A guide to the workplace grievance procedure

It’s an unfortunate fact that workplace grievances are sometimes unavoidable. Over the course of your professional life, you might encounter things like pay issues, bullying or contract breaches.

Luckily most workplaces have a grievance handling procedure in place to address employee concerns. It’s more than just a way to make a complaint – rather, it’s an official way to lodge a dispute with your employer, that they are responsible for resolving.

Here’s everything you need to know about grievance procedures, including how to submit a grievance of your own and what to expect after you lodge one.

What is an employee grievance procedure?  

What is a grievance procedure? The grievance process is essentially a formal complaint procedure at work. It’s put in place to resolve conflicts in an unbiased way. Having a formal grievance procedure in place gives employees an official channel for disputes and shows that employees take their concerns seriously.

You can submit a grievance at your workplace if:

• You feel that raising it informally hasn’t led to a resolution
• You don’t want it dealt with informally and would like an official process
• Your complaint involves serious issues, like sexual harassment or whistleblowing

How to file a formal grievance procedure

While each workplace will have its own procedure for filing grievances, the basics are often the same. Here’s an overview of how most workplace complaints procedures work.

1. Informal meeting with manager 

Before formally submitting your grievance in writing, it’s a good idea to schedule an informal meeting with your manager first, to see if your concern can be resolved without having to escalate to a formal complaint. This also gives them forewarning of your grievance.

If you approach workplace grievances with open communication, you might find that there’s no need to escalate. Communicating your concerns to your employer gives them a chance to offer a solution quickly and privately.

2. Formal grievance in writing 

If you’re not able to resolve your issue after meeting with your manager, you can submit a formal grievance in writing. You should consult your employee handbook or HR department for specific grievance procedures. A grievance letter will typically include the following elements:

• A brief overview of the issue, including the date, time, location and any relevant details.
• A clear outline of the specific grievance, including what happened, who was involved and how it has affected you.
• Any supporting evidence that you have, like emails or messages.
• Reference any relevant company policies, procedures or codes of conduct that have been violated
• The resolution or action that you’re seeking from your workplace to address your grievance

When writing your grievance letter, it’s important to remain professional and objective. Focus on communicating the facts in a neutral tone, without being overly emotional. Keep a copy of your letter handy for future reference.

You can use the following grievance procedure template and example to help you create your own formal grievance letter.

Grievance procedure template

[Today’s date]

Dear [HR manager/recipient’s name],

I am writing to submit a grievance regarding [brief description of the issue]. [Provide details about the incident, including dates, times and the people involved].

[Explain the impact of the issue on you, your work or your rights].

[If applicable, suggest a resolution or course of action to address the issue].

Please let me know an appropriate time to discuss this matter further with you.

Yours sincerely,

[Your name]

Grievance procedure example: Pay dispute

23/04/2024

Dear Mr Kay, 

I am writing to formally address my concerns regarding my pay over the past three months. Despite the terms outlined in my employment contract, I have noticed discrepancies in my compensation.

For the last three months, my salary has been paid late. Additionally, my most recent payslip does not reflect the correct amount of overtime worked. This has never been an issue in the past.

Please find attached a log of my hours and a bank statement. I have highlighted the pay discrepancies and the late payment date. 

This discrepancy has caused me financial stress, as I rely on accurate payments to be able to cover my monthly bills. As my employer, it’s your responsibility to compensate me fairly and on time for hours worked.

Please review my pay records and settle the outstanding balance as soon as possible. I would appreciate transparent communication throughout this process.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Yours faithfully,

Scott Owen

3. Evaluation of the grievance 

Once you submit your grievance, it will be assessed by the relevant department. Depending on your workplace, that could be HR, a dedicated grievance committee, your boss, or someone else entirely.

There’s a possibility your grievance could be dismissed if it falls outside of company policy or it’s found to lack merit. This is why it’s important to familiarise yourself with your company policies and ensure you submit a clear and concise grievance letter that’s supported with enough evidence. 

The next step depends on the specific details of the grievance. For example, if it’s a simple pay discrepancy, it can often be rectified immediately. If the grievance is a little more complex, your workplace may launch a formal investigation.

4. Formal investigation 

Depending on the complexity of your grievance, your workplace might begin a formal investigation to interview the other parties involved and gather more evidence. This can include collecting CCTV footage and reviewing email chains. 

By collecting more information, the department responsible for investigating your grievance will be able to gain a better understanding of the situation so they can come up with an appropriate solution. 

Throughout this process, your employer should maintain confidentiality on your behalf, as well as the other parties involved. In some cases, they may even bring in an external investigator to maintain an unbiased approach.

5. Resolution 

The final step in the grievance-handling procedure is to come to a resolution. All parties involved in the dispute will be notified of the outcome of the investigation and the proposed solution. This may involve mediation, disciplinary action, or reaching a mutual agreement where everyone’s happy. 

If you’re unhappy with the resolution, you may be able to appeal the decision. Once again, you’ll need to do this in writing and detail clearly why you feel the decision is unfair. From here, your employer may decide to set up another meeting or provide an alternative solution. If you’re still not satisfied with the outcome, you can escalate your grievance with the Employment Relations Authority.  

If you have a grievance in the workplace, it’s important to understand your company’s grievance procedures, so you can seek a fair and professional resolution for any workplace issue. If your workplace grievance isn’t resolved to your satisfaction, there are other options available to you: mediation, arbitration and submitting a formal complaint with the Fair Work Ombudsman, for example. Just ensure you keep a digital record of all your communications, and that you follow the specific  grievance procedure steps outlined by your employer.

FAQs 

What are the steps of grievance procedure? 

While the steps in a grievance process often differ depending on the workplace, the basic procedure is often the same. This includes:

1. Submitting a formal letter or complaint to the employer
2. Meeting with the employer to discuss the grievance
3. Collecting evidence
4. Making a decision

What is the 5-step grievance process? 

The grievance process can be broken down into the following 5 steps:

1. Meet with your manager or supervisor to discuss your issue.
2. Submit your formal grievance in writing according to your workplace’s grievance procedure.
3. Your workplace will then evaluate your grievance.
4. Depending on the complexity of your issue, they may then launch a formal investigation into your grievance.
5. The resolution to your grievance. 

What is a grievance policy?

Workplaces implement grievance policies to provide a safe space for their employees to raise a formal complaint or issue. Having a formal grievance procedure in place can help employees settle issues if they’ve not been resolved informally or if they’re more severe in nature, like sexual harassment or discrimination.

What is a good example of a grievance? 

There can be a number of causes behind workplace grievances. As detailed in the grievance procedure example in the above article, a common workplace grievance is not being paid the right amount. Other common grievances include workplace bullying, sexual harassment, poor leadership, unfair treatment, discrimination, and health and safety concerns. 

Can a grievance turn into disciplinary action? 

There may be some instances where a workplace grievance can result in disciplinary action. This often depends on the allegations made within the grievance. For example, if an employee claims that a coworker has bullied them at work and the company’s formal investigations find the allegation to be accurate, the offending employee may face disciplinary action. 

How long does the grievance process take? 

There is no set time for resolving workplace grievances. Instead, the length of the grievance process often depends on the complexity of the issue that has been raised. While less complex grievances, like pay disputes, can be resolved almost instantly, more complex problems, like sexual harassment or workplace bullying, may take months to resolve.

Where do employees file grievances? 

Details on submitting a grievance should be detailed in your workplace’s grievance procedure. Depending on the structure of the organisation, many employees are asked to file their grievances with the HR department or a specified company leader.