Free Grievance Letter Template and Guide

Your workplace grievance procedure is a legal requirement. It allows your employees to raise legitimate complaints about your business or a colleague.

It’s essential you understand the employment laws in the process. Which ends with a consultation and a grievance outcome letter providing the information about your findings and, crucially, the decision you’ve come to.

Download our outcome of grievance letter example and grievance guide today, the document outlines the essential details to include for your employee.

Peninsula provides total support on any HR or Health & Safety issue you have. From unlimited advice to our full documentation and risk assessment services, we'll ensure compliance at all times, contact us today.

What is a grievance?

A grievance is the official term for when an employee has a compliant or concern about something to do with their job. To resolve the issue, they may choose to raise a grievance with you. But as an employer, it's important you know how to manage an employee grievance process.

Download our grievance guide now and discover how to manage an employee grievance procedure correctly.

What issues can an employee raise a grievance at work over?

There are many reasons as to why an employee may choose to raise a grievance at work against their employer, such as:

• Unhappy with the terms of their job.
• Unhappy with their working environment.
• They have an issue with the conduct of a colleague or manager.
• They previously tried to raise an issue informally but it wasn't resolved.

In our grievance guide, we'll go into more detail behind why an employee may raise a grievance.

What is an employee grievance procedure?

When managing an grievance, it's important you have an employee grievance process in place. This can be included within your grievance policy, and it outlines the steps you'll take when it comes to handling a grievance at work.

The following steps make up the employee grievance procedure:

1. Try to resolve the issue informally.
2. Follow-up with the employee.
3. Raising a formal grievance.
4. Starting a formal grievance process.
5. Arrange a meeting with your employee.
6. Conducting the meeting.
7. Investigating the grievance.
8. Providing a grievance outcome letter.
9. Appeal.

Download our grievance guide where we go into more detail in each of these steps, as well as providing an example of a grievance letter.

How to write a grievance outcome letter

One you have followed the procedure, it will need an outcome letter. There are some basic rules you should follow to address the outcome of an investigation. Follow the below when you write a grievance letter:

• Keep your letter to the point. Cover the essential information with clear details on your reasoning.
• Avoid making any allegations you can’t prove, such as accusing the employee of making up a grievance issue. Only state the facts.
• Use formal and professional language.
• Explain the employee’s right to appeal and the process to follow.

Ultimately, you need to provide reasons for your findings that you can also back up with evidence. By downloading our grievance letter template, you'll be sure to act legally and lawfully at all times, avoiding claims being raised against you.

Don't forget to download your grievance outcome letter template today. With our grievance letter template, you can be sure you're acting legally. A grievance outcome letter should make up part of your grievance policy.

What should be included in a grievance outcome letter?

You need to address the employee and cover your findings, including evidence where you have it. So, you should include:

• The date.
• The employee’s name.
• An outline of the employee’s grievance complaint.
• Your research into the issue.
• Your verdict on the situation.
• An outline of the appeal process.

You can also send a grievance outcome letter to an accused colleague—if this is what the complaint involves.

In that, you can outline your findings and the course of action you’re taking.

Sample grievance outcome letter template for the UK

You can download our grievance outcome letter example for details on:

• How to word the document.
• The details to include.
• The structure of the document.
• Who needs to write it.

Remember, you should adapt this grievance investigation outcome letter to suit your business’ specific requirements.

Each employee grievance is different. So, if you keep a outcome grievance letter template for each investigation, make the appropriate changes for the complaint you’re dealing with at that time.

Download our free grievance guide and grievance outcome letter now

We have put together an expert grievance guide, as well as an example of grievance letter for you to download and stay legally compliant.

If after downloading our grievance outcome letter you still need advice, contact our 24-hour advice line - where our team of experts are waiting to take your call. Our experts can also draft a watertight grievance policy for your business.

For any employee dispute investigations or employment tribunal representation, turn to us for immediate employment law support. Call us now: 0800 158 2313.

Don't forget to download our example of grievance letter today, and ensure your legal compliance.