HRM Report: Grievance and Discipline Procedures and Dismissal Laws

This report delves into the crucial aspects of Human Resource Management (HRM) concerning grievance and discipline within the workplace. It begins by defining the nature of grievances and disciplinary actions, emphasizing their role in maintaining a satisfactory employment contract. The report explores the operational procedures for handling grievances and implementing disciplinary measures, highlighting key steps such as fairness, representation, and promptness. It also examines the significance of disciplinary and grievance interviews in resolving workplace issues, focusing on problem-solving approaches. Furthermore, the report outlines the legal framework surrounding employee dismissal, including the Employment Rights Act 1996 and the Employment Act 2008. The conclusion underscores the importance of effective grievance and disciplinary procedures in fostering a productive and compliant work environment.

HRM
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................3
THE NATURE OF GRIEVANCE AND DISCIPLINE IN EMPLOYMENT..........................3
THE WORKING OF GRIEVANCE AND DISCIPLINE PROCEDURES..............................3
DISCIPLINARY OR GRIEVANCE INTERVIEW..................................................................4
OUTLINE THE LAW RELATED TO DISMISSAL................................................................4
CONCLUSION..........................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES...........................................................................................................................6
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INTRODUCTION
Human Resource Management (HRM) not only focuses on managing the human
resource within the organization but it also plays significant role in managing grievances as
well as maintaining disciplinary action within the workplace (Polster, 2011). The term
grievance is consider as the belief of dissatisfaction against the activities that is performed by
the employer or their superior. On the other hand, discipline is related with punishment that
allows the employees to perform activities accordant with the standard codes of organization.
Presently, the report focuses on understanding the nature of grievance and discipline
in employment that ensure mutual satisfaction within the contract of employment. Along with
this, it will also explain the brad outline of the law that are relating to dismissal.
THE NATURE OF GRIEVANCE AND DISCIPLINE IN EMPLOYMENT
In order to ensure mutual satisfaction within the contract of employment it is essential
to ensure nature of grievance and discipline in employment. The nature of grievance is
termed as feeling of dissatisfaction that staff experience in their job. It may results in arousing
collective dispute if the grievance is not resolved by the management (Snell and Bohlander,
2010). Along with this, it will also lower or reduce the morale of their employees that results
in arising feeling of discontentment and dissatisfaction. On the other hand, discipline within
the organization get affect when the individual or staff neglect the standard rules and
regulation that are enforced by the organization.
Therefore, it has been regarded that for ensuring mutual satisfaction within the
contract of employment it is essential for the organization to focus grievance and disciplinary
process so that it may ensure the concept of obedience within the workplace (Armstrong,
2010).
THE WORKING OF GRIEVANCE AND DISCIPLINE PROCEDURES
In order to ensure satisfaction level among the employees it is essential for
organization to focus on effective grievance and disciplinary procedure. Basically there are
four different features of grievance procedure that is fairness, representation, procedural steps
and the last step is promptness (Gauri, 2013). The preliminary step in the grievance procedure
is to lodged grievances with the immediate superior so that they must take necessary steps to
avoid the situation. Another step in the grievance procedure is hearing the actions of all the
parties and perceive solution to minimize them. If the employees are not satisfied with the
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decisions taken by superior or manager then they may claim to the Industrial tribunal or
Employment tribunal for fair actions to resolve the grievances.
The working of disciplinary procedure also focuses on following same guidelines that
is fairness, promptness and representation (Colvin, 2013). The disciplinary procedure mainly
include four major steps that is firstly manager would provide verbal caution regarding the
indiscipline activity performed by the staff. For example, if staff has consume the alcohol
within the workplace that is against the organizational code of conduct. Therefore, manager
firstly will provide the verbal caution. In the situation of repeating offence then manager
would provide written warning to them (Walker and Hamilton, 2011). For conducting the
same offence for third time employee may get suspend from the workplace. While, the last
step in the disciplinary procedure is dismissal of staff if they are not following the
disciplinary procedure devised by organization.
DISCIPLINARY OR GRIEVANCE INTERVIEW
Grievance and disciplinary interviewing are important in resolving problems that
arises in employment among management and employees. An essential feature of the method
is to accept that both types of interview are problem-solving (Roche, Teague and Colvin,
2014). There is a problem relating to the employment of the individual, and the management
focuses on resolving the problem. It is achievable that the best resolution is to dismiss the
party but the management focuses on avoiding the final action that dismissal. The key
purpose of both the interview is to inform the staff regarding their poor performance as well
as activities that results in violating the policy and procedure of company (Rahim, Brown and
Graham, 2011). In order to successfully carry out the disciplinary and grievance interview
management must focuses on different steps that is scheduling the meeting as well as time
with the individual that is facing grievance or may engage in in-disciplinary activities. After
that they would explore the perspective of employees as well as supervisor so that they may
easily resolve the grievance. Another step is to discuss several solution that would support in
resolving the grievance as well as ensuring disciplinary action among the workplace.
OUTLINE THE LAW RELATED TO DISMISSAL
It has been cited that persistent drunkenness is consider as one of the key reason for
dismissing the employees. Therefore, it is essential to abide the code of practices that are
enforced by the Health and Safety executives to ensure consumption of alcohol at the
workplace. The different law related with dismissal include-
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1. The Employment Right Act 1996: The key law related with dismissal include the
Employment Right Act 1996 that is enforced by the UK government that basically
include different provisions related with the employment, dismissal notice as well as
unfair dismissal etc. Implementing this law within the organization ensure avoidance
of unfair dismissal as well as it will also ensure providing proper notice before
dismissing the employee from the organization.
2. The Employment Act 2008: Another law related to the dismissal include Employment
Act 2008 that basically focuses on the provisions that are related with resolving the
employment disputes (Saundry and Dix, 2014). Through enforcing this act
government has also introduced the compulsory dismissal procedure that need to be
focused by all the organization. In the situation of employer is unable to abide or
follow the procedure before dismissing the staff then it may results in facing severe
penalties.
CONCLUSION
From the above aforementioned report it has been summarizes that it is essential for
managing grievance as well as disciplinary action among the organization in order to attain
effective performance. However, it is also required by firm to engage in effective grievance
and disciplinary procedure so that organization may easily avoid the disciplinary issues.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Armstrong, M., 2010. Armstrong's essential human resource management practice: A guide
to people management. Kogan Page Publishers.
Colvin, A. J., 2013. Participation Versus Procedures in Non‐Union Dispute Resolution.
Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society. 52(s1). pp.259-283.
Gauri, V., 2013. Redressing grievances and complaints regarding basic service delivery.
World Development. 41. pp.109-119.
Polster, J. C., 2011. Workplace Grievance Procedures: Signaling Fairness but Escalating
Commitment. NYUL Rev. 86. pp.638.
Rahim, N., Brown, A. and Graham, J., 2011. Evaluation of the Acas code of practice on
disciplinary and grievance procedures. Acas Research Paper. 6(11).
Roche, W. K., Teague, P. and Colvin, A. J., 2014. The Oxford handbook of conflict
management in organizations. Oxford University Press.
Saundry, G. and Dix, J., 2014. Conflict Resolution in the United Kingdom. The Oxford
Handbook of Conflict Management in Organizations. pp.475-493.
Snell, S. and Bohlander, G. W., 2010. Principles of human resource management. South-
Western Cengage Learning.
Walker, B. and Hamilton, R. T., 2011. Employee–employer grievances: a review.
International journal of management reviews. 13(1). pp.40-58.
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