What are grievances?
A grievance is a formal concern or complaint raised by an employee about their employment. In the UK, employees have the statutory right to raise grievances, and employers are expected to address them fairly, promptly, and in line with the Acas Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures.
Grievances can be raised informally at first, but if not resolved, employees often choose to use a formal grievance process. Employers must then investigate and respond appropriately.
Common examples of grievances include…
- Bullying, harassment, or discrimination
- From colleagues or managers.
- Pay and benefits disputes
- Incorrect pay, withheld bonuses, or disagreement over holiday entitlement.
- Health and safety concerns
- Where an employee feels working conditions are unsafe or risks are not being managed properly.
- Unfair treatment
- Such as being overlooked for promotion, excessive workload allocation, or inconsistent application of policies.
- Breach of contract
- For example, changes to terms and conditions without consultation.
If grievances are ignored, dismissed, or handled poorly, employees may escalate their complaint to an employment tribunal. This not only risks financial cost but can damage your reputation and staff morale.
Why do grievances matter to your business?
The way you handle grievances says a lot about your organisation’s culture and values. Grievances matter because they directly affect your legal compliance, employee relations, and business reputation.
- Legal risk
- Mishandling a grievance can increase exposure to claims, especially if the issue involves discrimination, whistleblowing, or breach of contract. At tribunal, failure to follow the Acas Code can result in compensation awards being increased by up to 25%.
- Reputation and trust
- Employees are more likely to remain engaged and loyal if they know concerns will be taken seriously and addressed fairly. Mishandling grievances can lead to loss of trust and negative reviews on platforms like Glassdoor.
- Preventing escalation
- Grievances left unresolved can quickly spiral into formal disputes, resignations, or tribunal claims, creating unnecessary stress and cost.
- Protecting morale and productivity
- Workplace tensions spread quickly; failing to address one grievance can have a knock-on effect across teams, reducing collaboration and performance.
- Compliance and governance
- Having a clear, fair grievance process helps demonstrate compliance with employment law and shows regulators, tribunals, and stakeholders that you take employee concerns seriously.
Handled well, grievances can actually be an opportunity to improve workplace practices, strengthen communication, and demonstrate your commitment to fairness.
How can we help you with grievances?
We provide practical, expert HR support to help employers manage grievances effectively, fairly, and in compliance with UK employment law.
We offer…
- Grievance policy drafting and review
- Ensuring your procedures are up to date, legally compliant, and easy to follow.
- Case-by-case advice
- Guiding you through each stage of the grievance process, from acknowledgement and investigation through to outcome and appeal.
- Independent investigations
- Carrying out impartial fact-finding interviews and reports to ensure decisions are objective, transparent, and defensible.
- Support with grievance hearings
- Helping you prepare documentation, advising on structure, and ensuring meetings are conducted fairly.
- Drafting responses and outcomes
- Providing clear, professional, and legally sound communications to employees.
- Appeal handling
- Advising on best practice where an employee challenges the grievance outcome.
- Manager training and coaching
- Equipping leaders with the confidence to handle sensitive issues in line with the Acas code and company policy.
- Mediation and resolution support
- Where appropriate, helping to restore working relationships and reduce the likelihood of future conflict.
Our goal is to resolve grievances quickly, fairly, and with minimum disruption to your business. We protect your organisation from legal and reputational risk while ensuring employees feel heard and respected.
Which other HR topics are related to grievances?
We can help you with grievances!
Already know what you want?
Great, let’s get to it!
Not sure exactly what you need?
No problem!
Our friendly and down-to-earth HR consultants will point you in the right direction. We’d love to have an informal chat to find out more about your business and so help you identify the areas most in need of attention.
We’re not after a quick sale, we’re all about building long-term relationships. In fact, we don’t even employ any sales people. Which means that right from the start you’ll be talking directly to someone who can actually help you.
We’re ready and waiting, so just get in touch!