Workplace Grievance Procedure Advice for Employers

Whether you’re dealing with a single issue, a formal complaint, or a dispute involving multiple employees, getting the grievance procedure for employers right is crucial to avoid legal, financial, and reputational risk to your business.

The Employment Law Advice Bureau (EAB) is a free service for employers providing expert grievance process advice to help ensure your business operates in line with the ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures.

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EAB Helps Over 10,000 Employers Manage Workplace Grievances

EAB helps over 10,000 employers manage workplace issues with formal advice on grievances and compliance. Failing to follow a fair grievance procedure can lead to employment tribunal claims and compensation increases of up to 25% under the ACAS Code.

What Is A Workplace Grievance?

A workplace grievance is any problem or complaint that an employee has about their job. This can include things like:

  • Being bullied or harassed at work
  • Feeling discriminated against
  • Disputes over pay
  • Unsafe or unsuitable working conditions
  • How their manager is behaving

Getting to grips with what a grievance means and how to handle it properly is important because mistakes can lead to costly tribunal claims and damage to your company’s reputation.

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Trusted By Over 10,000 UK Employers

Download Free Employer’s Guide to Grievances And More

As part of our free membership service, EAB gives you access to:

  • Templates for grievance policies
  • Examples of how to do grievance procedures
  • Guides to help you understand employee grievance processes
  • A step-by-step framework to follow in case of a grievance

Plus, you get direct access to qualified advisors who can help you navigate any grievance situation.

Free Membership For Employers

Free access is available for all members on best practices for investigating a grievance, holding hearings, and drafting outcome letters, equipping employers with practical grievance process guides tailored to their needs.

An Employer’s Guide to Grievances, Disciplinary Procedures & Short Service Dismissals

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Grievance Process Guides

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Employers Should Follow The ACAS Code of Practice on Workplace Grievance Procedures

Employers should follow the ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures to ensure a fair, consistent, and legally sound process, reducing the risk of tribunal claims.

Get Free Help With Your Grievance Procedure Today

Whether you are dealing with a formal grievance in the workplace or reviewing your current grievance policy, we’re here to help.

Over 10,000 UK employers already use us because we can:

  • Offer free expert advice
  • Keep you up to date with all the latest employment law changes
  • Provide practical support with grievance procedures
  • Offer templates and guides to help you stay compliant

Sign up for free today and get immediate access to expert grievance support.

The Employee Grievance Procedure Process
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Grievance Procedure for Employers FAQs

A grievance procedure is the formal way an employer deals with complaints raised at the workplace. Its main job is to ensure workplace complaints are handled fairly, consistently, and in line with ACAS guidance. By doing this, employers can reduce the risk of legal disputes and keep the workplace a happy and harmonious place to be.

The 5 steps of a grievance procedure are:

  1. Raising a grievance
  2. Investigating the grievance
  3. Holding a grievance hearing
  4. Making a decision
  5. Allowing an appeal

Following these steps helps ensure compliance with the ACAS grievance process.

An employer should handle a workplace grievance by following a fair and structured process that is already in place. This is likely to involve acknowledging the complaint, conducting a proper investigation, holding a formal grievance hearing and clearly communicating the outcome. Employers should always follow ACAS guidelines to avoid getting into any legal risk.

A formal grievance is a written complaint that an employee submits to the company when they can’t resolve an issue through informal discussion. This sets the formal grievance procedure in motion, requiring the employer to investigate and respond as per company policy and ACAS guidance.

A grievance procedure is used when an employee raises a complaint about a workplace issue or concern, whereas a disciplinary procedure is used when an employer deals with employee misconduct or performance issues. In some cases, both processes might run in parallel with each other.

A full grievance policy and procedure typically includes:

  • How an employee should go about submitting a grievance
  • The steps that are involved in resolving a grievance
  • The investigation process
  • A clear idea of how a grievance hearing will work
  • How an appeal can be made

Having a clear and well-drafted grievance policy and procedure is essential, as it ensures that everything is done fairly and that the employer is compliant with the law.

A grievance hearing is a formal meeting where the employee gets to present their complaint, and the employer gets to check the facts before making a decision on how to proceed. It’s a key part of the grievance procedure, and it must be carried out fairly.

The time it takes to resolve a grievance can vary, depending on how complex the issue is. Most grievance procedures take anything from a few days to a few weeks to sort out, but employers should aim to wrap things up as quickly as possible while still doing a proper investigation.

If an employer fails to follow the ACAS guidelines, they may find themselves in a difficult position in an employment tribunal, potentially facing increased compensation if the employer is found to have acted unreasonably. Compensation can even be increased by as much as 25% in some cases.

A collective grievance is when a group of employees all raise the same complaint at the same time. Employers need to handle these situations carefully to ensure that everything is done fairly and consistently for all the affected employees.

Having a proper grievance procedure in place is vital, as it helps resolve workplace issues before things get out of hand, protects employee rights and reduces the risk of expensive legal disputes. It also helps to create a more positive working environment and ensures that employers are in compliance with all the relevant employment laws.

Yes, small businesses can definitely follow the ACAS guidelines. While the process can be adapted to suit the size of the business, the core principles of fairness, consistency and proper investigation still need to be followed.

A workplace grievance might include an employee complaining about bullying, discrimination, not getting paid for work done or working in an unsafe environment. These sorts of issues all need to be handled through a structured grievance procedure.

If you’re an employer who’s struggling with grievances, you can get help by joining The Employment Law Advice Bureau, which provides free access to expert HR and employment law advice, templates and guidance. Backed by Avensure, EAB supports employers in handling grievances correctly and confidently.

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Disclaimer: The content of this website is for information only and is not intended to be construed as legal advice and should not be treated as a substitute for specific advice. If you require legal guidance on any HR, employment law or health and safety matters, particularly tailored to your business, we recommend consulting with a qualified Employment Law Advice Bureau expert