As the saying goes; “We are all different.” Being different could mean having different ideas, preferences, attitudes and tolerance levels. This could also mean stepping on each other’s toes. As HR managers or supervisors, it is not uncommon to receive lots of employee complaints and grievances. How do you handle such workplace issues to ensure that your employees feel confident enough to tell you their problems?

Here is how to;

Let people tell their story:Making room for people to tell their story is very important. A number of avoidable conflicts have resulted because employees were not given the opportunity to voice out their complaints. When people are deeply upset about something, they need to get their story out. This is a basic principle of mediation and one that is important to remember. You can only offer a solution after you have heard the story.

Know when to step in: One of the difficult decisions to make about employee complaints is to know when to step in. Stepping in too early could mean blowing things out of proportion and waiting too long to address it could lead to a major conflict in the workplace. Being a part of creating a solution builds confidence in the employee instead of being seen as a problem that needs to be handled. But no matter how foolproof your style is, you are bound to have an employee who is not as comfortable with your approach. You can seek help from other managers to help you tailor your approach to that individual to reduce conflict and help you get the most out of your employee.

Do not be biased:As a manager, your approach should be to resolve the situation without offending or alienating either group (the complainant or respondent). The situation must be carefully managed so that you are not taking sides. When politics get in the way, it is time to step in cautiously. Do not be seduced by the politics of one group over another. Your credibility is on the line if you cannot right the situation. A bad move on the manager’s part could create irreparable barriers, decrease productivity, as well as dampen morale.

Your goal is to keep everyone focused on solving a problem and not be sidetracked by personal or political issues.