Listening to Staff Complaints

Most business owners and managers feel very a very personal connection with the company the business. For them it is especially tough to hear an employees complaint without taking it personally.

Small-business owners are among the least likely to want to hear negative feedback. Owners who put risk everything, built the company from nothing and work all hours of the day and night have enough real problems without a bunch of whining employees.

Admittedly a percentage of employees are going to routinely be complaining about something. What you must be aware of is that how you address internal protests directly influences the corporate climate. Failure to listen or, when needed, take action will travel well beyond the business walls.

Failure to handle a complaint can cause resentment, increased turnover, morale problems and if the complaint is valid it could further land you in legal trouble.

Action Points
The best way to clear the air of complaints is to focus on problems before they fester. A few tips to make that easier:

1. Speak Carefully. The way you react to a complaint sets a tone. If you as a manager seem to discourage employees from complaining  it will become the subject of lunchroom gossip and email forwards where it may do real harm.

2. Don't Minimize the grievance, even if it's about something completely non-essential. You don't have to have a fix for every problem but you do need to listen attentively. Employees want to be heard so the last thing they should think is that you weren't listening - that translates and not concerned.

3. Recognize the individual. Don't automatically dismiss a complaint with an "I'll look into it" or similar catch phrase. Respond to the specific employee and his/her particular observation. If similar complaints begin to surface from several sources or a complaint from someone who rarely ever voices one, take heed; you may have a real problem on your hands. Listen attentively and investigate thouroughly.

4. Be Consistent. It may be best to clearly define a formal process for submitting complaints just to avoid legal pitfalls. Even if you don't though you have to give the impression of neutral impartiality. The process and the consequences should not vary just because of the individuals involved.