Employee Grievances
Employers must respond fairly, consistently and in line with expected standards when an employee raises a grievance. Unmanaged complaints can lead to constructive dismissal claims, discrimination allegations and reduced morale. Mishandled grievances may also increase the compensation a tribunal can award by up to 25% if an employer has failed to follow a fair procedure.
A grievance is a complaint made to an employer that may relate to issues of mistreatment or misconduct towards the individual employee in the working environment. These complaints could include unfair treatment, bullying or harassment, discrimination, overwork, disputes with managers or changes to roles or work arrangements.
Employers must investigate complaints made by any employee in a timely and thorough manner, treat all parties impartially, follow a proper process and confirm the outcome in writing.
A formal procedure gives employees the confidence that their concerns are being addressed and taken seriously, which should contribute to trust throughout an organisation.
The situation can escalate quickly if a complaint is mishandled, overlooked or dismissed. This could result in additional complaints, damage to the employment relationship, loss of trust, or even lawsuits. Consistency in approach in handling of complaints/grievances protects the organisation and supports fair treatment of all staff.
What Is an Employee Grievance?
An employee grievance is a complaint an employee makes about their workplace, such as how they may have been treated, lack of opportunities, or the work environment. Such a complaint requires the employer to investigate the concerns raised, gather relevant evidence, interview the parties and witnesses involved, and provide a fair and prompt response. The employer should take the employee’s concerns seriously and explain their decision to the employee.
Grievances could involve disciplinary matters, discrimination or harassment complaints, or performance management challenges. When this occurs, a clear and organised plan helps ensure the process remains fair and compliant.
The presence of a structured grievance process, if followed, can protect employers from claims and can also help foster an environment of fairness and responsibility. Appropriate handling will often prevent the situation from escalating and demonstrate the employer’s commitment to addressing workplace concerns in a professional manner. An employer’s grievance procedure typically requires attention to several core obligations, including:
Formal grievance process
Fair, prompt investigation
Managing employee concerns
Clear written response
Preventing escalation risks
Documented decision-making
How Can David Help as Your Grievance Response Lawyer?
David provides employers with clear, practical support at every stage of handling grievances. He offers practical guidance on conducting the investigation, ensuring appropriate detail, fairness and consistency. He works with HR teams and managers to plan interviews, review evidence, and help them maintain neutrality and reduce legal risk throughout.
For complex or potentially reputational-damaging complaints, for instance, regarding discrimination, harassment, whistleblowing, or disputes with managers or senior staff, David provides strategic advice to help mitigate the risk of an employment tribunal claim and associated damage limitation. He can help you draft or review grievance outcomes to ensure they are clear, fair and capable of withstanding scrutiny.
If the complaint moves to an appeal or needs to result in some form of disciplinary action, David provides guidance on how best to strengthen your position with a compliant process. His support enables employers to manage complex issues with confidence, minimising the risk of tribunal claims or further escalation.
Effective grievance management often hinges on a few core areas of focus, such as:
Managing workplace conflict
Reducing legal risk
Clear, fair outcomes
Getting early legal advice helps to ensure that the grievance process is fair, compliant and properly documented. Setting the correct approach from the outset protects your organisation and reduces the risk of tribunal escalation. For clear, pragmatic support that keeps your business safe, contact David today.
Why Choose David for Grievance Management
David brings more than 35 years’ experience advising employers on handling grievances, drawing on his litigation background to anticipate risks and ensure processes can withstand scrutiny. He understands how grievances can be used tactically against employers and he helps organisations manage them without derailing disciplinary action or operations.
He offers clear, commercially focused guidance and helps you to produce well-reasoned, defensible outcomes. Employers value his practicality, calm judgement and ability to reduce the risk of tribunal claims through structured, fair procedures.