A. Looking for SOLUTIONS for common employee complaints from IT Industry:
1. For higher pay (BTW employee is getting competitive pay)
2. Supervisor pointed out team member's (job related performance) mistakes in front of his team members on the floor
and some weird complaints like,
3.A female colleague looks so attractive and so another employee could not concentrate on work
4.Colleague yawns very loudly or breathes with a loud sound
5.A man next to his desk keeps murmuring songs or mimicking other employees which is very distracting. Few employees
tend to create fun in the work place which annoys some employees. (in a wing out of 16, 2 raised this complaint)
B. Please share if you came across grievances related to interpersonal factors and its best possible solutions.
From India, Madras
51. For higher pay (BTW employee is getting competitive pay)
2. Supervisor pointed out team member's (job related performance) mistakes in front of his team members on the floor
and some weird complaints like,
3.A female colleague looks so attractive and so another employee could not concentrate on work
4.Colleague yawns very loudly or breathes with a loud sound
5.A man next to his desk keeps murmuring songs or mimicking other employees which is very distracting. Few employees
tend to create fun in the work place which annoys some employees. (in a wing out of 16, 2 raised this complaint)
B. Please share if you came across grievances related to interpersonal factors and its best possible solutions.
From India, Madras
Dear Preethi,
Replies to your questions are as below:
1. For higher pay (BTW employee is getting competitive pay)
Reply: - Perceptions about under-payment are common, anywhere and everywhere. Employee need to be told that the salary is fixed on skill set and job performance. Nevertheless, in many organisations, those who join late are paid better. Please check whether there is any imbalance and if yes, you need to do the salary rationalisation.
2. Supervisor pointed out team member's (job related performance) mistakes in front of his team members on the floor
Reply: - This is a issue of maintaining healthy interpersonal environment. Managers and supervisors are more responsible for this. You may organise a training for the supervisors and managers on how to foster a culture of interpersonal environment in general and how to build interpersonal skills in particular. Emphasis should be given on how to give feedback. The first principle of feedback-giving skills is that praise in public but criticise in private. Secondly, managers or supervisors even while criticising in private, must ensure that the motivation level does not suffer because of their criticism. They are responsible for motivation of the juniors forever.
and some weird complaints like,
3. A female colleague looks so attractive and so another employee could not concentrate on work
Reply: - This is ridiculous! Tell the employee not to look at her! Anyway, physical attraction towards opposite sex is common. However, discretion lies in controlling it. Tell the employee to develop his power of concentration. Secondly, there is a risk in this attraction also. If both the employees fall in love with each other then it is fine, however, if unrequited attraction continues, then lapse of judgement in the feat of attraction might create problems.
4.Colleague yawns very loudly or breathes with a loud sound.
Reply: - This happens when employees are not given training on workplace etiquettes. Have you created Manual on Workplace Behaviour and Etiquettes? Create manual and conduct a small training session if required. While workplace need to be converted into second home, the conduct of the employees at the workplace has to be in the defined parameters. As an interim measure, give feedback to the employee to close his mouth while yawning. To become fresh, he/she may go to washroom and wash his face.
5. A man next to his desk keeps murmuring songs or mimicking other employees which is very distracting. Few employees tend to create fun in the work place which annoys some employees. (in a wing out of 16, 2 raised this complaint)
Reply: - Forever humming or buzzing colleague at the workplace is always irksome. If time permits, then you may allot some time for the fun and humour at the workplace. However, the employee needs to be given feedback on maintaining workplace silence.
Final comments: - You have come up with the workplace challenges and asked for the solution. However, what needs to be lauded is that you as a HR have stayed connected with your employees and employees have approached you with their minor irritants. Their complaints speak of your approachability. If these irritants remain unaddressed for a long time, then these snowball and occasionally, create rift between/amongst the employees. You are giving chance to vent their feelings. Kudos to you!
Thanks,
Dinesh Divekar
From India, Bangalore
Replies to your questions are as below:
1. For higher pay (BTW employee is getting competitive pay)
Reply: - Perceptions about under-payment are common, anywhere and everywhere. Employee need to be told that the salary is fixed on skill set and job performance. Nevertheless, in many organisations, those who join late are paid better. Please check whether there is any imbalance and if yes, you need to do the salary rationalisation.
2. Supervisor pointed out team member's (job related performance) mistakes in front of his team members on the floor
Reply: - This is a issue of maintaining healthy interpersonal environment. Managers and supervisors are more responsible for this. You may organise a training for the supervisors and managers on how to foster a culture of interpersonal environment in general and how to build interpersonal skills in particular. Emphasis should be given on how to give feedback. The first principle of feedback-giving skills is that praise in public but criticise in private. Secondly, managers or supervisors even while criticising in private, must ensure that the motivation level does not suffer because of their criticism. They are responsible for motivation of the juniors forever.
and some weird complaints like,
3. A female colleague looks so attractive and so another employee could not concentrate on work
Reply: - This is ridiculous! Tell the employee not to look at her! Anyway, physical attraction towards opposite sex is common. However, discretion lies in controlling it. Tell the employee to develop his power of concentration. Secondly, there is a risk in this attraction also. If both the employees fall in love with each other then it is fine, however, if unrequited attraction continues, then lapse of judgement in the feat of attraction might create problems.
4.Colleague yawns very loudly or breathes with a loud sound.
Reply: - This happens when employees are not given training on workplace etiquettes. Have you created Manual on Workplace Behaviour and Etiquettes? Create manual and conduct a small training session if required. While workplace need to be converted into second home, the conduct of the employees at the workplace has to be in the defined parameters. As an interim measure, give feedback to the employee to close his mouth while yawning. To become fresh, he/she may go to washroom and wash his face.
5. A man next to his desk keeps murmuring songs or mimicking other employees which is very distracting. Few employees tend to create fun in the work place which annoys some employees. (in a wing out of 16, 2 raised this complaint)
Reply: - Forever humming or buzzing colleague at the workplace is always irksome. If time permits, then you may allot some time for the fun and humour at the workplace. However, the employee needs to be given feedback on maintaining workplace silence.
Final comments: - You have come up with the workplace challenges and asked for the solution. However, what needs to be lauded is that you as a HR have stayed connected with your employees and employees have approached you with their minor irritants. Their complaints speak of your approachability. If these irritants remain unaddressed for a long time, then these snowball and occasionally, create rift between/amongst the employees. You are giving chance to vent their feelings. Kudos to you!
Thanks,
Dinesh Divekar
From India, Bangalore
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