HR Grievance Handling Interview Preparation Guide

Grievance handling process gives the aggrieved employees an opportunity to communicate their feelings and problems to the concerned people. These people can then address the grievances as per the policies. A good grievance handling system brings following benefits to the organization:

a.) It develops the trust of employees in the organization, its motives and policies
b.) It helps in addressing the employee’s problems before they become too big
c.) It helps in improving the over all work conditions and atmosphere
d.) It helps in developing a committed work force and improving the productivity
e.) It helps in identifying the areas of improvement and taking the required actions

The communication of grievances should be done formally. It can be communicated via:

- A written document
- E-mail.

The organizations which allow the employees to see the top level executives directly with their grievances are called to have “Open Door Policy”. Many of the lower level employees do not find it very comfortable to approach the top executives directly.

The organizations in which the employee is required to talk to his immediate senior about his grievances, who either offers a solution or escalates the grievance are called to have “Step Ladder Policy” for grievance handling.

a.) Grievance is formal complaint which demonstrates any kind of dissatisfaction in an employee, arising out of the factors which are related to his job.

The important steps in grievance handling procedure are:

i.) Accepting the grievance and acknowledging it
ii.) Carefully listening the problem
iii.) Understanding the redefining the problem to ensure that both the parties are at the same level of understanding
iv.) Gathering the information – all facts and figures .
vi.) Offering the best solution
vii.) Follow up

The factors causing the grievance can be divided into:

i.) Management policies
ii.) Working conditions
iii.) Interpersonal factors

Grievances due to management policies can be sub-divided into:

a.) Salaries
b.) Overtime
c.) Leave policies
d.) Lack of growth in career
e.) Conflicts in the roles
f.) Unmatched skills and responsibilities
g.) Disciplinary action

Grievances due to working conditions can be sub-divided into:

a.) Unhygienic work environment
b.) Safety issues
c.) Insufficient equipments
d.) Indiscipline and wrong approaches to discipline
e.) Unrealistic expectations
f.) Transfer

Grievances due to interpersonal factors can be sub - divided into:

a.) Inability to get along with superiors
b.) Poor relations with team members
c.) Ego
d.) Impractical approach to life

Following are the effects of grievances on each of the above mentioned parties:

a. Employees
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i.) Frustration
ii.) Demotivation
iii.) Aloofness
iv.) Low productivity

b.) Management
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i.) Labour unrest
ii.) Absenteeism
iii.) Indiscipline
iv.) High labour turnover

c.) Work
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i.) Low productivity
ii.) High wastages
iii.) Increased costs

The main objectives of having a grievance handling procedure are to:

i.) Solve the problems when they are really small rather than letting them grow big and becoming insolvable
ii.) Improve the overall work conditions
iii.) Develop a happy work force
iv.) Keep the concentration on productivity
v.) Tackle human problems like – absenteeism, demotivation etc.