Grievance
An employee has raised a grievance. Here's what to do.
The way you handle it now matters more than what caused it.
A formal grievance is on the record. How you respond, the process, the investigation, the outcome, determines whether this stays manageable or escalates into something much more expensive.
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Written and reviewed by Samantha Newton FCIPD, Chartered Fellow CIPD · 25+ years' employee relations experience · Last reviewed June 2026
At a glance
- What it is
- A formal complaint you must handle through a fair process.
- Main risk
- A mishandled grievance becoming a tribunal or constructive dismissal claim.
- First step
- Acknowledge it in writing, and don't react defensively.
- Typical timescale
- Usually a few weeks, without unreasonable delay.
What's probably happening right now
You've received a complaint, written or verbal, that has now become formal. It might be about a manager, a colleague, working conditions, a disciplinary outcome, or something that has been building for some time.
Your instinct may be to defend the decision or explain why the complaint is unfounded. That instinct is understandable. But acting on it without following a proper grievance process is one of the most common ways manageable complaints become expensive tribunal claims.
The grievance process gives the employee a fair hearing. Done correctly, it also gives you the best chance of resolving things without further escalation, and demonstrates procedural fairness if it does go further.
Watch
How to handle this, in a couple of minutes
Typical situations supported
If any of these sound familiar, you're in the right place.
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Where grievances go wrong for employers
Most grievance problems are not about the original complaint. They are about how the employer responded to it. Common mistakes include:
Dismissing the complaint without a proper investigation
Letting the manager implicated in the grievance conduct the hearing
Responding defensively rather than factually
Failing to keep adequate records
Missing the employee's right of appeal
Treating it as a personal matter rather than a procedural one
A grievance handled correctly, even when the outcome is 'not upheld', substantially reduces your legal exposure. A grievance handled dismissively creates problems, even if the complaint had no real merit.
What's at stake
What's actually at risk
Up to 25%
How much a tribunal can increase an award when the ACAS Code of Practice isn't followed.
- The original complaint is usually containable. What makes it serious is how you respond to it.
- Procedural failures routinely lead to findings against employers, even when the complaint itself was weak.
- A grievance that feels ignored can trigger a resignation and a constructive dismissal claim on top.
Most grievances that end up at tribunal had a clear point where the right process, followed properly, would have resolved or contained the situation.
The process
The grievance process, step by step
A clear, fair process is what protects you at every stage. Here's how it runs, and where Samantha guides you through it.
Acknowledge
Confirm receipt in writing and set out what happens next.
Investigate
Gather the facts fairly, through someone impartial.
Hearing
Meet the employee to hear the complaint in full.
Outcome
Give a clear, reasoned decision in writing.
Appeal
Offer a right of appeal to someone not previously involved.
- 1
Acknowledge
Confirm receipt in writing and set out what happens next.
- 2
Investigate
Gather the facts fairly, through someone impartial.
- 3
Hearing
Meet the employee to hear the complaint in full.
- 4
Outcome
Give a clear, reasoned decision in writing.
- 5
Appeal
Offer a right of appeal to someone not previously involved.
How Magenta HR helps
In a single session, Samantha will assess the grievance, identify the legal risk within it, and give you a clear plan for handling it from here:
Assessment of the grievance and any legal exposure
Advice on who should hear the grievance and how to approach it
Structure for the investigation where one is required
Guidance on conducting the hearing and what to record
Support drafting the outcome letter
Advice on the right of appeal stage
Written summary of process and next steps within 48 hours
You deal directly with Samantha throughout. Someone who has handled hundreds of these. Not a helpline, not a junior.
The Magenta Method
From problem to sorted, in four clear steps
A clear, four-step approach so you always know where you stand and what happens next.
Understand
We get a clear, honest picture of what's really going on, beneath the surface.
Assess the risk
Your legal exposure and commercial impact, explained in plain English.
Plan the right path
Realistic options and the correct steps, in order, written up within 48 hours.
Resolve & protect
Support through it, then keep you protected so the next issue is caught early.
Real situation · anonymised
Grievance
Resolved before it escalated further
A formal complaint landed on a Friday afternoon.
Situation
An employee raised a grievance against a line manager. The owner had never handled one before and was worried about saying the wrong thing and making it worse.
What changed
A properly structured investigation and hearing. The right questions asked. Both parties treated fairly and the process documented throughout.
Outcome
Resolved without escalation. The employee stayed. The line manager got clear guidance. The business avoided tribunal risk.
Director, professional services
Reviewed by Samantha Newton FCIPD, Chartered Fellow of the CIPD, with 25+ years handling situations like this.
Prefer to handle it yourself?
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Plain-English guidance, letters, checklists and an editable policy. Written by a Chartered Fellow, from real cases. From £197.
Common questions
An employee has complained about something. Do I have to treat it formally?+
If the complaint has been put in writing, or if the employee says they are raising a formal grievance, then yes. Even verbal complaints can become formal if handled carelessly. The safest approach is to treat any complaint seriously and take advice before deciding how to respond.
The complaint is about their manager. How do I handle that without it getting worse?+
The manager named in the grievance should not be involved in investigating or hearing it. You need someone independent, which can be a challenge in a small business. Samantha can advise on who should handle it and how to set it up correctly without escalating the situation.
What if I think the complaint has no merit?+
You still need to follow the process. A complaint that is not upheld is not the same as one that was ignored. Dismissing a grievance without a proper investigation is one of the most common reasons employers end up in a worse position than they were in before the complaint was raised.
Do I have to follow the ACAS Code of Practice?+
It is not legally binding, but employment tribunals take it seriously. Failure to follow it can result in tribunal awards being increased by up to 25%. In practice, it sets the standard against which your process will be judged.
Can the employee's line manager hear the grievance?+
Not if the grievance is about them, or if they are too close to the situation to be impartial. You need someone independent to hear it. If that's a challenge in a small business, that's something Samantha can help you work through.
What if the grievance is clearly unfounded?+
You still need to follow the process. A grievance that is not upheld is not the same as a grievance that was dismissed without investigation. Skipping the process, even when the complaint is without merit, creates legal risk you didn't have before.
What if the employee goes off sick during the grievance?+
This is common and adds complexity. You can't simply pause indefinitely, but you also can't push through a process in a way that worsens the situation. How you handle this period matters. Get advice before proceeding.
How long does a grievance process take?+
There is no fixed timeline, but unreasonable delay works against you. The ACAS guidance suggests holding the hearing as promptly as reasonably practicable. Samantha will help you set a realistic and defensible timetable.
Ready to sort this out
Get a clear, honest read on your situation
Start with the free Situation Check to understand exactly what you're dealing with, or book a free consultation and talk it through with Samantha directly.
You deal directly with Samantha, no call centre, no junior, and if you can handle it yourself, she'll tell you. Getting it wrong can run to five figures; a focused session starts from £495 + VAT, with a written plan in 48 hours.
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