Day-to-day people management can throw all kinds of challenges at managers. We often get asked, ‘what should I do if x happens?’ Whether you’re new to people management or have some experience, it can sometimes be difficult to know what is ‘allowed’. Being prepared when it comes to some common issues can make a real difference.
If you’re looking for some pointers when it comes to those ‘what should I do if…’ questions, we are here to help.
What should I do if…
- An employee raises a grievance?
- I have concerns about a dip in an employee’s level of performance?
- An employee is returning to work after a period of sickness absence?
- An employee seems upset at work?
- An employee resigns (with or without notice)?
An employee raises a grievance?
In most cases, if an employee raises a written grievance, it will usually need to be dealt with in accordance with your formal grievance procedure and the ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinaries and Grievance. In outline, this will involve:
- Inviting the employee by letter to attend a grievance meeting (and allowing them to be accompanied by a colleague or trade union representative if they wish)
- Holding the meeting with the employee (this is their opportunity to explain their grievance in detail and for you to get further relevant information you may need to investigate the matter following the meeting, e.g. dates, any witnesses, etc)
- Giving the employee a written outcome and right of appeal – it’s important that each of the employee’s grievance points is responded to in turn (if there is more than one) and that a full explanation is given as to the reasons for the decision. Remember, if there is merit in the employee’s grievance, appropriate action will need to be taken to rectify/address the situation and prevent a recurrence
If an employee raises a grievance in your business, the first step should be to seek advice on the specific facts. We can guide you through the process and support you with correspondence, such as a grievance meeting invitation letter. Whether or not there is merit in an employee’s grievance, it’s important to handle the matter fairly and appropriately not least because it can impact employee relations going forward.
I have concerns about a dip in an employee’s level of performance.
Usually, the first step will be to meet with the employee informally to discuss your concerns and to find out why the employee is not performing to the required standard. This will help you to identify what action is appropriate going forward, for example, if the employee needs additional training, or reasonable adjustments if they are disabled. If it is a genuine performance issue with no good reason behind it, clear and reasonable targets and an appropriate time period in which to improve can be set. In most cases, this is enough to resolve the issue and get performance back on track. Tricky situation or ongoing issue? Please get in touch for advice.
An employee is returning to work after a period of sickness absence?
You can (and should) carry out a return-to-work interview with them. Return to work interviews don’t usually take too long, and they are a useful tool to help you identify whether there are any ongoing or underlying medical issues or whether there are patterns of absences. Such monitoring will enable you to identify what steps, if any, you need to take in relation to a particular employee.
If you are carrying out a return-to-work interview with an employee, think about:
- Welcoming the employee back
- Asking how they are feeling now
- Explaining why a return to work meeting is being held
- Considering the information you have already and asking any relevant questions, e.g.:
- Confirm absence date(s)
- Ask about the reason for the employee’s absence (and allow them time to explain), any pattern of absence (if there is one), if they have sought and received medical advice
- Do they need any support
- Is there anything else they would like to say or anything they would like to ask
Need a return to work interview form for use in your business? We have one available so please get in touch.
An employee seems upset at work?
This can often be one of those situations where managers instinctively know what they would like to do – talk to the employee – but are unsure if it’s the right thing to do or are uncertain as to how to go about it. In this situation giving the employee an opportunity to talk to you if they wish to do so is usually a good first step. Getting a conversation started can be as simple as expressing concern and asking if there’s anything they would like to talk to you about. Remember, such conversations should take place in a private and appropriate setting, and being approachable and listening carefully can help to give the employee the confidence to talk. Sometimes a listening ear will be enough, but other times action may need to be taken to support the employee / address the situation if there is a workplace issue (e.g. unmanageable workload, colleagues not getting along). if so, please get in touch for specific advice before acting.
An employee resigns?
In a straightforward case where an employee has resigned in writing with the required amount of notice and there are no concerns (e.g. the employee is simply leaving for pastures new), it will usually just be a case of accepting the resignation in writing, wishing them well and covering off some practicalities. If this happens in your business, we can save you time by supporting you with a resignation acceptance letter on request.
Sometimes, even though there are no issues, an employee resigns without notice, or with less notice than they are contractually required to give, for example, because they have another job they can start immediately. This can be disruptive for employers and can understandably cause frustration. Unfortunately, there is often little that businesses can do in this situation if the employee is determined to go as the employee can’t be forced to work their (full) notice (and are unlikely to do a good job even if they were). If this happens, the employee isn’t entitled to be paid for the (part of the) notice period they did not work.
Unfortunately, life isn’t always simple, so it’s important to be alert for some situations where dealing with a resignation may not be as straightforward. These include where the employee resigns in response to something that has happened in the workplace, they raise a grievance in their resignation letter, they verbally resign, or there is some ambiguity as to whether they genuinely intend to resign. In circumstances such as these, it’s vital to get in touch for specific advice on the situation you are facing.