How can an HR consultant help?

All in all, handling grievances and disciplinaries can be time- and energy-consuming, especially for medium and small businesses.  These procedures and processes can contribute to unrest in the workplace too, particularly in sensitive cases where people can resent decisions that have been made.

Remain impartial and compliant

Seeking HR consultancy or outsourcing your company’s HR provisions can ensure that grievance and disciplinary procedures remain impartial and compliant with statutory guidance.

Rest assured that you're doing the right thing.

Enabling a third party, such as Lamont Jones, to handle any grievance and disciplinary action can alleviate the pressure and stress of managing things in-house. Plus, with over 30 years’ experience, we’re qualified and well-versed in the sensitivities of handling grievance and disciplinary cases, so you can rest assured that we’re doing the right thing.

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disciplinary and grievance procedures

What is the difference between disciplinary and grievance procedures?

The difference between disciplinary and grievance procedures is that a grievance is lodged by a worker to their employer.

Disciplinary procedures are used by an employer to address a worker’s performance or behaviour. 

How to handle grievance and disciplinary procedures

All grievances and disciplinary action should be handled with the utmost sensitivity and seriousness. Although they are part and parcel of work, these situations will likely be distressful for most employees.

How do grievance procedures work?

Companies are required by law to have a formal written grievance procedure in place for both informal and formal grievances - this should outline:

  • Who employees should contact if they have an issue
  • What the process involves, including appeals
  • The response times for each stage of the grievance process
Learn more about grievances

Formal Grievances

In the event an employee raises a grievance formally, employers should address the issue by following these four steps:

  • Investigate the initial grievance
  • Hold a grievance hearing
  • Making a decision
  • Appeals and next steps
Contact us for help with formal grievances

How do disciplinary procedures work?

As with the grievance procedure, employers should have written disciplinary procedures and rules to deal with employee performance and conduct - these must be communicated to staff members too.

If an informal chat with the employee has not worked out, taking informal action to resolve discipline issues will be the logical next step.

Typically, disciplinary procedures will follow these six steps…
  1. Following a fair procedure
  2. Carrying out an investigation
  3. A disciplinary hearing
  4. Making a decision 
  5. Communicating the decision to other staff members 
  6. Recording
  Depending on how the employee in question receives the outcome of the grievance and disciplinary procedures, they may seek to escalate the claim to an employment tribunal.
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