This document defines employee grievances and discipline procedures. It begins by defining grievances as written complaints filed by employees claiming unfair treatment. Grievances can be factual, imaginary, or disguised. Causes include economic, work environment, supervision, and work group factors. Effects include reduced production, employee dissatisfaction, and managerial issues. Grievances are discovered through observation, grievance procedures, suggestion boxes, and exit interviews. Effective grievance procedures must be unambiguous, simple, prompt, involve training, and have follow-up. Steps include identifying, defining, analyzing, solving, and following up on grievances. The document also defines discipline, misconduct, disciplinary actions, punishments, and elements of an effective

1. Employee Grievances and
Discipline

2. Definition
A written complaint filed by an employee—claiming unfair
treatment.
—Dale Yoder
Any real or imagined feeling of personal injustice which employee
has concerning his employment relationship.
—Keith Davis
Any dissatisfaction or feeling of injustice in connection with one’s
employment situation that is brought to the notice of management.
—Beach

3. Features
A grievance refers to any form of discontent or dissatisfaction with
any aspect of the organisation.
The dissatisfaction must arise out of employment and not due to
personal or family problems.
The discontent can arise out of real or imaginary reasons.
The discontent may be voiced or unvoiced.
A grievance, broadly speaking, may refer to perceived non-
fulfillment of one’s expectations leading to dissatisfaction with any
aspect of the organisation.

4. Forms of Grievances
• A grievance may take any one of the
following forms:
Factual
Imaginary
Disguised

5. Causes
• Grievances may occur for a number of reasons
Economic
Work environment
Supervision
Work group
Miscellaneous

6. Effects
• Grievances, if they are not identified and redressed,
may adversely affect workers, managers and the
organisation as a whole. The effects are:
On production include
On the employees
On the managers

7. The Discovery of Grievances
Observation
Grievance procedure
Gripe boxes
Open door policy
Exit interview
Opinion surveys

8. Essential Prerequisites of a Grievance
Procedure
Conformity with statutory provisions
Unambiguity
Simplicity
Promptness
Training
Follow up

9. Steps in the Grievance Procedure
Identify grievances
Define correctly
Collect data
Analyze and solve
Prompt redressal
Implement and follow up

10. Grievance Management in Indian
Industry
There are three legislations dealing with grievances of employees
working in industries.
In India, a Model Grievance Procedure was adopted by the Indian
Labour Conference in its 16th session held in 1958.
At present, Indian industries are adopting either the Model
Grievance Procedure or procedures formulated by themselves with
modifications in the Model Grievance Procedure.
The grievance procedures are mostly voluntary in nature.

11. Discipline
Discipline, implies orderly behaviour.
It is the observance of rules and regulations.
It means securing consistent behaviour in accordance with
the accepted norms of behaviour.
R. D. Calhoon, ‘Discipline is the force that prompts
individuals or groups to observe rules, regulations,
standards and procedures deemed necessary for an
organisation”.

12. Misconduct or Indiscipline
Inconsistent behaviour of an employee and
deviation from the standard behaviour.
Unsafe behaviour of the employee.
Immoral actions of the employee.
When employee is abusive, disturbs the peace
and is negligent towards his duties.

13. Causes of Indiscipline
Absence of effective leadership
Unfair management practices
Communication barriers
Non-uniform disciplinary action
Divide and rule policy
Inadequate attention to personnel problems
Victimisation

14. Disciplinary Action
Issuing a letter of charge
Consideration of explanation
Show-cause notice
Holding of a full-fledged enquiry
Making a final order of punishment
Follow up

15. Punishment
Depending on the gravity of misconduct, management may initiate the
following punitive actions against the employee who is found guilty:
Dismissal
Discharge
Discharge simpliciter
Suspension
Demotion to a lower grade
Withholding of increments
Fine
Warning/censure.

16. Essentials of a Good Disciplinary
System
Rules and performance criteria
Documentation of the facts
Training of supervisors
Centralization of discipline
Impersonal discipline
Progressive discipline
Discipline should be fair
Disciplinary action should be prompt
Discipline shall be flexible and consistent
Review discipline decisions