PRACTICE MANAGEMENT
Note that this dissatisfaction may be between employees, or between the employee and management.
Examples of grievances are:
• Rumours
• Incompatibility
• Differing attitudes and values
• Prejudice
• Poor working conditions
• Sexual harassment
• Unfair company procedures
A situation may arise where an employee may feel
that they have been unfairly treated at work. Regardless of the reason, the practice has an obligation to
ensure that the employee is given the opportunity to
address the matter formally.
This obligation should be met by using the Grievance
Procedure, a formal process that allows employees to
have their conflict resolved. The critical importance
of having a fair Grievance Procedure is that it should
aim to resolve conflict before it grows into a much
larger problem – both for the employee and for the
organisation.
Note that unlike many other aspects of employee relations, a Grievance Procedure will vary from practice
to practice as each entity sets up their own, based on
practice structure and number of employees.
Although the Grievance Procedure will vary between
practices, the following are guidelines to ensure that
it is fair and accessible:
• Employees are able to lodge their grievance without fear of victimisation
• All grievances are handled with discretion, and in a
way that the dignity and privacy of the employee
is maintained
• Grievances are settled quickly and as effectively
as possible
• The owner of the practice or his / her delegate is
available to act as advisor for both parties
• The employee has the right to be assisted by a coworker at any stage
• And, most importantly, the Grievance Procedure
should not replace normal communication between people at work.
The Grievance Procedure should ONLY be used if it
is clear that normal communication has not resolved
the issue. For example, an employee should discuss
the matter with the other person first, unless they are
fearful for valid reasons.
Finally, be aware of the fact that it is easy to fall into
the trap of over-using the Grievance Procedure; while
it is a vital part of managing employee relations, it can
be abused when employees use it to seek retribution
for personal issues, or “to get back at” someone. This
can trigger a lengthy chain reaction which wastes time
and resources.
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