How to Handle Employee Complaints in the Workplace: Part 2
Employee Complaints that go unheard can make for an uncomfortable, unproductive work environment. Last week, Kmet Consulting gave you an overview of setting up a system for handling employee complaints and categorizing those complaints. This week, our HR consulting firm will continue our overview of handling employee complaints in the workplace. We will explain how to go about addressing employee complaints and reviewing the outcomes after the employee complaints have been addressed.
Last week’s blog explained categorizing your complaints. Once you have categorized your complaints, you will then want to address the most significant ones first. Anything pertaining to unsafe work conditions and violations of company rules and policies should be addressed immediately. Consider these steps when addressing a complaint.
Be sure you acknowledge that you (the company) has received the complaint. The key here is to make the employee feel heard. You don’t have to have a solution to the complaint formed yet, that will come later, just confirm to the employee that the complaint has been acknowledged.
Evaluate the problem being complained about and gather any information relevant to the problem. If the employee was specific and listed information regarding particular events or situations, then take that into account. Gather data pertaining to those events.
Now that you have gathered all of the relevant information pertaining to the problem listed in the employee complaint, devise a solution to that problem. Consider running your solution by senior management before putting it into action. Take their input and experience into account.
After you have decided on a decision and presented it to senior management, put it into action. Act quickly. Complaints that are old and undealt with can affect the morale and production of the company in a negative way. The sooner you resolve the issue, the better your employees and company will be.
Now that you have acted and put the solution to the complaint in motion, revisit the situation that generated the complaint in the first place. Determine if your solution solved the problem. If the complaint was confidential, visit with the employee who issued the complaint. See if they feel the issue was resolved. If they don’t, make further adjustments as needed.
A significant complaint can not only create negativity in the workplace, but it also affects the production of the company as a whole. Listening to your employees and addressing their concerns can create a positive work environment and allow for your employees to feel respected and heard. Employees want to feel like they have a voice and can affect change in their workplace, so allow them to do so. These benefits make having a system in place for managing employee complaints in the workplace all the more worth it.
We here at Kmet Consulting hope you have enjoyed this blog series: How to Handle Employee Complaints in the Workplace: Parts 1 and 2. If you are in need of assistance setting up a system to handle your employee complaints, feel free to call us at our office anytime. We can be reached at 877-783-5638.
How to Address Employee Complaints
Last week’s blog explained categorizing your complaints. Once you have categorized your complaints, you will then want to address the most significant ones first. Anything pertaining to unsafe work conditions and violations of company rules and policies should be addressed immediately. Consider these steps when addressing a complaint.
1. Acknowledge the complaint.
Be sure you acknowledge that you (the company) has received the complaint. The key here is to make the employee feel heard. You don’t have to have a solution to the complaint formed yet, that will come later, just confirm to the employee that the complaint has been acknowledged.
2. Investigate the problem contained in the complaint.
Evaluate the problem being complained about and gather any information relevant to the problem. If the employee was specific and listed information regarding particular events or situations, then take that into account. Gather data pertaining to those events.
3. Decide on a solution to the complaint.
Now that you have gathered all of the relevant information pertaining to the problem listed in the employee complaint, devise a solution to that problem. Consider running your solution by senior management before putting it into action. Take their input and experience into account.
4. Act and try to solve the problem that was complained about.
After you have decided on a decision and presented it to senior management, put it into action. Act quickly. Complaints that are old and undealt with can affect the morale and production of the company in a negative way. The sooner you resolve the issue, the better your employees and company will be.
How to Review the Outcomes
Now that you have acted and put the solution to the complaint in motion, revisit the situation that generated the complaint in the first place. Determine if your solution solved the problem. If the complaint was confidential, visit with the employee who issued the complaint. See if they feel the issue was resolved. If they don’t, make further adjustments as needed.
A significant complaint can not only create negativity in the workplace, but it also affects the production of the company as a whole. Listening to your employees and addressing their concerns can create a positive work environment and allow for your employees to feel respected and heard. Employees want to feel like they have a voice and can affect change in their workplace, so allow them to do so. These benefits make having a system in place for managing employee complaints in the workplace all the more worth it.
Kmet Consulting is Here for You!
We here at Kmet Consulting hope you have enjoyed this blog series: How to Handle Employee Complaints in the Workplace: Parts 1 and 2. If you are in need of assistance setting up a system to handle your employee complaints, feel free to call us at our office anytime. We can be reached at 877-783-5638.
877-783-5638
Comments
Post a Comment