Grumble or grievance?

One of things which makes life for managers is the historic, hidden grievance. It’s probably tucked away in a long email and forgotten about…by you that is…

Then, when you try to take a completely unrelated step (redundancy or performance management) out comes the allegation: this is all because I complained about discrimination/raised a protected disclosure?

Of course, the older the complaint the less likely a tribunal is to find it relevant but that doesn’t stop the employee from derailing your goals. Wading through reams of evidence is costly and unnerving particularly at tribunal.

But there’s a really simple step you can take which costs nothing. Firstly, look at your appraisal forms- particularly the bit the employee fills in. Ask them to tick a yes or no box next to the question: Do you have any unresolved concerns concerning your employment?

An employee who remains quiet will really struggle to succeed with this kind of strategy. Basic principles such as waiver will stop the employee from raking up historic issues.

This is just one example of how really simple steps can give employers major advantages.