How to Handle Employee Complaints

Why is it that some people complain constantly while others rarely complain? As a supervisor, what is your responsibility for “fixing” the complaints? There are questions that must be asked and answered in order to begin to understand the foundation of employee complaints.

People complain for many reasons. Some complaints we can understand; others may not appear logical. But whether or not we agree with employee complaints, we must learn how to handle them.

Here are some of the typical complaints from people in the workplace:

1. Boring jobs. People who do routine, boring jobs often do them only for the money. Generally they feel undervalued, under-appreciated and not very important. When this is the case, they may become complainers.
2. Stressful jobs. When people feel like they can never keep up with expectations, the stress “gets to them.” They tend to become cranky and complain about the work and those around them. There is a tendency to blame others for not doing their part.
3. Change. Things are changing all the time at work. Many people become difficult or edgy when faced with changes they don't understand. Others become challenged by the constant change we seem to be experiencing. They lose their sense of stability and often fear the future. This makes them negative about their work.
4. Cynicism. Thanks to layoffs, downsizings, mergers and acquisitions, employee loyalty isn't what it used to be. Gone are the days of employee long-term commitment to the company. This has caused many people to become cynical—disillusioned about their work and close-minded.
5. Manners. In an environment where there is more work to do than time to do it and everything is urgent, manners may suffer. When people feel they are not respected, they will respond with a lack of respect. That breeds complaints about other people's “attitudes.”
6. Personal problems. People do bring their personal lives to work. When things are not going well at home due to illness, relationship problems, financial problems, etc., work is affected. Concentration becomes difficult and work relationships may become strained.

Taking Action
What is your responsibility for others' complaints? As a supervisor, you may believe that you need to fix your direct reports' problems. When you feel compelled to take action, ask yourself, “Am I in the role of ‘Mr. or Ms. Fix-it?'” Sometimes the answer is “yes.” In cases where there is a specific problem that can be fixed, you should try to fix it.

Here are some steps you can take:

• Acknowledge the problem to the person. This does not mean you have to agree that it is a problem, only that you understand that it is a problem to the other person.
• Ask the complainer what he/she has done to address the problem.
• If appropriate, have the person take action.
• Determine what, if anything, you can do to address or correct the situation.
• Tell the person what you are doing.
• Follow up with the person after you have taken action.

If You Cannot Fix a Complaint
There are times when there is no fix for the complaint. In those cases, take these steps:

• Acknowledge the problem to the person. This does not mean you have to agree that it is a problem, only that you understand that it is a problem for the other person.
• Express your desire to improve things, but let the person know that you cannot change the situation.
• Work with the individuals in accomplishing their work goals, so that their focus is turned from a negative into a positive.
• Let go of your feeling of responsibility for the problem.

General action steps for handling employee complaints:

• List the reasons why people you supervise complain.
• Consider the reasons behind their complaints.
• Choose three recurrent complaints and determine what action can be taken to address each one.
• Meet with the person to discuss your plan of action.

This information was adapted from “Survival Skills for Supervisors,”, AMA's new seminar designed to give supervisors the skills they need to cope with stress and the real issues they are confronted with daily.

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