From: Christine Sutherland (christine@lifeworks-group.com.au)
Date: Fri Oct 24 2003 - 07:32:01 WST
Does this approach mean that ignorance is considered a defence in the
US? :-) Employers have a legal and moral duty to provide a safe and
comfortable workplace and this requires a pro-activity that goes far
beyond merely bandaiding "events" as they come to notice and there are
far more ways to deal properly with issues than making or not making a
formal complaint. It's not "all or nothing".
I have concerns about greeting a complaint with "Do you want to make a
formal complaint." Some more fragile personalities could well wilt on
hearing that question and the person asking the question gets to kid
themselves that it must not be any big deal then.
I don't think many of us want a workplace which is so "politically
correct" that we feel we're walking around in straightjackets. However
the fact is that workplace bullying has been identified as an enormous
problem world-wide, costing billions of dollars in lost productivity,
law suits, etc, etc, etc. I don't believe any organisation, public or
private sector, can afford a laissez-faire attitude toward it, purely on
economic grounds if not on moral ones.
Sincerely
Christine Sutherland
The Lifeworks Group Pty Ltd
PO Box 1147, Victoria Park East 6981
Victoria House Medical Centre,
734 Albany Highway
Victoria Park East
email: info@lifeworks-group.com.au
web: www.lifeworks-group.com.au
-----Original Message-----
From: Peter Rogosin [mailto:progosin@publicpersonnel.com]
Sent: Friday, 24 October 2003 12:39 AM
To: hrshare@highway1.com.au
Subject: [HRshare] RE: Formal Grievance
RE: Not submitting a grievance on the right form does not mean that the
incident didn't happen. - That's true to a point, however, one danger
for managers is when they actively pursue (investigate) every time they
hear an employee complain about something.
As a Personnel Director I would ask the employee, "Are you coming to me
to file a formal complaint?" "I can't take an action without a formal
complaint." Would you like me to talk to the employee?"
The basic idea I work on is not to go hunting - but to create an
environment where employees feel comfortable enough to bring their
concerns to me (for me to solve?). Workplace harassment is
uncomfortable for everybody. While it is important to not let incidents
that are brought to your attention go unaddressed, it is also important
for the employee to make their concerns know in a formal way so that
proper action can be taken.
I hope that's helpful -
Peter Rogosin, President
PublicPersonnel.com
351 Lovell Avenue
Mill Valley, California 94941
Tele: 415-380-9852
www.Publicpersonnel.com
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