Even if you love your job, there might come a time when you encounter a problem that just can’t be ignored.
Maybe you’ve spotted an error in your pay that nobody seems to be fixing, or perhaps there’s a disagreement with a manager that’s gone way beyond a simple personality clash. When these issues pop up, they can be stressful, awkward, and downright confusing to navigate.
But before you start rage-applying for new jobs or planning a dramatic exit (tempting as it may be), it’s important to know there are official ways to sort things out.
Here’s everything you need to know about raising a grievance at work, how the process works, and what to do if you find yourself on the receiving end of one:
What is a workplace grievance?
A workplace grievance is a formal complaint raised by an employee towards their employer.
While we all have the occasional moan about the office air con or the lack of decent coffee in the kitchen, a formal grievance is much more serious. It’s an official statement that something at work is negatively affecting you, and you want your employer to take formal action to resolve it.
Raising an employment grievance is a statutory right, meaning you are legally entitled to do it without fear of being treated unfairly because of it.
Reasons to file a grievance at work
You might be wondering what actually counts as a valid reason to go down this formal route.
There isn’t a strict list of ‘allowed’ grievances, but generally, they relate to how you’re being treated, your rights, or your safety. It’s not usually for minor annoyances, but rather for issues that have a significant impact on your working life.
Some common reasons to file a grievance at work include:
- Bullying or harassment: If you’re being picked on, intimidated, or harassed by a colleague or manager.
- Discrimination: If you feel you’re being treated unfairly due to protected characteristics like age, gender, race, or disability.
- Pay and conditions: If you aren’t being paid correctly, or your contract terms are being ignored.
- Health and safety: If you’re being asked to work in unsafe conditions.
- Workload: If you’re consistently being given an unmanageable amount of work.
If you’re experiencing any of these, putting a grievance in at work might be the necessary step to get it sorted.
How to: Find a company’s equality and diversity policy
Examples of grievances in the workplace
Here are some real-world examples of grievances that employees have raised:
- Being excluded from meetings or opportunities for development because of your age or gender.
- Receiving unwanted comments about your appearance from a coworker, even after asking them to stop.
- Not being paid overtime even though you regularly work extra hours (and your contract says you should).
- Finding out your workload has doubled while others in your team have seen theirs decrease—without any explanation or additional support.
- Your manager repeatedly dismissing your health concerns after you raised issues about faulty equipment or unsafe workspaces.
- Having your flexible working request denied without a valid business reason, especially if others have been approved for similar requests.
If you recognise any of these scenarios in your own workplace, it could be a sign that it’s time to get things addressed through a grievance.
Working hours: What you need to know
How to raise a grievance at work
If you’ve decided that enough is enough, you need to know the proper steps to take.
Most companies will have their own specific grievance procedure in the workplace – usually found in the company handbook or on the intranet. However, if your company doesn’t have one (or you can’t find it), you should follow the guidelines set out by Acas.
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to navigate the process:
Try the informal route first
Before you start drafting formal letters, it’s almost always best to try and sort it out informally.
This usually involves asking for a quiet chat with your Line Manager. You’d be amazed at how many issues are down to simple misunderstandings or oversight. Explain your concern calmly and give them a chance to fix it.
If the problem is with your manager, you might want to speak to their manager or someone from HR instead.
The formal grievance procedure
If the informal chat didn’t work, or the issue is too serious for a quick coffee catch-up (like sexual harassment or whistleblowing), it’s time to get formal.
To raise a formal complaint at work, you should write a letter to your employer. This letter should:
- Clearly state that this is a formal grievance.
- Set out the details of your complaint (facts, dates, times).
- Include any evidence you have (emails, witness names).
- Explain what you want your employer to do to resolve it.
Keep it professional, factual, and stick to the point. This isn’t the place for emotional rants – you want to be taken seriously.
The grievance meeting
Once your employer receives your letter, they should arrange a meeting to discuss it.
You have a legal right to be accompanied to this meeting by a colleague or a trade union representative. We highly recommend taking someone with you – they can take notes, help you remember what to say, and provide moral support.
During the meeting, you’ll go through your worker grievance details. Your employer will then investigate the issue to see what’s happened.
The outcome and appeal
After the meeting and investigation, your employer will write to you with their decision.
Hopefully, they agree with you and set out a plan to fix the issue. However, if they decide not to uphold your grievance, or you aren’t happy with the action they plan to take, you have the right to appeal.
This usually involves another meeting, ideally with a more senior manager who wasn’t involved in the first decision, to review the case again.
How to deal with work problems professionally
Grievance letter example
Figuring out what to say in a formal grievance letter isn’t always easy. To get you started, here’s a straightforward template you can use to get your concerns across clearly:
[Your Name]
[Your Job Title/Department]
[Date]To: [Manager’s Name or HR Department]
Subject: Formal Grievance
Dear [Manager’s Name/HR Department],
I am writing to raise a formal grievance concerning [briefly state the issue, e.g., ‘bullying in the workplace,’ ‘unfair treatment,’ or ‘pay discrepancies’].
Details of grievance:
- Explain what happened: [Brief summary, include dates, times, and people involved]
- How it has affected you: [Explain the impact on your wellbeing or work]
- Any actions already taken: [Who you spoke to, what’s been done so far, if anything]
I would like this issue to be investigated in line with the company’s grievance procedure. I am happy to provide further information or discuss this matter as needed.
Thank you for your attention to this serious issue.
Kind regards,
[Your Name]
How to respond to a grievance at work
What if you’re a manager and someone raises a grievance against you?
Before you panic, remember that there is a process for a reason. Here is how to handle an employee complaint against an employer or manager effectively:
Stay calm and professional
It’s easy to get defensive, especially if you feel the grievance against the employer or yourself is unfair. But getting angry or emotional won’t help.
Treat it as a professional issue to be resolved, not a personal attack. Read the grievance carefully to understand exactly what the issue is.
Follow the procedure
Just like raising a grievance, responding to one requires sticking to the rules.
Check your employer grievance procedure immediately to ensure you are following the correct timelines and steps. If you rush it or ignore the rules, you could land yourself and the company in hot water later on – especially if it goes to an employment tribunal.
Get support
Don’t try to handle it alone.
Reach out to your HR department immediately – as they are there to guide you through the grievance process in the workplace and ensure everything is done fairly.
If you don’t have an HR team, sources like GOV.UK offer excellent guidance for employers.
Frequently asked questions
Still have questions about how the grievance world works? Here are some answers to the most common queries.
Can I be fired for raising a grievance?
Absolutely not. It is illegal for your employer to fire you or treat you unfairly (victimise you) because you raised a genuine grievance. If they do, you could have a claim for unfair dismissal.
Is there a time limit for raising a grievance?
While it’s best to raise it as soon as possible while events are fresh in your mind, there isn’t a specific legal deadline for submitting a grievance to your employer.
However, if you plan to take a claim to an employment tribunal, there are strict time limits. You usually have three months minus one day from the date the problem happened to make a claim. This clock keeps ticking even whilst you are going through the internal grievance procedure, so keep an eye on the dates. Citizens Advice has more detailed advice on timelines.
What if the outcome isn’t what I wanted?
If you’ve gone through the appeal process and you still aren’t happy, you might consider mediation or ‘early conciliation’ through Acas. If that fails, your final option might be an employment tribunal – though this should generally be a last resort.
Do I have to resign to make a point?
You don’t have to, but some people feel they have no choice if the breach of contract is severe enough. This is known as ‘constructive dismissal’. It’s a risky and complicated legal route, so always get legal advice before resigning in the heat of the moment.
Final thoughts
Dealing with a grievance at work is never going to be the highlight of your career. It’s stressful, time-consuming, and can be emotionally draining.
However, knowing your rights and having a clear process to follow can make a huge difference. Whether you’re raising a complaint or dealing with one, the key is to stay professional, keep records of everything, and use the support available to you.
And if it turns out that your current workplace just isn’t the right fit anymore? Well, there are plenty of other fish in the sea (or jobs on the board).
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