Formal Grievance Investigatory Meeting

[Archie1963]

Having no one to talk to, I thought I could post here.

 

 

I have spoken to my manager at least four times about a member of the team I work with who never even acknowledges me whilst at work,

this person seems to be angry at everything,

my manager has not done anything apart from the fact she says she will talk to him.

 

Today whilst on holiday I receive a letter to attend a Formal Investigatory meeting because this person has raised a formal grievance against me,

no details have been given apart from my alleged behaviour towards them and my percieved attitude, no other details.

 

Its shocking because I have tried to deal with this by speaking to my manager when it was clear there was a problem.

How do I now deal with this and this has now ruined the rest of my holiday I feel sick to my stomach ??

[honeybee13]

Hello and welcome to CAG. The forum guys should be along over the course of the day.

 

My best, HB

[Archie1963]

Thankyou

[Gibbs-home]

Hi, I'm not sure I'm qualified to give an opinion, but I wouldn't let it ruin your holiday. Relax and enjoy the time off. It is only an investigatory meeting, to explore the issues raised. I've been through a few of these as an 'underling'.

 

Even if it moves forward from there there should be an informal stage to try to resolve matters.

 

Your manager may have spoken to your subordinate and this may be the knee-jerk result of that. Nothing may come of it. If you are in a managerial position you should be just fine. That is my experience.

[Archie1963]

Thankyou very much it has just come as a shock, I have myself not wanted to make any issues formal as my manager assured me she would deal with it so I never persued anything

[Archie1963]

How can i best approach this the person who has taken out the grievance,

I have approached management now at least three times since May about he does not speak

and whilst I know we cannot all get on at work

he makes it known by kicking doors ect if Im leaving a room and he is entering,

he is very young and very angry,

I feel like I should be doing something rather then just sitting waiting for my meeting

[Emmzzi]

DON'T!!!

 

It'll look like you have something to hide/ are trying to swing the outcome.

 

Sit on your hands!

[SabreSheep]

Without knowing more detail its hard to know how this will play out.

 

Remember

1) You could ask for a witness to come with you into the meeting

2) Read all the notes carefully make sure all points discussed are written down. If things get missed or put on that did not happen do not agree the notes untill they reflect the discussion.

3) If forced to sign against your wishes due to 2) Wrtie something like "Signed under duress"

 

It may be that the other guy has complained about you harassing him etc. who knows. without knowing the job roles you both have and the type of employment etc hard to know how the relationship at work should work.

 

Your complaints about "Never acknowledging me" are vague - People cannot be forced to like others. There may be reasons why this person does not want to (Or cant) react the way you would expect someone too.

 

Getting angry all the time can be another thing.

 

They may perceive your repeated complaints to the manager as an attempt at bullying where you perceive you are trying to be helpful.

 

All in all do not panic too much just yet. Maybe the employer will try and mediate the issues if this is all it is.

[Archie1963]

The complaints I have made regarding this person have never been acted on or followed up.

Neither does it bother me that he doesnt talk

 

 

I work with a huge amount of people, he is very young there is no dire need to talk to him or him to me

but it does make a better working atmosphere.

 

 

What Im really annoyed about is the fact he has taken out a greviance and that I am sitting on AL consumed with this

[SabreSheep]

As i said, he may have perceived all your complaints as a form of bullying. Therefore a knee jerk reaction.

 

How does getting consumed by this help you? Answer : It doesn't.

What can you do? Nothing until the meeting. Therefore anything else is a waste of energy. Enjoy your holiday.

 

As for approaching him, just don't. Nothing more than what you need to do to do your job.

[Archie1963]

Thankyou for your wise words, it just seems so very unfair

[Archie1963]

Can anyone please advise the letter I received mentions that a staff member has raised a greviance about alleged perceived behaviour,

but does not give the name or specifics,

 

 

am I able to request any details prior to the meeting,

also it says I can take a colleague but then says so as not to impact in the workplace

I am not allowed to talk to anyone about it how can I ask someone but not talk about things ??

[Gibbs-home]

Hi, when you get back to work it may be worth seeing if your employer has a set of written grievance procedures you can reference.

 

I would imagine that everything is still a bit 'informal' right now, so there should be decent lines of communications, is there no-one you can ask at work about the specifics - HR perhaps?

 

From what I have read you seem to have a young, badly behaved pillock on your hands. He has to do more than throw a strop and accuse; he had to back up any complaint. Management usually stick together anyway. If you both have to hug and make up in the end try not to strangle him at the same time.

[Archie1963]

Thankyou

But the letter I have received should it not give specifics to the alleged behaviour?? The person is very angry and as I say I have tried to address things at least since May. They have not named him either in my letter, but in order for me to defend myself surely I should have some information so that I can prepare slightly before the meeting

[ericsbrother]

as it is an investigatory matter I wouldnt expect names to be given yet but if it becomes a formal matter or a disciplinary then you have rights to know what it is you are accused of and have time to prepare and get representation.

Still early days yet so try not to entrench yourself in a position.

[Gibbs-home]

Just to back up ericsbrother's point, it is all informal at this point. Take someone with you to the investigatory meeting and see how you get on. It could all blow over very quickly and informally.

[Archie1963]

Thankyou for your encouraging words why do I feel sick to my stomach

[Archie1963]

Well I had my meeting yesterday there were no specifics given and no greviance details discussed,

the meeting was centered around whether I had a problem with anyone in the workplace,

 

 

I highlighted the problem with the young guy,

they made the whole meeting sound like I have a problem with everyone.

 

 

They also mentioned a alleged incident with a member of staff that was supposed to have occurred in April of this year again with no specifics and of which I had no idea about.

 

The whole thing was bizarre and now I am waiting for recommendations from them, they really had no interest in the young guy and his anger issues in the workplace which is how this all came about.

[Archie1963]

Can anyone advise from here please

[Emmzzi]

Well, first of all I would aways be asking myself the hard question "could they be right" - Am I stand offish or abrasive in some way? I'm not perfect, and sometimes I am.

 

But I don't really understand why you are "waiting for recommendations" - can you explain what process you are going through please?

[Archie1963]

The meeting was an investigatory meeting as a colleague had raised a greviance about alleged perceived behaviour, no specifics were given, at the end of the meeting they said I would hear from them about their recommendations.

If I was stand offish or abrasive I would know Im not, the guy who has raised the greviance kicks doors ect and I have spoke to my manager about this at least three times no action or follow up has been done about that.

[Emmzzi]

They seem to be suggesting there have been problems with other people too?

 

Sorry, I do find it difficult to believe people who say there is *nothing* they might be doing wrong themselves - we all do things wrong!

 

Anyway. Sounds like they are going to make some suggestions, you agree to them, and that'll be the end of it.

[Archie1963]

I have been with the same company the last three years if there was a problem they would have highlighted this, the questions they were asking led me to believe they were going that way, they made me feel like that and never gave me specific details of the greviance raised which I assumed they had too. I have complained about the person who raised the greviance and assumed it would be dealt with by my manager but thanks for your thoughts