Looking for SOLUTIONS for common employee complaints from the IT Industry:
1. For higher pay (By the way, the employee is receiving competitive pay).
2. Supervisor pointed out team members' (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 that 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 workplace, which annoys some employees. (Out of 16, 2 raised this complaint).
Please share if you have come across grievances related to interpersonal factors and their best possible solutions.
From India, Madras
51. For higher pay (By the way, the employee is receiving competitive pay).
2. Supervisor pointed out team members' (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 that 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 workplace, which annoys some employees. (Out of 16, 2 raised this complaint).
Please share if you have come across grievances related to interpersonal factors and their best possible solutions.
From India, Madras
Dear Preethi,
Replies to your questions are as below:
1. For higher pay (By the way, the employee is getting competitive pay):
Reply: Perceptions about underpayment are common, anywhere and everywhere. Employees need to be told that the salary is fixed based on skill set and job performance. Nevertheless, in many organizations, those who join late are paid better. Please check whether there is any imbalance, and if yes, you need to do salary rationalization.
2. Supervisor pointed out a team member's (job-related performance) mistakes in front of his team members on the floor:
Reply: This is an issue of maintaining a healthy interpersonal environment. Managers and supervisors are more responsible for this. You may organize training for the supervisors and managers on how to foster a culture of an 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 criticize in private. Secondly, managers or supervisors, even while criticizing in private, must ensure that the motivation level does not suffer because of their criticism. They are responsible for the 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 the 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 a lapse of judgment 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 a Manual on Workplace Behavior and Etiquettes? Create a manual and conduct a small training session if required. While the workplace needs to be converted into a second home, the conduct of the employees at the workplace has to be within 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 the 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 workplace, 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 fun and humor 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 an 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 a rift between/among the employees. You are giving a 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 (By the way, the employee is getting competitive pay):
Reply: Perceptions about underpayment are common, anywhere and everywhere. Employees need to be told that the salary is fixed based on skill set and job performance. Nevertheless, in many organizations, those who join late are paid better. Please check whether there is any imbalance, and if yes, you need to do salary rationalization.
2. Supervisor pointed out a team member's (job-related performance) mistakes in front of his team members on the floor:
Reply: This is an issue of maintaining a healthy interpersonal environment. Managers and supervisors are more responsible for this. You may organize training for the supervisors and managers on how to foster a culture of an 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 criticize in private. Secondly, managers or supervisors, even while criticizing in private, must ensure that the motivation level does not suffer because of their criticism. They are responsible for the 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 the 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 a lapse of judgment 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 a Manual on Workplace Behavior and Etiquettes? Create a manual and conduct a small training session if required. While the workplace needs to be converted into a second home, the conduct of the employees at the workplace has to be within 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 the 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 workplace, 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 fun and humor 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 an 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 a rift between/among the employees. You are giving a chance to vent their feelings. Kudos to you!
Thanks,
Dinesh Divekar
From India, Bangalore
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