The causes of grievances may broadly be classified in the following categories: (i) Improper matching of the worker with the job; (iii) Non-availability of proper tools, machines and equipment for doing the job; (v) Bad physical conditions of workplace; (vi) Failure to maintain proper discipline (excessive or lack of it, both are equally harmful); and. Employees may be dissatisfied when they feel that their wages are not being paid fairly or equitably according to their job duties, experience, and industry standards. Proper disposal of grievances requires serious consideration for harmonious industrial relations and maintenance of industrial peace. When the job contract is not clear-cut and does not indicate the norms defining the limits within which the employee expects the organisation fulfill his needs or aspirations, the employee develops such needs which the organisation is not obliged to meet. If not resolved on time, it can lower employee morale, create inefficiency and increase absenteeism. The absence of proper two way flow of communication can indeed be a fertile ground for breeding grievances. Without a grievance procedure, management may be unable to respond to employee concerns since managers are unaware of them. Terms of Service 7. However, a hidden purpose is to help employers avoid costly litigation down the road, caused by disgruntled employees. Concerning Working Conditions: (i) Unsafe and unpleasant working conditions. Unfair penalties imposed for misconduct. 6. Grievance machinery will be required to be set up in each undertaking to administer the grievance procedure. Working Conditions, Supervision, Style of Management, Causes of Employee Grievance 3 Major Categories: Working Conditions, Management Policy, Alleged Violation and Maladjustment. It also leads to increased absenteeism and employee turnover. But, they may again grow when after a lapse of some time, some issues remain unattended or unsolved. In many industrial units, management and trade unions worked out grievance procedures by mutual agreements but there were still many industrial units which did not have any grievance handling machinery and procedure. Violation of company rules, regulations, established traditions and accepted practices. Grievances Resulting from Working Conditions 2. Management Practices: vii. Sometimes an open-door policy is used to hide the top managements own hesitation to make contacts with the operatives and the open door is often a slogan to conceal closed minds. While adaptations have to be made to meet the special circumstances such as those obtaining in the reference undertakings, railways plantations and also small undertakings employing few workmen the procedure normally envisaged in the handling of the grievances should be as follows-. Grievances typically could arise because of a variety of reasons: i. At first glance, this policy may appear very attractive but it has the following limitations: i. Sources of Employee Grievances Model Grievance Procedure Steps Grievance Redressal Procedure Major Causes of Employee Grievances Effects of Employee Grievances Employee Grievance Handling System Employee grievances require careful and proper handling so as to maintain peace and motivation among members of your workforce. Grievance is a feeling of discontentment or dissatisfaction among workers regarding anything concerned with the company. The ultimate decision is the prompt action. (iv) Demand for labour welfare facilities or for improvement in the working conditions of labour may be the case for grievance. Discrimination between union employees and non-union employees. Grievance means any type of dissatisfaction or discontentment's arising out of factors related to an employee's job which he thinks are unfair. Sources 9. The model grievance procedure as has been given by the 16th session of the Indian labour conference in September 1958 is listed as under: 1. The causes of employee grievances include: (i) Demands for individual wage adjustments; (ii) Complaints about the incentive system; (iii) Complaints about the job classifications; (iv) Complaints against a particular foreman; (v) Complaints concerning disciplinary measures and procedures; (vi) Objections to the general methods of supervision; (vii) Loose calculation and interpretation of seniority rules, and unsatisfactory interpretation of agreements; (x) Transfer for another department or another shift; (xi) Inadequacy of safety and health services/devices; (xii) Non-availability of materials in time; (xiii) Violation of contracts relating to collective bargaining; (xv) Undesirable or unsatisfactory conditions of work. It does not know what action the supervisor would have taken to resolve a grievance. Grievance implies dissatisfaction or distress or suffering or grief caused unnecessarily or illegally. A grievance redressal system is a process to address employee grievances, and it can be defined as a mechanism that enables employees to communicate their concerns to management. Sep 2022 ONU Ify Leticia View . The unfulfilled expectations of an employee from the employer are sometime noticed but sometimes not noticed. They can also begin to ask why they havent received promotions or complain over health care coverage and other related programs. Unacceptable changes in work schedules, procedures, methods, etc. It provides a means by which a frustrated and aggrieved employee can become aggressive and strike back at the various controls which any group imposes on him. Only when the discontent is ignored for a long time, grievances come up. Nature of job 11. Final decision of the management is communicated to the employee by the personnel officer within three days from the receipt of the grievance committees recommendation. If the decision of the management is not communicated to the employee within that period or if the result is unsatisfactory, employee have the right to appeal to the management for a revision. A company should train its supervisors on providing clear job instructions, regular feedback, and recognition for good performance in order to prevent grievances related to supervision. Discontent A grievance refers to any form of discontent or dissatisfaction with an aspect of the organisation. 3. Essay # 1. Grievance may be real or imaginary feeling of personal injustice which an employ is concerning his employment relation. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Conformity to Legal Provisions Grievance procedure should conform to legal provisions. Causes of Employee Grievance What are the Causes of Employee Grievance at Different Level of an Organisation? 5. To do the constant Follow Up Follow up the case so that it is handled satisfactorily and the trouble is eliminated. Employee grievance could surface when they are not allowed to telecommute because the corporate culture doesnt permit access into the system from home. 2. The grievances may emerge at any level of the organization and by any factor in the organization- wages and working conditions, supervisors, management policies and practices, and the employees own maladjustment. (vii) Workers representatives on the grievance committee shall have the right of access to any document connected with the enquiry maintained in the department and which may be necessary to understand the merit or otherwise of the workers grievances. (d) Increase in the cost of production per unit. This hesitation is bad for their problems redressal. (iii) Doubts and fears in the minds of workers for any injustice to be committed to them may give rise to the grievance. Before uploading and sharing your knowledge on this site, please read the following pages: 1. Employee Grievances must be handled appropriately by the leaders to maintain the productivity level of employees. For instance, a worker may be offended and show grievances if they think your company is only promoting their male or female counterparts. If the grievance still remains unsettled, the case may then be referred to voluntary arbitration. Poor physical conditions at the workplace. Unfair promotion practices, forced transfers, lack of adequate training, unsuitable job design etc. What is Employee Grievance ? | Meaning & Definition - Keka HR could trigger grievances at work. (PDF) Impact of Employee Grievance Management on - ResearchGate Poor Quality of Manager 9. Plagiarism Prevention 5. (d) Reduction in the level of employee morale. Grievances Resulting from Alleged Violation 5. Disciplinary Actions. (ii) If the worker is not satisfied with the decision of this officer or fails to receive an answer within the stipulated period, he shall, either in person or accompanied by his departmental representative present his grievance to head of the department designated by the management for the purpose of handling grievances (for this purpose, a fixed time shall be specified during which on any working day, an aggrieved worker could meet the departmental head for presentation of grievance). Generally, employees may experience grievances based on general working conditions if they feel that their workplace is too crowded, unsafe, or unhealthy. It is also important that organizations provide employees with regular opportunities to provide feedback and input on important decisions that affect their work. v. Failure to enforce discipline at work spot, vi. Earlier causes of grievance among employees were common in nature but as . (v) It should involve the union in framing a grievance procedure and in its implementation. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) classifies a grievance as a complaint of one or more workers with respect to wages and allowances, conditions of work and interpretations of service stipulations covering such areas as overtime, leave, transfer, promotion, seniority, job assignment and termination of service. Subscribe to the leading HR Magazine to receive exclusive Human Resources news . Poor Quality of Manager 9. vi. Image Guidelines 4. These are individuals, who, by their nature, are negative, dissatisfied, and grievance prove.. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Employees may enter into conflict with management on account of poor lighting, faulty ventilations, poor sanitation facilities, use of faulty tools and machines, lack of restrooms and drinking water facilities etc. Also, organizations should ensure that their promotion policies are transparent, fair, and based on merit, and that employees have clear career paths within the organization as well. Privacy Policy 9. 5. For instance, when an employee is not given promotion which is due to him or when work conditions are unsafe, grievances of employee relating to these issues are based on facts. The exit interview is an opportunity to shake hands and leave friends, not enemies. Uploader Agreement. Employee Grievances, it's causes and handling employee grievances Go-slow tactics: iii. Unfair Practices 10. As well as providing employees with adequate flexibility in work hours and work-life balance, organizations should also allow telecommuting, flexible work schedules, or paid time off as options. A companys employees want to feel that they are given opportunities for career advancement and career development. Some Important Causes of Employee Grievances are as Follows This technique is to facilitate employee free expressions of thought. To gather Additional Information Gather additional information for arriving a best possible solution. Introduction to Employee Grievance 2. Causes/ Sources of Employee Grievances Perceived notions of favouritism, nepotism, bias etc. Further, the management may adopt unfair practices of favouritism and nepotism. Employees may feel kept in the dark about important decisions affecting their work if union practices are not transparent. Leave 9. Poor Working Environment 8. It can be valid or ridiculous, and must grow out of something connected with company operations or policy. Grievance: Characteristics, Nature and Causes - Business Management Ideas What Are The Leading Causes of Employee Grievances? - The HR Digest Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Why should grievances be redressed? Voice A grievance may be voiced or unvoiced. It is essential for organizations to have a grievance handling procedure that outlines the steps to take when an employee raises a grievance in order to handle employee grievances effectively. Thus, employee grievances refer to any act of employee dissatisfaction . A grievance may be genuine or ridiculous, stated or unstated, valid or invalid, legitimate or illegitimate, in writing or not. A clear career advancement pathway should also be in place in organizations, and employees should be informed about it effectively. Promotions 2.Amenities 3. Such misunderstanding must be addressed and solved immediately. On the other hand, a grievance is a complaint that has been put in writing and made formal. Top management is likely to be too unfamiliar with the work situation in which the grievances developed to be able to evaluate correctly the information that it gets. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". When dissatisfaction is expressed in writing it becomes a complaint. 4. Employees need clear job instructions, regular feedback, and recognition for good performance from supervisors in order to be successful in their jobs. If necessary, a mediator may be called in to help resolve the dispute. Malfunctioning or lack of work equipment/facilities, harassment, bullying, etc. It may not be expressed and even may not be valid. To ensure transparency and build trust, organizations should communicate salary structures, pay increases, and bonus policies with employees regularly. Promotions, benefits, and salaries are better discussed and adequately clarified so that an employee doesnt consider themselves being cheated. The organization should also adhere to relevant labor laws and regulations and make sure that its policies and practices are fair and transparent. Grievance Redressal. Characteristics 7. | Cost Accounting, Sweat Equity Shares and Employees Stock Option, Employee Grievance: Definition, Nature, Characteristics, Sources, Steps, Causes, Effects and Employee Grievance Handling System, Employee Grievance Definitions and Meaning, Employee Grievance 6 Varied Reasons for the Arising of Grievances, Employee Grievance 4 Important Tools that Help in Discovering Grievances, Employee Grievance Factors which Disturb the Employees, Employee Grievance 3 Main Characteristics: Factual, Imaginary and Disguised, Employee Grievance 5 Important Features: Discontent, Employment Concerned, Voice, Validity and Consequences, Employee Grievance Various Sources of Grievance, Employee Grievance Steps (Adopted by the Indian Labour Conference), Employee Grievance Redressal Procedure: Open Door Policy and Step-Ladder Procedure, Employee Grievance 4 Major Causes: Working Conditions, Management Policies, Personal Factors and Alleged Violations of Rules, Employee Grievance Adverse Effects on Production, Employees and Managers, Employee Grievance Important Steps Taken in Handling Grievances of Employees, Definition and Meaning of Employee Grievances. Grievances Resulting from Maladjustment: Employee Grievance Procedure: (Nature and Causes of Grievance), Grievance: Characteristics, Nature and Causes, Grievance Handling Procedure: Steps, Need and Elements, Causes of Employee Grievance 4 Main Causes: Grievances Resulting from Working Conditions, Personal Maladjustment, Management Policy and Alleged Violation, Causes of Employee Grievance Working Conditions, Supervision, Style of Management, Management Practices and Personality Traits, Causes of Employee Grievance Working Conditions, Management Policies and Personal Reasons. The effectiveness and efficiency of employees as well organisation both improve. Employees have right to work in safe and comfortable work surroundings. Content Guidelines 2. These needs proper care to enable the employees for smooth working. Grievance is a feeling of discontentment or dissatisfaction among workers regarding anything concerned with the company. Pigors and Myers observe that the three terms dissatisfaction, complaint, and grievance indicate three forms and stages of employee dissatisfaction. Senior executives can, however, use this policy for their grievance redressals as they have better access to the top management. Some employees hesitate to be singled out as having a grievance. v. Work organization Rigid and unfair rules, too much or too less responsibility, work overload or under load both qualitative as well as quantitative, lack of work appreciation / recognition. And the management shall communicate its decision within a week of the employees revision petition. Additionally, learn about some other causes of employee grievance such as high targets, insufficient holidays, irregular shifts, poor health & safety measures, discrimination of employees etc. Lastly, having too many employees of equal or similar authority at work may increase chances of conflict-related employee grievances in the workplace. (xii) If however, there be any complaint against any individual member of the staff, who is nominated by the management to handle grievance at the lowest level, the worker may take up his grievance at the next higher stage i.e., at the level of departmental head. Medical Benefits 10. The way the open-door policy can be most effective is for a manager to walk through it and get out among his people. This feeling of Mr. G is a felt grievance. The head of the department should give the response within 3 days. For instance, an employee complaining very strongly about the working conditions in the office may in turn be seeking some recognition and appreciation from his or her colleagues. ii. Number of grievances per month, quarter and year using a constant measure, such as the number of grievances per 100 or 1,000 employees. There should be a systematic handling or grievances by every organization so as to dispose them as early as possible. Thus, grievance arises due to the gap between expectation and the extent of fulfilment. The main causes of grievances are as under: (i) Distasteful changes in schedules or procedures. This guides to carry-out a particular task in future without any deviation. The systems, procedures, practices and personalities in the organisation need to be examined. Employee grievances require careful and proper handling so as to maintain peace and motivation among members of your workforce. Normally, the organisation does not feel any kind of responsibility for such grievances and their redressal, because they are based not only on wrong perceptions of the employee but also on wrong information. Last Updated on 27 April 2023 As an HR professional, it must be a daily business for you to deal with employee grievances. If no agreement is still possible, union and management may refer the grievance to voluntary arbitration. An employee or a trade union protests against an act or policy of the management that they consider as violating employees rights. (The departing employee usually has voluntarily resigned vs. getting laid off or fired.) (ii) It should be settled at the lowest level of the grievance procedure. Discovery 5. (ii) Discontent may be for very imaginary reasons sometimes. What is Employee Grievance? Procedure, Causes, Handling - Geektonight If employees are assured that their grievances would be looked into sympathetically, they become favourably disposed to management; and the climate for human relations becomes congenial. These grievances are as under (i) Overtime (ii) Transfer (iii) Leave (iv) Hostility towards a labour-union (v) Wage payment and job rates (vi) Seniority (vii) Promotion, demotion and discharge (viii) Lack of career planning and employee development plan. Be calm, fair, objective and as helpful as possible. 6. (xi) Management shall provide the necessary clerical and other assistance for the smooth functioning of the grievance machinery. Organizations should also ensure that supervisors do not practice favoritism or micromanagement, which can negatively affect employee morale and cause grievances. Exit interviews, if conducted carefully, can provide important information about employees grievances. An employee grievance is a concern, problem, or complaint that an employee has about their work, the workplace, or someone they work withthis includes management.