Workplaces with healthy workspaces encourage their employees to speak up about any complaints. For those that prefer opening up but stay anonymous, suggestion boxes have been provided to ensure that your privacy is key. Although some complaints could be minor, others are serious and may require special attention and solutions, otherwise, if not addressed in time, it may hinder employees from opening up, a thing that may destroy their morale at work. Whether the grumbles are about low payments, overwork, harassment, office politics, micromanagement, nepotisms, and so forth, the HR department is responsible for making sure that they are handled in the best manner. Rebecca Wasen, a businesswoman, notes that employee complaints are subjective and can be of any nature depending on the existing culture of a workspace and the people executing the different duties of the organisation. She highlights that some of the complaints may include; diverse kinds of harassment, abuse, and anything else that makes the employees uncomfortable. For her, every company is likely to receive complaints and it is the responsibility of HR to dig deep and find solutions to these complaints, lest repercussions like turnover and toxicity increase. Wasen stresses that HR can best handle these complaints by relaying the policies, structures, and visions of the organisation. Disputing highly against discrimination, harassment, and emphasising formal procedures for employees to air out issues when they arise and have them resolved timely and responsively. The businesswoman points out that it is imperative for HR to be governed by a policy or policies because, for every challenge that arises, there is a clause that answers to it. “Most complaints are easily aired in spaces where HR practices an open door policy, has periodic employee meetings which are a platform of communicating the very same policies for employees to be aware of the dos and don’ts, and then abide to stay in or out,” she states. When it comes to resolutions of conflicts, Wasen illuminates that employee complaints should not be handled by a single person as a jury, but several people should form a committee to keep it fair and judicial for it is important for people to feel heard. She carries on that once the complaints are resolved; reviews and follow-up on actions should be frequent therefore encouraging a work culture where employees comfortably share their issues for organisational change and transparency. Claire Mutesi, a financial expert says that while dealing with employee complaints, maintain confidentiality, for instance, listen to them with an open mind and assure them that their concerns are valid. Make them comfortable and treat the complaint seriously. If you’re not free enough to listen to their complaint at that time, set a convenient time to meet and listen to their concern. She further notes to document the complaint because your course of action depends on the information written in the complaint. Mutesi adds that it is imperative to investigate the matter at hand, choose someone not related to the person who complained to gather more facts about the whole complaint and make note of specific details and detach your facts from opinions. She also stresses that once facts are gathered about the complaint put forward, schedule a follow-up meeting with the employee. Talk to them about the investigation and facts gathered in-process and ask for suggested solutions. If the claim is correct, then assure them that action will be taken as soon as possible. The financial expert expounds that if the claim isn’t correct, then explain the facts and appreciate an employee for coming forward and then resolve the issue. ‘The HR department should make sure that employees are not discouraged, because that way, they will shun airing their views about what is happening at work.’ “After receiving the information and discussing with the complainant, discuss it with senior management about the solution that you decided then the next step is to act on it immediately. Once the complaint is resolved, keep reviewing it frequently if it is actually resolved,” Mutesi highlights.
