Employee Grievance Center…Employee Concerns Falling On Deaf Ears

Is employee motivation high in your workplace? Or is at its most pathetic level so far? No company is perfect. This is a fact illustrated by the abundant grievances put forward by company employees. But some companies are more atrocious than others. Here’s a collection of some of the dismal situations that workers have to contend with on a daily basis.

Unsafe work conditions

They say a happy worker is a productive worker. But how can you possibly be happy working in a place that violates health codes? More than just physical hazards, health hazards are a huge problem in many companies. Creating a culture of safety is important regardless of industry.

• Do they provide safety outfits and gear?
• Do they maintain health and working standards?
• Are there regular inspections?
• Does the company upgrade its system and equipment?
• Are the procedures regularly evaluated?

Poor compensation packages

People work to earn a living. The paycheck one take home is a basic employee motivation to actually render work. But there are still workers that receive below minimum wage. Worse, some received the measly pay late. Apart from the wages, other fringe benefits are either unavailable or not offered. The most common spiel of companies is to get out if you don’t like what you are getting. For an individual who badly needs work what can you do but

• Are you getting the right pay?
• Is your compensation commensurate to your work?
• Does the company review performances and give you feedback?
• Does the company adhere to labor standards when it comes to compensation and benefits?

Working without a contract is like not working for the company at all

There’s one applicant who was not able to provide the basic requirements like a certificate of employment from his previous employer. It turned out that he did not even get an employment contract with them. Employment contracts stipulate everything from your pay, benefits to the type of work expected from you. It’s your assurance that you are actually employed by the company. Both you and the company have responsibilities to each other.

• Have you seen your employment contract?
• Does the company explain what it written here?
• Are there discrepancies between what you are actually doing and what is written in your contract?
• Do you have a signed copy of your employment contract?

Strangle my boss please

I will rejoice at the sight of my boss’ corpse. I actually heard this more than once in varying degrees of gruesomeness. We often hear about stories of how horrid our boss is. In fact, it’s usually among the top break room topics next to who is dating who. The vehemence employees have for their boss is global. The reasons vary from person to person and from company to company. Here are some grievances regarding the boss:

• Unfair and unjust workload
• Favoritism
• Totally oblivious of employee needs
• Sexual harassment concerns
• Unprofessional behavior
• Lack of accountability

Employee motivation is a pivotal part of any corporate program. Addressing the concerns will drastically improve work conditions. But getting these concerns across is a challenge itself.

In retrospect

Companies need to learn how to turn motivation theories into practical employee programs. This way, there is a match between what the person wants/needs and what the company can offer. Without motivated workers, productivity will suffer.

Likewise, workplaces must adhere to standards to ensure safety. Of course there are excuses for not creating a culture of safety in the workplace but this is a basic need and right of everyone.

Of course this is just a short list. So if you were asked what grievances you have what would you write? Obviously I’m not in the position to correct your company policies or reprimand whoever is in charge. But simply letting it out can help even for a moment.

Here’s your chance to speak your mind and share what’s going on at work. This is your employee’s grievance center where you don’t get fired for asking what is rightly yours.