The Case: Disciplinary vs Grievance

What exactly are disciplinary and grievance procedures and how are they different from one another?

Disciplinary issues:

• Are where an employer has concerns about an employee’s conduct or behaviour 
• Address issues of poor performance, capability or misconduct at work
• Range from minor, yet persistent, offences (such as lateness or failure to follow company policy) through to serious and gross misconduct matters (such as fraud or physical violence)

Grievance issues：

• Can arise from concerns or complaints that employees may have in relation to their employment with an organisation
• Can relate to anything from the role or work being carried out, the working conditions or even the relationships employees may have with other colleagues
• Are most commonly raised due to disputes on contractual terms and safety at work more specifically including bullying, harassment and discrimination

Introducing key principles

There are many difficult situations that can happen in any workplace and to absolutely anyone within a business, even the Managing Director.

Managing human emotions can be complicated, especially when resolving a conflict or dispute at work. Our emotions, particularly fear or anxiety, can shape how we think, act and relate to others, as they are often based on our own unique life experiences.

That’s why fairness is the key ingredient when resolving any disciplinary or grievance procedure.

A big part of this is having clear procedures for handling these issues, as this can help guide the next steps and make sure everyone is on the same page.

Essentially, this means that an employer or organisation should deal with issues in the most fair, consistent, and transparent manner possible.

They must resolve them all within a reasonable timeframe, in line with current legislation and in accordance with the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) guidelines.

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