Grievance

&

Grievance Handling

Dr Anil Mehta

“a written complaint filed by an employee and claiming unfair treatment “

Dale Yoder

“any dissatisfaction or feeling of injustice in connection with one’s employment situation that is brought to the notice to the management”

Beach

“a grievance is a any discontent or dissatisfaction whether expressed or not,whether valid or not ,arising out of anything connected with the company which an employee thinks,believes or even feels to be unfair, unjust or inequitable ”

Jucious

Features

•Any form of discontent

•Dissatisfaction must arise out of employment

•Discontent can arise out of real or imaginary reasons

•Discontent may be voiced or unvoiced

•Grievance is perceived non-fulfillment of one’s expectation

Causes of Grievances

•Economic reasons

•Supervision

•Work group

•Individual advancement

Effects of Grievance

1 On production

• Low quantity of production and productivity

• Low quality of production

• Increase in wastage

• Increase in production cost

2 On the employees

• Increased absenteeism and turnover

• Reduced level of commitment, sincerity and punctuality

• Increased incidence of accidents

• Reduced level of employees morale

On the managers

•Strained superior-subordinate relations

•Increased degree of supervision, control and follow up

•Increased indiscipline cases

•Increased unrest

Importance of Grievance Handling

•Grievance seriously disturbs the employees

•First line supervisors may not settled all the complaints

•Check on the arbitrary actions on management

•Serves as an outlet for employees frustration

Means of upward communication

•uniformity

•Confidence to the workers

The Discovery of Grievance

•Observation

•Grievance procedure

•Gripe boxes

• open-door policy

•Exit interviews

•Opinion-surveys

Pre-requisites of a Grievance Procedure

•Conformity with statutory provisions

•Unabiguity

•Simplicity

•Promptness

•Training

•Follow-up

Steps in the Grievance Procedure

•Receiving and defining the grievance

•Getting the facts

•Analysing the facts

•Taking an appropriate decision

•Communicating the decision

•Getting the reactions of decision

Model Grievance Procedure

• Present grievance to the officer designated by management –answer with 48 hours

•Present grievance to the head of department-answer within 72 hours

•Present grievance to the grievance committee-answer with 7 seven,final decision of the management is communicated within 3 days after the receipt of the grievance committee recommendation

Appeal to management-answer within 2 weeks

Refer grievance within 1 week to voluntary adjudication

Some Procedural Matters

•A grievance shall be assumed dispute only when final decision of the top management is not acceptable to the worker

•Orders must be compiled before the procedure is activated

•Right to access any document by workers representative in grievance committee

•Time limit 72 hours for appeal excluding holidays

•Necessary help by management for smooth functioning of grievance machinery

•Payment for the time that has spent on the redress of grievances

•In case of discharge or dismissal the above procedure does not apply

Guidelines for Handling Grievances

•Treat each case important and get the grievance in writing.

•Talk to the employee directly. Encourage him to speak the truth . Give him a patient hearing.

•Discuss in a private place.Ensure confidentiality, If necessary

•Handle each case within timeframe.

•Examine company provisions in each case

•Get all related facts about the grievance. Examine the personal records of the aggrieved worker.Visit the work area . Find out where the things have gone wrong and who is at fault.

•Gather the information from the union representative, what he has to say. Give short replies uncovering the truth as well as provisions. Treat him properly.

•Control your emotions, your remarks and behavior.

•Maintain proper records.