Discipline & Grievance Management

Discipline

Meaning Normally it refers to the presence of certain orderliness in any particular field of
activity. It means securing consistent behavior in accordance with the accepted norms of
behavior. It means control & corrective action has been taken after an infraction has taken place,
imposition of rules & regulations. As per Ordway Tead, Discipline is the orderly conduct of
affairs by the members of an organization who adhere to its necessary regulation because they
desire to co-operative.

Features of Discipline

Discipline means changes in ones behavior in accordance with the accepted rules,
regulation norms, customs & culture.

Discipline is enforced when employees are not self-disciplined.

Discipline is possible in some cases due to professional fear, penalty, punishment like
transfer, demotion, withdrawing of fringe benefits & finally termination.

Negative discipline should be avoided impossible as it may bring some problems for
management.

Management should ensure that there is positive discipline concerning with the inner
feelings of an individual.

Discipline leads to industrial peace leading to healthy industrial relations.

Aims & Objectives of Discipline

To ensure the orderly obeisance of rules & procedures followed in the organization so
that organization goals are properly achieved.

To ensure an element of certainty in the organization despite of difference of opinions.

To help in increasing the efficiency of the employees.

To create an atmosphere of mutual respect.

To develop a spirit of understanding & tolerance among employees.

Approaches to Discipline

1. Judicial 2. Human Relations 3. Human Resource

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 4. The Group 5. The Leadership
Discipline

Essentials of a good disciplinary system

1) Proper 5) Properly defined 9) Reviews &

Understanding of procedure Revision
Rules
6) Fair action
2) Documentation of
the Misconduct 7) Disciplinary action
to be taken tactfully
3) Training of
Supervisors 8) Impersonal
Discipline
4) Quick action

Types of Discipline

i. Negative ii. Positive iii. Self-Discipline &

Control

Difference between Positive & Negative Discipline

Point Negative Discipline Positive Discipline

Concept It is adherence to established It is the creation of a

norms& regulations, out of conducive climate in an
fear of punishment. organization so that
employees willingly conform
to the established rules.

Conflict Employees do not perceive the There is no conflict between

corporate goals as their own. individual & organizational
goal.

Supervision Requires intense supervisory Employees exercise self

control to prevent employees control to meet organizational
from going off the track. objectives.

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 Grievance

Meaning Grievance means any discontent or dissatisfaction, whether expressed or not and
whether valid or not, arising out of anything connected with the company that an employee
thinks, believes or even feels, is unfair, unjust or inequitable. DISCONTENT OR
DISSATISFACTION PER SE IS NOT GRIEVANCE.DISCONTENT INITIALLY FINDS
EXPRESSION IN THE FORM OF A COMPLAINT. WHEN A COMPLAINT REMAINS
UNATTENDED AND THE EMPLOYEE CONCERNED FEELS A SENSE OF LACK OF
JUSTICE AND FAIRPLAY, THE DISSATISFACTION GROWS AND ASSUMES THE
STATUS OF A GRIEVANCE.

As per ILO, A GRIEVANCE IS A COMPLAINT OF ONE OR MORE WORKERS WITH

RESPECT TO WAGES AND ALLOWANCES, CONDITIONS OF WORK AND
INTERPRETATION OF SERVICE CONDITIONS COVERING SUCH AREAS AS
OVERTIME, LEAVE, TRANSFER, PROMOTION, SENIORITY, JOB ASSIGNMENT AND
TERMINATION OF SERVICE.

Characteristics

(1) The discontent must arise out of something connected with the company.

(2) The discontent may be expressed or implied.

(3) The discontent may be valid, legitimate and rational or untrue or completely
ludicrous.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GRIEVANCE AND A DISPUTE

Being an individuals feeling of injustice, grievance is always small in dimension.

Dispute is always big in dimension, results as it does from the collective action of
several individuals.

Grievance can be both expressed and unexpressed. A dispute is always expressed.

It is the manifestation of some conflict.

Grievance is the early stage of a dispute. If ignored by the management and

allowed to accumulate and grow, it later on turns into a dispute.

There does not exist any statutory machinery for settling grievances but there is
the Industrial Disputes Act which lays down machinery for the settlement of
disputes.

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CAUSES OF GRIEVANCES

Grievances resulting may broadly be classified in the following categories :

Improper matching of the worker with the job.

Changes in schedules or procedures.

Non - availability of proper tools, machines and equipment for doing the job.

Tight production standards.

Bad physical conditions of workplace.

Failure to maintain proper discipline (excessive discipline or lack of it, both are
equally harmful)

Poor relationship with the supervisor.

REASONS FOR GRIEVANCES

GRIEVANCES MAY OCCUR FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS:

i. ECONOMIC iv. WORK GROUP

ii. WORK ENVIRONMENT v. WORK ORGANIZATION

iii. SUPERVISION

NOTE: THE APPARENT CAUSES OR SOURCES OF GRIEVANCES MAY NOT BE THE

REAL ONES.

Grievances resulting from management policy :

(a) Wages payment and job rates (b) Leave

(c) Overtime (d) Seniority (e) Transfer

(f) Promotion, demotion and discharges.

(g) Lack of career planning and employee development plan.

(h) Hostility toward a labor union.

Grievances resulting from alleged violation of :

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 (a) The collective bargaining agreement

(b) Central or State laws (c) Past practice

(d) Company rules (e) Managements responsibility.

Grievances resulting from personal maladjustment :

(a) Over ambition (b) Excessive self-esteem

(c) Impractical attitude to life, etc.

HOW TO KNOW ABOUT GRIEVANCES:

(a) Exit Interview (b) Gripe Boxes

(c) Opinion Surveys etc. (d) Open - door - Policy.

INDIVIDUAL AND COLLECTIVE (GROUP) GRIEVANCES

IF THE ISSUE INVOLVED RELATES TO ONE OR FEW INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEES, IT

NEEDS TO BE HANDLED THROUGH A GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE, BUT WHEN
GENERAL ISSUES WITH POLICY IMPLICATIONS AND WIDER INTEREST ARE
INVOLVED THEY BECOME THE SUBJECT MATTER FOR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.

ROLE OF TRADE UNIONS IDEALLY IN INDIVIDUAL GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL,

TRADE UNIONS SHOULD HAVE LESS OR NO ROLE WHILE IN GRIEVANCES OF
COLLECTIVE NATURE AND WIDER RAMIFICATIONS, TRADE UNIONS NEED TO BE
INVOLVED.

ADVERSE EFFECTS OF GRIEVANCES

1. LOSS OF INTEREST IN WORK 6. INCREASE IN EMPLOYEE

AND CONSEQUENT TURNOVER.

2. LACK OF MORALE AND 7. INCREASE IN ABSENTEEISM.

COMMITMENT.
8. INCREASE IN INCIDENTS OF
3. POOR QUALITY IN ACCIDENTS.
PRODUCTION.
9. INDISCIPLINE
4. LOW PRODUCTIVITY
10. UNREST
5. INCREASE IN WASTAGE AND
COSTS

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DISCOVERY OF GRIEVANCES

1. DIRECT OBSERVATION 6. GOSSIP, GRAPEVINE

2. GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE 7. UNIONS

3. GRIPE BOXES 8. OTHER CHANNELS- GROUP

MEETINGS, PERIODICAL
4. OPEN-DOOR POLICY INTERVIEWS, COLLECTIVE
5. EXIT INTERVIEWS BARGAINING SESSIONS.

HOW TO HANDLE GRIEVANCES

WHATEVER BE THE CAUSE, THE APPROACH SHOULD BE HUMANE.

EMPLOYEE GRIEVANCES HAVE TO BE HANDLED PROMPTLY.

GRIEVANCES SHOULD BE HANDLED AT THE LEVEL THEY OCCUR.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT GRIEVANCES DONT RECUR.

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STEPS IN GRIEVANCE HANDLING

1. ACKNOWLEDGE 3. GET THE FACTS

DISSATISFACTION
4. ANALYSE AND DECIDE
2. DEFINE THE PROBLEM
5. FOLLOW UP
BENEFITS OF A GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE

It brings grievances into the open.

It helps in preventing grievances from assuming big proportions.

It provides employees a formalized means of emotional release for their dissatisfactions.

It helps in establishing and maintaining a work culture or way of life.

It acts as a check upon arbitrary and capricious management action.

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DESIRABLE FEATURES OF A GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE A grievance procedure
should incorporate the following features:

1. Conformity with Existing Legislation 2. Acceptability.

3. Simplicity. 4. Promptness. 5. Training. 6. Follow-up.

POINTS TO BE REMEMBERED WHEN HANDLING A GRIEVANCE

Every grievance must be considered important.

A grievance should not be postponed in the hope that people will see the light
themselves.

All grievances should be put in writing.

All relevant facts about a grievance should be gathered by the management and their
proper records maintained.

The worker should be given free time off to pursue his grievance.

Management should make a list of all solutions and later evaluate them one by one in
terms of their total effect.

Decision once reached should be communicated to the employee and acted upon by the
management.

Follow-up must be done by the management.

COMMON PITFALLS IN GRIEVANCE HANDLING

a. STOPPING THE SEARCH FOR FACTS TOO SOON

b. EXPRESSING A MANAGEMENT OPINION BEFORE GATHERING FULL FACTS

c. FAILING TO MAINTAIN PROPER RECORDS

d. ARBITRARY EXERCISE OF EXECUTIVE DISCRETION

e. SETTLING WRONG GRIEVANCES.

SETTLEMENT OF GRIEVANCES IN INDIAN INDUSTRIES:

Model Grievance Procedure:

An aggrieved worker shall first present his grievance verbally in person to the officer
designated by the management.
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If the worker is not satisfied with the decision of this officer or fails to receive an answer
within the stipulated period, he shall, either in person or accompanied by his
departmental representative, present his grievance to the head of the department.

If the decision of the departmental head is unsatisfactory, the aggrieved worker may
request for the forwarding of his grievance to the Grievance Committee.

The worker shall have the right to appeal to management for a revision.

If no agreement is still possible the union and the management may refer the grievance to
voluntary arbitration.

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