Employee Has Raised a Grievance: What Should I Do?
An employee has submitted a grievance. Perhaps it concerns their manager, another colleague, bullying, discrimination or the way a previous HR process was handled. Your first task is not to decide whether the employee is right. It is to understand what they are alleging and put a fair, proportionate process in place.
At a Glance: Handling an Employee Grievance
- Initial Priority: Do not prejudge the merits. Acknowledge promptly and identify the precise scope of allegations.
- ACAS Statutory Code: Employers must follow a transparent, fair, and prompt procedure to prevent uplift in tribunal awards.
- Disciplinary Overlap: A grievance does not automatically stop an active disciplinary or performance review process.
- High-Risk Categories: Whistleblowing or discrimination claims demand immediate risk mitigation and specialist scoping.
Is it actually a grievance?
Not every complaint requires a formal grievance investigation. An everyday workplace concern may be resolved informally if the employee is comfortable with that approach. But where the employee has made a formal complaint, or the allegations are serious, it may be inappropriate to try to deal with the matter as a quick informal chat.
What should I do first?
Acknowledge the grievance promptly. Read it carefully and identify each allegation, who is involved, the relevant dates and what outcome the employee is seeking. Check your grievance policy and the ACAS Code of Practice. Consider whether any immediate protective steps are necessary, particularly where there are allegations of harassment, safeguarding concerns or retaliation.
ACAS Grievance Workflow: From Acknowledgment & Scoping to Fair Outcome
Who should handle it?
Ideally, someone who is not personally implicated should manage the grievance. In a small organisation this can be difficult, but independence and impartiality still matter. Where the complaint is against a director or senior manager, external support may be appropriate.
Do I need to investigate?
Often, yes. The scope should be proportionate to the allegations. Gather relevant documents, interview relevant people and keep an open mind. A grievance investigation should test the evidence, including information that supports and contradicts the complaint. Do not promise absolute confidentiality: explain that information may need to be shared to investigate fairly.
What happens at the grievance meeting?
Invite the employee to a meeting without unreasonable delay and give them the opportunity to explain their complaint and the outcome they want. At a formal grievance meeting, employees have a statutory right to be accompanied by a qualifying companion. Ask questions, clarify the allegations and avoid reaching conclusions before the relevant facts are established.
What if the employee is already facing disciplinary action?
A grievance does not automatically stop an existing disciplinary or performance process. You need to assess whether the issues are connected. Sometimes a pause is sensible; sometimes both processes can continue separately or relevant issues can be considered together. The decision should be reasoned and documented.
What if the grievance alleges discrimination or whistleblowing?
Treat these as potentially higher risk. Understand the precise allegation and consider whether specialist investigation or legal advice is needed. Ensure the employee is not subjected to detriment because they raised a protected concern.
How do I reach an outcome?
Make findings on each material allegation based on the available evidence. Explain what was upheld, not upheld or could not be determined, with sufficient reasons. Set out any appropriate next steps while respecting other employees' confidentiality. Confirm the outcome in writing and offer an appeal.
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
Ignoring part of the grievance; choosing an investigator with a conflict; treating a complaint as disloyalty; making promises about the outcome; allowing the matter to drift; and failing to keep proper notes can all make a difficult situation worse.
How Nectar HR can help
Nectar HR supports employers with grievance scoping, independent investigations, meeting documentation, outcome letters and appeals. We can also help where a grievance overlaps with sickness absence, performance management or disciplinary proceedings.
Got an employee problem?
Nectar HR supports employers with grievance scoping, independent investigations, meeting documentation, outcome letters and appeals. We can also help where a grievance overlaps with sickness absence, performance management or disciplinary proceedings.
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