rather than allow them to fester and grow out of control.

Although it’s human nature for people to complain, it is important that you are aware that some complaints could be a warning sign of bigger, underlying issues. That’s why we always recommend that employees feel free to come forward should they have any issues within the workplace, in the hope that matters can be dealt with swiftly, and to avoid the issue escalating.

There is a misconception that grievances always have to be dealt with formally, however we recommend that an option is included within the Grievance Policy that an employee can choose to try to resolve the matter informally in the first instance, if they so wish.

Similarly, with disciplinaries, it is important that you know how to approach certain situations which may involve, for example, an employee misbehaving or an employee not performing to the best of their ability. Dismissal is always to be considered as a last resort, and if an employee can be encouraged to turn the other cheek or improve their performance, this can sometimes be the preferred outcome for the business.

We will ensure that you approach the issue sensitively and properly, especially as failing to follow a fair process can result in a finding of unfair dismissal, including an uplift of up to 20% on any compensation awarded.

The key to ensuring that these processes are dealt with fairly and reasonably is making sure that both are backed up by solid, written Grievance and Disciplinary Policies. If these are in place within your business, both you and your employees know what to expect and how the process will be conducted, so that all parties know where they stand.

We here at Personology understand that businesses work in different ways and therefore appreciate that template policies will not necessarily fit with each and every business. That’s why we ensure that all policies are created with your business and your people firmly in mind.

We can also offer several options to assist you through these processes – we can advise from afar, supporting you from the side-lines by providing you with the required letters of correspondence, meeting scripts and on-hand advice. Alternatively, we can conduct the processes entirely on your behalf. We’re flexible to your requirements and will do whatever you’re comfortable with.