I wholeheartedly agree with the reader who believes that the decision in the Procek v Oakford Farms Limited case regarding how grievances are dealt with is a backward step (‘Formal procedures will put people off complaining’, Personnel Today, 19 August).
The organisation that I work for has, over the past five years, prided itself on attempting to resolve grievances informally before things escalate. As a result, the number of formal grievances has reduced quite significantly.
Many of our employees who contact HR with a concern state that they don’t wish to make a formal complaint – they just want the matter to be resolved quickly without any fuss.
I would not wish to return to the ‘old days’ when employees were handed a formal grievance form every time they raised a concern.
Debi Woods, HR officer, Restormel Borough Council
