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AC3.4 Advise on the importance of handling grievances effectively.
Topic: Explaining the significance of effectively managing grievances and its impact on individuals and organisations.
Guideline:
In this question, the goal of the learners is to advise on the importance of effectively managing grievances and to highlight its far-reaching impact. Learners should put the main points of collective action into law, based on the special bridge of the law. The inclusion of relevant legal factors may improve interpretation.
They are required to:
- Discuss how to avoid legal claims.
- Discuss how to safeguard an organisation’s reputation during grievances.
- Addresses the impact of grievances on a team.
- Addresses the psychological impact of grievances.
- Give examples.
- Provide sources of evidence.
Avoiding Legal Claims:
Learners should begin by emphasising that effective grievance handling is essential to prevent employees from pursuing legal claims against an organisation. In complaint management learners should discuss strategies to protect legal claims, understand employment law, and use fair remedies. When grievances are not resolved, they may escalate to formal complaints and legal action.
Reputation of the Organisation:
Learners should discuss how the way grievances are handled can significantly impact the reputation of an organisation. They should discuss how poorly managed grievances can tarnish the organisation’s image. Learners should discuss how transparency in communication and ethics is essential in protecting the reputation of an organisation.
Impact on Individuals:
Learners should explain that effective grievance handling is crucial for addressing issues that may cause employee frustration, poor morale, absence, withdrawal of goodwill, resistance to change, and, in extreme cases, resignation. They should how effective handling can mitigate these negative consequences.
Impact on Teams:
Learner should recognize how unresolved grievances can disrupt team dynamics and cohesion, leading to reduced teamwork and overall performance. They can discuss how effective handling helps maintain a harmonious work environment.
Psychological Impact:
Learners should discuss how unaddressed grievances can have a lasting psychological impact on individuals, potentially leading to stress, anxiety, or depression. They should discuss how effective resolution can help alleviate these concerns.
Real-Life Example:
Among the examples that learners can be illustrating how an organisation that effectively manages grievances may avoid costly legal battles and maintain a positive reputation for treating employees fairly. In cases where grievances are handled poorly, employees may become demotivated and disengaged, leading to decreased productivity and potential resignations.
Sources of Evidence:
Learners can give reference of employment law and HR management literature to support their understanding of the legal implications of grievance handling. They can also draw their evidences from real-world cases or blogs that illustrate the impact of grievance handling on individuals and organisations. Among the reliable sources they can cite include:
- Clutterbuck, D. (2003). Managing work-life balance: a guide for HR in achieving organisational and individual change. CIPD publishing.
- CIPD, (2023) Discipline and grievances procedures: UK employment law. Available from https://www.cipd.org/uk/knowledge/employment-law/discipline/
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