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Handling Employee Complaints Do you know the difference between a valid grievance and just plain whining? Either way, you need to know how to handle it.

By Rod Walsh

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

All of us in business have a pretty good feel for handlingcustomer complaints--we tend to take most complaints serious, andwe look for solutions. But when an employee has a complaint, wefreeze up. Some employers even develop negative thoughts about thecomplaining employee: How could he be so ungrateful? Doesn'tshe realize everything I try to do for her?

Well, it's time to step back and think of your employees ascustomers--because in a very real sense, they are. Just becausethey're employees is no reason to think any less of theircomplaints than you would a grievance from one of your bestcustomers.

Most employee complaints fall into one of three categories:complaints about other employees, complaints about the quality ofthe product or service the company provides, or complaints abouttheir own work situation--pay, hours and respect, to name afew.