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Grievances do more harm than good

Published: 24 Nov 2025

Clare Fowler from YESS Law, experts in employment law and resolving workplace disputes, updates some key considerations on the subject of grievances at work. 

At YESS we start with the assumption that early resolution of workplace issues is the best outcome for you and your employer, and legal action is the worst. 

The purpose of an employer’s grievance process is meant to be to resolve concerns, problems or complaints raised by employees. In practice, we find this is often not the case. Unfortunately, we find that grievances are often seen as either the first stage in a potential legal process, so employers are reluctant to make any concessions or admissions that things could have been done better in response to them.  Or, they are seen as a tick box exercise where meetings are convened and lengthy outcome letters are produced (usually not upholding the grievance or only upholding one or two minor points) but little effort is made to understand what has gone wrong and no thought is actually given to how the underlying issues could be resolved.  

Acas recommends in its code of practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures acas.org.uk/acas-code-of-practice-on-disciplinary-and-grievance-procedures an initial chat to try to resolve any concerns and we agree. Frequently though, this potentially crucial first step is missed. Employees may think that a grievance is the only way to raise concerns and may not know who to approach for a more informal chat especially if their concerns involve their line manager. Conversely some employers wrongly refuse to consider an employee’s concerns unless they raise a written formal grievance. 

We give some tips on how to constructively engage with an employer below. However remember that Acas does require that at a certain point (essentially when you think it’s more likely than not that it won’t be resolved and you might have to take things further for example register with Acas for Early Conciliation) you should raise the matter formally, in writing, and without unreasonable delay. Unreasonable failure to raise a grievance can lead to up to 25% reduction in compensation if you eventually take legal action and win a tribunal claim. So if your attempts to resolve concerns informally don’t get off the ground, you will probably have to raise a grievance in any event. 

The downsides of standard grievance procedures: 

  • Grievances focus on what has gone wrong in the past and contain allegations and often legal threats – for example, in relation to bullying and potential claims of discrimination, whistleblowing, unfairness.  
  • An employer’s most common reaction is to defend itself. A response may include counter allegations such as poor performance. The scene is now set for battle. 
  • Grievances often entrench the dispute or ratchet up the tension. It is difficult for both sides to backtrack unless they engage in mediation. Both sides put their energies into defending their position rather than finding a solution. Both sides dwell on what has gone wrong – they rarely consider what can be done to rectify the problem. 
  • The grievance is the first step in a legal system which pits one side against the other. 
  • Grievances are rarely upheld – at least not if upholding a complaint could form the basis of a legal claim – and so employees with legitimate concerns are left dissatisfied. 
  • After an initial grievance outcome there is usually an appeal stage which saps more of everyone’s time and energy, often with the same end result. 
  • Everyone spends time going through the process, and everyone involved will probably feel anxiety and stress, but there is rarely a happy ending. You may feel that you have not been listened to, the outcome was pre-determined and anger mounts. The only justice you are going to get is in a tribunal. 
  • The process can take ages, (this especially seems to be the case with large public sector employers), during which time the stress may affect your health and it may become impossible for you to work, so you lose out on pay. 
  • Many employees do not stay in their job after raising a grievance. 
  • Grievances rarely achieve your objectives. Most employees want an apology, to avoid conflict and either for things to get better or if that is impossible in a particular situation, to leave with dignity. Employers will rarely ‘risk’ admitting fault for fear of opening themselves up to a legal claim. Apologies are often the first thing an employee wants but the last thing an employer is willing to give. 

The alternatives 

  • Raise your concerns early on and informally with the right person.  If your manager doesn’t know how to help, or your concerns are about them, do you have a workplace “buddy”, know someone in HR or could a colleague introduce you to a higher level manager? This doesn’t rule out a grievance if you don’t get the response you need. 
  • Suggest using a workplace mediator at an early stage before the relationship has deteriorated too far. 
  • State the facts, rather than make legal threats. It is more effective and is less likely to produce a defensive response. 
  • Try a solution focussed approach – if you know the resolution you want, are there things you could propose to help you get there?  Is there some training that might benefit your colleagues or a change in structure that would solve the problem? 

Our YESS top tips for engaging with your employer at all stages 

  • Avoid being aggressive – it rarely helps – and aggression breeds aggression. 
  • Avoid legal threats unless all else fails: the facts usually speak for themselves. 
  • Never overstate your position e.g. “I will resign if you don’t say sorry.” How will this help if you cannot afford to resign? 
  • Avoid making threats generally – they are often a sign of weakness, and rarely achieve a positive outcome. 
  • Focus on solutions to your problem or concern– decide on your objectives and work out how you could achieve what you want. 
  • Put yourself in the shoes of the other person to try to work out their main concerns and what they may want. 
  • Consider how emails or letters may be received – read them back to yourself – will they help to resolve or entrench any disagreement? Are they focussing on resolution or on what has gone wrong? 
  • Ask for an off the record chat to discuss possible solutions resolution – it can break the cycle of distrust. 
  • If your aim is to stay in your job, think carefully before saying that you no longer have trust and confidence in your employer as this implies the employment relationship is no longer sustainable.   

You can find more information about grievances and a sample grievance letter on this website, or contact the Working Families legal advice helpline on 0300 012 0312 or use the advice contact form . 

Note – this blog has been updated from a previous version on our website.

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