NOTES
Self-Instructional
Material 147
Employee Welfare,
Separation
Table 12.1 Reasons for Adoption of a Grievance Handling Procedure
1. Most grievances seriously disturb the employees. This may affect their morale,
productivity and their willingness to cooperate with the organization. If an explosive
situation develops, this can be promptly attended to if a grievance handling
procedure is already in existence.
2. It is not possible that all the complaints of the employees would be settled by first-
line supervisors, for these supervisors may not have had a proper training for the
purpose, and they may lack authority. Moreover, there may be personality conflicts
and other causes as well.
3. It serves as a check on the arbitrary action of the management because supervisors
know that employees are likely to see to it that their protest does reach higher
management.
4. It serves as an outlet for employee gripes, discontent and frustrations. It acts like a
pressure valve on a steam boiler. The employees are entitled to legislative, executive
and judicial protection and they get this protection from the grievance redressal
procedure, which also acts as a means of upward communication. The top
management becomes increasingly aware of employee problems, expectations and
frustrations. It becomes sensitive to their needs, and cares for their well-being. This
is why the management, while formulating plans that might affect the employeesâ
for example, plant expansion or modification, the installation of labour-saving
devices, and so on, should take into consideration the impact that such plans might
have on the employees.
5. The management has complete authority to operate the business as it sees fit â
subject, of course to its legal and moral obligations, and the contracts it has entered
into with its workers or their representative trade union. However, if the trade union
or the employees do not like the way the management functions, they can submit
their grievance in accordance with the procedure laid down for that purpose.
Source: Mamoria, C.B. and S.V. Gankar. Personnel Management Text and Cases. Bombay: Himalaya
Publishing House.
According to T.O. Amstrong, if properly designed, a grievance procedure
should be able to offer the following:
1. A path which the aggrieved employee may take to express his grievance.
2. A procedure to ensure systematic handling of each grievance.
3. A method by which an aggrieved employee can give vent to his feelings of
dissatisfaction with the work he is assigned, the conditions of work, etc,
with the management.
4. A means of ensuring a certain degree of promptness in grievance handling
12.3.4 Nature and Causes of Grievances
Just about any factor involving wages, hours or conditions of employment has and
can be used as the basis of grievance. Calhoon observes âGrievances exist in the
minds of individuals, are produced and dissipated by situations, are fostered or
healed by group pressures, are adjusted or made worse by supervisors, and are
