When you’re working in an organisational setting, it’s likely that at some point or the other, you will be in a situation where you feel like you’ve been wronged, be it not getting a raise you deserve, to not having enough work-life balance, to discrimination of some form.
In order to suitably resolve the situation without disrupting too much, you need to be aware of how you can appropriately point out grievances at work. Here are some tips:
Address it early
If there is something about your role or your workplace that you are unhappy about, work towards changing how you feel at the workplace. Address the situation at an early stage, before it snowballs into a bigger issue.
If there is someone in your organisation who you know has faced a similar situation in the past, reach out to them and seek advice. Rely on their first-hand experience for tips on how to handle this the correct way.
Reach out to the correct person
One of the most important things to bear in mind when you’re working to resolve a grievance is to ensure that you are pointing it out to the correct individual. You need someone who works closely enough with you to understand your situation and yet is senior enough to make a decision or work towards resolving it.
Under usual circumstances, this would be your manager – the person you most often report to and who directly manages your time. If you’re unsure on who to reach out to, though, reach out to your HR team and ask them to direct you to the appropriate individual.
Present the facts objectively
You may feel very passionately, but when you’re presenting your case, you need be objective in order for your manager to get a fair understanding of the circumstances.
Start off by providing context, explaining the role of other parties involved (if any) and highlighting the events in chronological order. It is now onto your manager to address this situation as they may seem fit. Whatever the outcome might be, be humble, ask for feedback and plan your next steps accordingly.
