Different Types of HR Complaints

Many people have stories of HR complaints they have made, thought about making, heard about a co-worker making them, or read about. In HR, complaints are a part of organizational communication. It’s an opportunity for employees to voice concerns and have real workplace issues addressed before they worsen further.

Work processes, products, services, and interpersonal dynamics benefit when an HR complaint is handled properly. Here are the different types of HR complaints that are made.

Type #1: Low Pay

Though it may not amount to an official complaint every time, low pay is a common reason to come to HR seeking a resolution. Employees may discover themselves underpaid compared with similar positions at the company or compare their earnings to those of similar positions at other companies.

Type #2: Bullying

Workplace bullying can present in many direct and indirect ways. If there is evidence or accusations of harassment or discrimination leading to bullying, it’s something to take extremely seriously. Employees should feel safe and welcome at work.

Type #3: Hostile Work Environment

A hostile work environment involves someone actively making work more difficult and combative for everyone. It can involve bullying but does not need to.

Hostility can be indirect and aggressive, instill fear and anxiety, and ultimately make a work setting unpleasant and unproductive. Use HR consulting services to resolve this problem promptly.

Type #4: Lack of Clarity on Role

Not every HR complaint is as serious as bullying or harassment. It may be a lack of clarity on one’s roles and responsibilities. This can also relate to being overworked or being asked to work outside the scope of what an employee signed up for.

Type #5: Harassment

Harassment is characterized by an intolerance of another individual based on protected traits, such as gender, race, age, or religion. General harassment can also occur not in any protected class but based on a personal belief about a person.

Type #6: Unfair Employee Treatment

Employees may feel their boss has their favourites among the team and treats the others unfairly. This can influence this perception if their team lead or manager is buddies with some employees. This requires better communication on behalf of management and a look into whether legitimate unfair treatment is present.

7. Inadequate Management

If managers are not doing their job, clashing with personalities, or are seen as inadequate, this can result in some employees filing an HR complaint. A lack of confidence in management and bad reviews of one’s management style can lead to conversations with HR.

Type #8: Termination Without Explanation

Disciplining or terminating an employee without a reason will almost certainly lead to a complaint to HR. This sometimes relates to discrimination or bullying but is often a consequence of poor performance, which surprises the employee due to poor communication from management.

Type #9: Too Much Work

Sometimes, employees are given too much work and insufficient time to complete it. This may cause some people to overextend themselves and work outside their normal hours, interfering with their work/life balance. Their supervisors ignore this and continue adding more. This can alienate and upset employees, resulting in HR complaints.

Type #10: Abusive Management

Anyone may dislike their boss. It’s another thing to dislike their management style when it crosses over into clear abuses of power. An abuse of power is a serious HR complaint that may require serious investigation. This is to ensure the full protection of workers at every level.

Type #11: Lack of Fairness with Promotions

How to get promoted may not be clear to employees. They may feel overlooked and left behind when they see others getting promoted without a definitive reason.

If there is not a clear enough checklist for what it takes to get promoted, this can lead to HR complaints based on how management selects candidates.

Type #12: Work Conditions

Employee complaints can surround work conditions, such as a lack of safety and trust. Management, ideally, should welcome this type of HR complaint, as they do every other, ensuring that their workers have the confidence to work at a company that truly values them.

Type #13: Workplace Violence

Any workplace worth working for has a zero-tolerance policy regarding workplace violence. Any threats of violence can also fall under this category of complaint. When violence between employees becomes the norm, this is a problem in immediate need of a solution.

Type #14: Poorly Structured Benefits

HR complaints may relate to benefits, such as not enough paid time off or too much of one’s paycheque being deducted for these benefits. For working parents and other types of employees, paid time off can be a massive help, and when that time off is not up to standard, it causes an issue.

Type #15: Anonymous

Some companies set up anonymous HR complaint methods that allow any employee to make a report anonymously. This can be a way to reduce the fear, stress, and anxiety that sometimes can occur around a complaint.