Page 195 - DMGT516_LABOUR_LEGISLATIONS

Labour Legislations

Notes placed by the supervisor on the true nature of grievance is correct and helps him in dealing with
the grievance application in the right perspective.
Typically, grievance interview is informal unstructured it is employee driven and is situation
specific. It is non-directive and freewheeling in so far as the employee has full freedom to say
whatever he feels about the real or perceived injustice done to him, while the supervisor plays
the role of an "active listener". It is important to see that the interview setting ensures absolute
privacy and is free from interruption.

Methodology of, and Pitfalls in, Grievance-Handling

1. Vagueness should be avoided while handling grievances. The problem has to be defined
properly and in precise terms, as otherwise, the management may have to solve the same
problem over and over again with no finality.

2. Careful, attentive listening is an essential feature of grievance handling. More specifically,
where a grievance interview is held, the supervisor should be able to listen projectively
i.e. he should be able to grasp (a) the direction in which the grievant is proceeding, (b)
what is deep down in his mind, (c) what may probably come next, (d) in what manner tone
and tenor the grievant is likely to express it as the interview progresses. It is essential to
remember that grievance interview is an unstructured interview and the interviewer
should not express his opinion on any aspect of the grievance before the grievant has
completed his part of the job. He should strictly adhere to the principle, 'withhold
evaluation until comprehension is complete'. The interviewer should constantly display
empathy towards the grievant throughout the interviewer should constantly display
empathy towards the grievant throughout the interview process. A great deal of skill in
interviewing and counseling and a proven ability to hold conferences and discussions are
called for.
3. Facts should be separated from opinions and impressions. Similarly, the person should
also be separated from the problems, which means that those in charge of handling
grievance should not have any pre-conceived notions about the grievance on the basis of
who the grievance is. This calls for total objectivity on the part of the supervisor. The facts
should be carefully analysed and evaluated before arriving at some decision. There can be
more than one possible solution.

4. The management representative should be aware that the decision taken on a seemingly
simple grievance of an individual employee might have organisation-wide repercussions
and set a precedent, which cannot be departed from later. A wrong decision may have to
be lived with in other cases also in future. Sometimes the decisions may lead to serious
conflicts of dysfunctional nature among individuals groups and departments. There
possibilities call for a holistic perspective on the managers while handling individual
grievances.
5. An answer should be communicated to the employee within the prescribed time limit,
whether it is favourable or adverse to him. People dislike procrastination, and have no
respect for supervisors and managers who are incapable of taking a stand-be it for or
against.

6. There should be a consistent policy as to who communicate the grievance redressal decisions
to the employee. The same functionary should communicate all the decisions, good or
bad, to the grievants.
7. The object of grievance procedure is to resolve disagreement between the employee and
organisation. Discussion and conference naturally form the important elements of the
process.

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