Disciplinary, capability & grievance processes - how to get them right

Handling a disciplinary, capability or grievance process is an important and often time consuming job and the implications of getting it wrong can be far reaching. There are legal consequences, of course, but often more significant than this is the potential negative impact on employee engagement, productivity, workplace culture, management time, staff morale, client/customer relationships and reputation.

It's not surprising, then, that managers often ask us in our training sessions: "If it's so important, why do we even have to do this? Can't HR do it - after all, they're the experts?!"

We're used to dealing with this resistance. What's often behind it is fear and the perception that it will be a painful and difficult process. In our practical and interactive DC&G training, we aim to quell these fears, build confidence and skills, and highlight, in a non-legalistic and engaging way, what participants need to know about every stage of handling these processes (from investigation to appeal).

Understanding the legal and procedural landscape is important, as well as exploring how participants can develop an open mindset so they're not just ticking the boxes. We encourage them to reflect on the impact that their own experiences, biases, perspectives and judgements can have on the fairness and objectivity of a process.

We provide guidance on how to deal particularly difficult issues, such as requests for anonymity, employees asking to resign, and emotional reactions.

Finally, a crucial element of the learning is the opportunity to practise some of the techniques being discussed.

If any of your managers or HR need to hone their skills in this area, please give us a call.