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.

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.