Ignoring Employee Grievances: A Hidden Barrier to Organizational Success
Figure 1: Employee Grievance: Source:
Introduction
In
any job, employees may occasionally feel mistreated or unhappy. When a worker
complains about such issues, a grievance is filed. In order to preserve
employee satisfaction, establish trust, and create a peaceful work environment
for everyone, it is imperative that these complaints be handled properly.
The
success of an organization may be seriously hampered by employee grievances,
which are complaints or discontent about working conditions, management
techniques, or interpersonal relationships.
Grievance in the workplace
Some reasons of Employee Grievances
•
Poor working conditions
•
Discrimination or unfair treatment
•
Insufficient or unclear communication or misunderstandings with management,
•
Low wages or delayed promotions
•
Disagreements with management or supervisors
•
A violation of business regulations.
Poor management methods, insufficient
wages, harassment, discrimination, an unbalanced workload, and a lack of
appreciation are just a few of the causes of employee complaints (Armstrong & Taylor, 2023).
Discussion
Employee
grievances can create several challenges to the organization.
* Low
Morale/ Poor teamwork and Motivation: Employee engagement and management trust are
diminished by ongoing complaints (Armstrong & Taylor, 2023).
* High
Turnover: Disgruntled
workers are more likely to quit & increased resignations of staff which
raises the expense of hiring and training new staff.
* Reduced
Productivity:
Disagreements and dissatisfaction frequently result in absenteeism and poorer
performance (Boxall & Purcell, 2016).
* Legal
Risks: Negligent
grievance management may subject the company to legal action or fines from the
government (Bratton & Gold, 2017).
Organizations
can foster employee trust and avoid legal conflicts by managing grievances in a
transparent and prompt manner. On the other hand, ignoring complaints might
result in low morale, reduced production, and even high employee turnover (Robbins
& Judge, 2019).
Figure 2: Employee Grievance Redressal Process:
Source
Examples
of Employee Grievances in Sri Lanka
Example
1: Salary Delays and Payroll Issues in
the Manufacturing Sector
Due
to insufficient payroll systems and delayed salary payments, a number of
garment manufacturers in the Katunayaka Export Processing Zone have experienced
employee complaints. Employee protests and temporary stops in production were
the results of these complaints. Later, efficient grievance mechanisms were implemented
to restart operations (GalleryHR, 2025).
Reason of grievance:
Violation of service conditions and salary payment delays.
Business impact: Decreased
morale, absenteeism, and loss of productivity.
Example
2: Industrial Relations at the Sri
Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA)
Employees
at the Sri Lanka Ports Authority complained about lack of communication with
management and delayed promotions in 2022. In response, the Ministry of Ports
and Shipping established new positions to handle complaints and enhance labour
relations, including a Director of Trade Unions and Employee Relations (FrontPage
LK, 2022).
Reason of grievance:
Career advancement and communication breakdown.
Business impact: Organizational
restructuring costs and operational disruptions.
Conclusion
Grievances
from employees are more than just internal complaints; they are indicators of
more serious issues within the company. A business that successfully hears,
addresses, and prevents complaints develops a motivated workforce, fosters a
positive workplace culture, and eventually succeeds over the long term. In
dynamic workplaces, employee complaints are unavoidable. However, an
organization's culture and long-term success are determined by how it handles
them.
References
· Armstrong, M. & Taylor, S., 2023. Armstrong’s Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice, 16th edn. London: Kogan Page.
· Boxall, P. & Purcell, J., 2016. Strategy and Human Resource Management, 4th edn. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
· Bratton, J. & Gold, J., 2017. Human Resource Management: Theory and Practice, 6th edn. London: Palgrave.
· FrontPage LK, 2022. ‘SLPA, Ports and Shipping Ministry look into employee grievances’. [Online] Available at: https://frontpage.lk [Accessed: 11 November 2025].
· GalleryHR, 2025. ‘Overcoming HR Challenges in Sri Lanka’. [Online] Available at: https://galleryhr.com [Accessed: 11 November 2025].
· Robbins, S.P. & Judge, T.A., 2019. Organizational Behavior, 18th edn. Harlow: Pearson Education.
· Grievance in the workplace: YouTube vedio-https://youtu.be/rBVzQ9U4g_s
· Zimyo, 2025. Employee Grievance | Meaning and Definition. [Online] Available at: https://www.zimyo.com/resources/insights/employee-grievance/ [Accessed 11 November 2025].
The blog provides a clear and well-structured analysis of the importance of addressing employee grievances and their impact on organizational success. It effectively integrates academic sources and real-world Sri Lankan examples, demonstrating strong theoretical understanding and contextual relevance. The discussion is comprehensive and logically organized, highlighting key consequences such as low morale, turnover, and legal risks. To further strengthen the work, the author could include specific grievance-handling strategies, better integrate the figures into the text, and expand the conclusion with practical recommendations. Overall, it is an insightful and academically grounded discussion of a critical HRM issue.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for your thoughtful feedback. I appreciate your insights and suggestions, especially regarding integrating strategies and expanding the conclusion. I’ll definitely consider these points to improve future posts.
ReplyDeleteWell-written blog explaining how unresolved grievances impact trust and productivity. The image and introduction worked well to capture attention. To enhance academic strength, consider citing HRM research on grievance mechanisms and including one organisational case example.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your thoughtful feedback. I agree that including HRM research and a real-world case example would add more depth to the post. I’ll definitely consider this for future updates.
ReplyDeleteYour report is clear and easy to understand. The examples from Sri Lanka make the content practical and relevant. The discussion section explains the impact of grievances very well. This is a very good assignment with a smooth flow
ReplyDeleteMy goal was to clearly show how grievances impact workplaces, so it’s great to know that part stood out to you. I truly appreciate your encouraging words and the time you took to share your thoughts
ReplyDeleteThis blog provides a evidence based examination of employee grievances in the Sri Lankan context. The use of real world examples and scholarly references strengthens the discussion on how effective grievance management impacts organizational performance.
ReplyDeleteI clearly explained employee grievances using real examples and research. My goal was to show how proper grievance management can improve organizational performance, especially in the Sri Lankan context. I really appreciate your support.
ReplyDeleteThis blog provides a comprehensive and organized explanation of the significance of handling employee complaints. I like your way of made the debate more useful and relevant by including particular factors, organizational effects, and actual instances from Sri Lanka. This post is insightful and informative due to its concentrate on transparent grievance handling and its relation to staff trust, morale, and performance over the long run.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your thoughtful comment. In any workplace, employees may sometimes feel mistreated or dissatisfied, and when these concerns arise, filing a grievance becomes a crucial step. Properly handling these grievances is essential not only for maintaining employee satisfaction but also for building trust and ensuring a peaceful and productive work environment.
DeleteIn hospitality, every guest experience is shaped by the people who serve them. When employee grievances are ignored, it doesn’t just affect staff morale—it ripples out to the quality of service guests receive. A housekeeper who feels unheard, or a front‑desk agent frustrated by unfair treatment, cannot bring their best selves to work. For us hoteliers, addressing grievances is not only about compliance; it’s about protecting the heart of our business: trust, dignity, and genuine care. By listening and responding to employee concerns, we create a culture where staff feel valued, and that sense of respect naturally translates into exceptional guest experiences
ReplyDeleteThank you for adding such a meaningful perspective to the discussion. You’ve perfectly captured the reality of the hospitality industry. As you said, every guest experience is ultimately shaped by the people who serve them, and when employee grievances are overlooked, the impact goes far beyond internal issues—it directly affects the quality of service guests receive.
DeleteThis blog post effectively addresses the crucial organizational problem of ignoring employee grievances while upholding an academic writing style and structure. It provides a clear definition of grievances, discusses their serious organizational effects (high turnover, low morale), and provides pertinent, cited case examples from the Sri Lankan context to support the discussion.
ReplyDeleteThank you my friend. Unresolved employee grievances can seriously affect an organization’s success, whether they’re related to working conditions, management practices, or interpersonal issues. I’m glad the blog was able to present these aspects clearly, especially with relevant examples from Sri Lanka.
ReplyDeleteThis writ-up clearly highlights why effective employee grievance management is essential, offering a strong definition, solid causes, and a convincing link to organizational issues such as low morale, turnover, and legal risks. The use of Sri Lankan examples makes the content practical and relevant, and the structure-identifying causes, explaining impacts, and pointing to transparent processes-works very well. It could be even stronger by briefly noting how grievance data can be used not just to solve problems but to prevent future issues through policy changes and better management practices.
ReplyDelete