1 Grievance Handling Uttam Acharya

2 Objectives At the end of the session participants will be able to:Explain the nature and causes of grievance Describe grievance handling procedures Identify techniques of handling grievances NASC 2016

3 Contents Nature and causes of grievance Types of grievancesGrievance handling Techniques and procedures/process Government practices NASC 2016

4 Grievance ? Discussion NASC 2016

5 Group work What is Grievance? Causes of Grievance? Types/ Levels?Techniques/ Tools?

6 Grievance / DissatisfactionFeeling of being Uncomfortable Unhappy Disappointed Discontent Anything that disturbs an employee’s feeling whether expressed or not is known as dissatisfaction .

7 Grievance A formally presented complaint is known as grievance.A complaint becomes a grievance when the employee feels that an injustice has been committed (E.B. Flippo)

8 Grievance Handling What is a Grievance? Every employee has certain expectations, which he/she thinks must be fulfilled by the organization he/she is working for. When the organization fails to do this he/she develops a feeling of dissatisfaction. When an employee feels something is unfair in the organization he is said to have a Grievance.

9 ILO -International Labour Organisation.‘A complaint of one or more workers in respect of wages, allowances, conditions of work and interpretation of service stipulations covering such areas as overtime, leave, transfer, promotion, seniority, job assignment, and termination of service.’ -International Labour Organisation.

10 Causes: ( I ) Economic Wage fixation. Overtime. Incentive. Allowances.Increments. NASC 2016

11 Causes: ( II ) Work EnvironmentPoor physical condition of workplace like unsafe working condition, illumination(light), poor ventilation and unsafe equipments. Stringent(strict) production norms. Defective tools and equipment. Poor quality of material. Unfair practices. Nature of Job. Poor quality raw material, tools, equipments.etc.

12 Causes: ( III ) SupervisionRelates to the attitude of the supervisor towards the employee such as perceived notions of bias, favoritism, regional feelings etc. ( IV ) Work Group Employee is unable to adjust with his colleagues. Suffers from feelings of neglect. Victimization and becomes an object of ridicule and humiliation etc.

13 Causes: V ) MiscellaneousIssues relating to certain violations in respect of promotions Transfer Disciplinary rules Fines Granting leaves Over stay after the expiry of leaves Medical facilities Favoritism

14 People Problems( The tools of Government)Donald F Kettl Right people with right job Civil service tradition Recruitment on the basis of substansive knowledge. Hierachial structre vs network structure. Indirect Government. NASC 2016

15 (low productivity, quality, quantity, wastage, increased cost) Effects of Grievance On production (low productivity, quality, quantity, wastage, increased cost) On the employee (absenteeism , reduced commitment,low morale) On the managers (Strained superior-subordinate relations, indiscipline cases) NASC 2016

16 Types of grievances 1. Individual (benefit, salary, career devt.)2. Organizational(work environment, policy, performance mgmt.) 3. Behavioral ( perception, attitude ) 4. External (market forces etc.)

17 Grievance in Different LevelStage –I At Supervisory level Stage –II At HOD level Stage –III At Management level NASC 2016

18 Other level of GrievancesInter- section (both individual and departmental e.g. Admin vs. Account) Inter – departmental Group level Political level Regional level Class level Cultural level( race , caste etc.)

19 How to Prevent a GrievanceIdentify potential causes Correct problems promptly Encourage corrective suggestions Establish and reaffirm policies and work rules Communicate and give advance notice of changes Keep employees informed of their progress Be objective Learn to listen Be consistent NASC 2016

20 If you Receive an Employee GrievanceFirst and foremost… Don’t panic! Hold your temper! Take charge! Consider the possibility of early settlement… NASC 2016

21 Benefits of Early SettlementAt any point during the grievance process, the parties can agree to an early settlement. The benefits include: Quick resolution Employee frustration avoided Supervisor/Staff/union credibility Respect of employees gained Prolonged conflict avoided “Local” control maintained

22 Techniques of handling GrievancesOpen door policy Suggestion box Grievance handling Grievance handling committee Regular staff meeting NASC 2016

23 Techniques of Grievance handlingNASC 2016

24 Role of Managers to resolve grievancesTo maintain a culture of high performance. Must be educated about the importance of the grievance process and their roles (not getting panic) Effective grievance handling is an essential part of cultivating good employee relations and running a fair, successful, and productive workplace. Relationship building is key to successful NASC 2016

25 LESSON process L Listen E Establish the fact S SummariseS Specify the solution O Obtain agreement N Note everything NASC 2016

26 Process of Grievance HandlingAlways ensure that the managers involved in the grievance handling procedures have a quiet place to meet with the complainant. Always ensure that managers have adequate time to be devoted to the complainant. Explain manager's role, the policy and the procedures clearly in the grievance handling procedure. NASC 2016

27 Contd. Fully explain the situation to the employee to eliminate any misunderstanding Try to let employee present their issues without prejudging or commenting in a positive, friendly ways to resolve the crisis Do remain calm, cool during the course of the meeting. Focus on the subject of the grievance than allied issues. NASC 2016

28 Contd… Don't make threats to manage the grievances.Never make use of allegations against personalities. Be aware of the staff member's potential concerns to the possible repercussions of raising a grievance. NASC 2016

29 Other qualities of managersDon't become angry or hostile Listen for the main point and respond sensitively to any distress exhibited by the employees. Eliminating the source of the irritation or discomfort being complained of. Impartiality Don't swap one grievance for another Avoid usage of verbosisms like  "it will be taken care of." Confidential communication NASC 2016

30 Contd. Try the level best to involve team members to resolve the crisis at unit level itself. Avoid as far as possible the union involvement in conflict resolution situation process. Follow documentation the procedures, of all necessary steps taken to resolve the problem/complaint. NASC 2016

31 Grievance handling practices in NepalFormal & institutionalized mechanism does not exist Ministry wise some kind of practices/efforts can be seen, not noticeable Appointment of nodal officer/arrangement of public hearing, mobile team & PR office Labor Act 2048 NASC 2016

32 Take away Do not let a small dissatisfaction turn into a major grievance. There are many types of grievances, if faced with one , handle with great dedication backed up by legal provisions . Adopt a team based approach. NASC 2016

33 Queries Thank you NASC 2016