How to Handle a Hostile Workplace Complaint
Employees have the right to a safe and productive working environment. When other employees, managers or clients get hostile, it can contribute to a stressful workplace, which can then affect the work flow. Handling a hostile workplace complaint consists of more than just ironing out a dispute among coworkers. It also addresses the company's overall commitment to a professional environment and the resources in place to deal with such dilemmas.
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Instructions
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Research the nature of the complaint. Talk to the person who originally made it and talk to all people involved. This is the information-gathering part of the process and strictly focuses on getting all of the facts -- as well as finding out what the speculation is regarding the complaint. Find out what happened and why before you figure out how to proceed.
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Verify that the complaint is, in fact, a hostile workplace complaint, and not just a general employee grudge, according to the Hostile Work Environment website. A hostile workplace conflict is where an act occurs that is discriminatory in nature and offends an employee -- or several employees -- that have a protected class status, states the website. This includes women, certain races (including African-Americans, Asians and Latinos) and people with disabilities. The complaint is valid if the person said or did something specifically to offend someone based on the aforementioned status. However, a general grudge might be a boss who is too gruff with his employees or an overeager employee who makes a general joke to other staff members that might be inappropriate but not necessarily offensive.
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Review your hostile workplace policies. The policies set by your company regarding a hostile workplace should dictate your course for action. For example, some companies have a no-tolerance policy for this type of complaint, which means the person about which the complaint was made is more likely to be harshly disciplined -- or even let go -- regarding it.
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Move swiftly in dealing with the complaint. Don't drag your feet or your employees will feel as though their safety and morale are not your chief concerns. This can lead to reduced effectiveness and efficiency among employees. Do your fact finding and sit down with the parties involved in a matter of days -- not weeks -- so you can bring the complaint to resolution.
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Take action depending on the facts found in the case. If harassment or some other form of hostility has taken place in the office and it has threatened the safety or well-being of another employee, it is best to terminate the party who has engaged in the harassment. If the nature of the complaint is more along the lines of a misunderstanding -- such as a joke told in poor taste -- then explain the company's policy regarding hostile complaints and put the employee on notice.
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