Better Complaints Management

Complaints Management

Version 5 August 2011

A key factor affecting the value of an employee’s contribution in work relationships is Organisational Conflict.

Organisational Health

Healthy value Contribution

Unhealthy value contribution Conflict IntensityLow high

CooperativeProblemSolving

Avoidance, Suppression, “Group Think”

Coercive, Aggressive, Threatening

Copyright David Alman 2011


1. Well-being• Distrust• Distress

•2. Productivity• Lower productivity • Increased absence• Job dissatisfaction• Lack of commitment• Non supportive work behaviour

Shock(Shock from violated valued

expectations)“Moment of Truth”

Complaint(fight)

Disengagement(flight)

Stress(anxiety)

Conflict ResponsesCauses of Unhealthy Conflict Consequence examples:



Workplace Stress Factors(Work safe Qld)


Examples

Disengagement Factors Productivity Costs Well-being Costs

1. Work demands exceeding a person’s capacity

• Over utilisation•Poor work/life balance

• More errors/ causes of accidents• Reduced effort

• Personal underdevelopment

• Breakdown in social development

•Physical health

•Emotional exhaustion

•Depression, anxiety, and withdrawal

2. Low level of autonomy Poor line management practices

Quit or underperform

3. Poor support from supervisor/co-worker

Inadequate resources Underperform

4. Lack of role clarity, role conflict with own values

•Under utilisation• Under valued

Underperform

5. Poor relations (inc friction, stressed relations, harassment)

Harassment, bullying

Poor work environment -hostilities

• Underperform• Make errors

6. Low levels of recognition & reward (inc lack of development

Fair treatment : lack of development, promotion appeal

• Poor coaching/ development• Lack of recognition• Lack of advancement opportunities

• Underperform• Reduced effort• Quit

7. Poorly managed change

Fair treatment: Role change issues

• Job expectations unmet• Incapable/ bypassed

• Underperform• Make errors

8. Organisational justice Fair treatment Lack of fair treatment Reduced effort


Note: Conflict can be interpersonal or intrapersonal


Cost of disengagement in 2007 in Australia is estimated as $42.1 billion overall or $4,768 per person. On average:• 18% Were engaged (e.g. work with passion, and drive innovation and move the organisation forward)

• 61% Not engaged (e.g. essentially “checked-out” putting in time but not energy or passion)

• 21% Actively disengaged (e.g. Not just unhappy but undermine what their co-workers accomplish)

020406080

100

Engaged

Not Engaged

Actively Disengaged

Reference: Gallop Q12 Employee Engagement Poll 2008 Results



Cost of conflict (e.g. Complaints) in the US was $359 billion in paid hours in 2008 (averaging 2.8 hours per week dealing with conflict)

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%

Percentage of Main Causes of Conflict

Reference: Workplace conflict and how businesses can harness it to thrive. CCP Global, Human Capital Report July 2008.




Eustress

Distress

Healthy

Stress Response

Unhealthy

Conflict intensityToo little

e.g. Boredom

Too much

e.g. Work Over load

Hypostress Hyperstress

Cost of Stress in Australia (including Presenteeism and Absenteeism):• Workplace stress costs the economy $14.81 billion a year.• Stress related presenteeism & absenteeism directly cost employers $10.11 billion.• 3.2 days per worker are lost each year through workplace stress.Reference: The cost of workplace stress in Australia. August 2008. Medibank Private


A key to sustaining & improving Conflict Management is Organisational Justice (sometimes referred to Organisational Fairness).

Organisational Justice Principles cover Distributive; Procedural; and Interactional Justice.

Valued Expectations

Distributive Justice(Fairness of decisions)

Procedural Justice(Fairness of processes)

Interactional Justice(Fairness in interactions)



Organisational Justice

Legal Justice(Legislated & Contractual)

Social Justice (Social & Psychological Justice)

The Duality of Organisational Justice


Note: Social justice is also the foundation of Legal Justice


Power

e.g. Determination

Rights

e.g. Arbitration & Adjudication

Interests

e.g. Conciliation, Facilitation, Mediation, Collaboration

Expectations

e.g. Collaboration, Narrative reframing


Basis for Handling Complaints showing the progression often used in formal Complaint & Grievance Processes



Legislative Based Dispute Resolution AgenciesRights “settled” but underlying cause of unfairness can remain

Dispute Resolution Process

Individual complaint (external to organisation)

Grievance/Complaints Process

Individual conflict (internal to organisation)

Perceived Social/ Psychological

Unfairness

Social Unfairness & the

Legal Framework

A typical Lose/Lose Scenario.

• Unless the underlying causes of conflict are addressed, the conflict remains.

• If complaints are treated on the basis of the presenting “events” costs of managing complaints can be high.

• If the systemic implications of issues within a complaint are not addressed then other similar complaints will arise unnecessarily.

Example Lose/Lose Scenario


Employer “Rights” (Legislative and Contractual arrangements)

Employee “Rights”(Contractual, Legal, Social & Psychological)

Legislative rights applied by the organisation

Employee contractual entitlements offered by the organisation

Contractual & Legal “rights”• Employee rights & entitlements not applied by organisation

• Employee rights & entitlements unfairly applied by organisation

Psychological “rights”• Informal but accepted work practices and entitlements by employees and organisation

• Rights and entitlements assumed by employee but not accepted by organisation.

Social “rights”• Rights and entitlements valued outside of the organisation, and sought.

Point of Conflict

Employer rights not applied by the organisation

Employer rights incorrectly applied by the organisation



“Without an adequate conflict analysis methodology conflict resolution is

often ineffective and fails” (Tillett & French, Resolving Conflict p 76).

An effective conflict analysis methodology involves a:process of analysing and diagnosing a conflict and developing a plan for resolving the conflict.

A Conflict Analysis methodology covers two steps: • Effectively diagnosing the conflict; and then• Taking action to manage the conflict based on that diagnosis(Furlong, The Conflict Resolution Toolbox p3,4)



The Organizational Justice Model is also a Human Activity System (HAS) variant.

Distributive Justice: The perception of equity, equality, and whether values and needs are addressed by the outcome or decision (where fairness of Purpose is reflected);Procedural Justice: The perceived fairness of the processes, procedures, and policies used (where fairness in Means are reflected);Interactional Justice : The perception of the interpersonal treatment received (where fair treatment in Relations is reflected). In addition, at the centre of the Organizational Justice Model, are the underpinning Values and Needs of the parties (where Meaning is reflected).


Distributive Justice

Procedural Justice

Interactional Justice

Context

Needs & Values

The Organisational Justice Model



The Conflict Analysis Chart below translates information identified using Organisational Justice Model criteria - Extract from a case.Note how complaints around a change management process results in two different perspectives from the parties that fuel rather than resolve conflict.

Parties Conflict issues(e.g. Context, Interactional Justice,

and underlying Values & Needs)

Legislation, Policy, and Procedural Justice Issues

Observations, goals, & Options

Management Role to transfer into new organisational structure

Changes insufficient to justify redundancy

Authorised Organisational Restructure & timetable

Complainant’s Role to be transferred to new unit in the revised organisation structure, and focus & duties changed to support new direction.

Ms B. Brave Change management process leading to anxiety & uncertainty and resistance to change; management refuse to consult directly over role changes; lack of support

Increased alienation in work relationship

WH&S Legislation relating to Stress Risk Management requirements

New role scope and accountability level issues raised

No Stress Risk Management Audit carried out

Focus on running to a pre-set change management timetable

Proposed role duties become a focus of dispute and formal complaint

Career development opportunities ignored by management (documented records). With role change career development affected and issue now raised as formal complaint

Non application of HR Policy

HR Fair Treatment and EEO Polices breached providing basis for formal complaint.


Complaints can therefore be managed either by a:

• Focus on “rights” through formal complaints/dispute processes which can leave underlying conflict issues to recur in other ways. Or

• Focus on “Substantive” and “Relationship” issues to reduce progression into and through a formal complaints management process.

– Substantive issues can be addressed using Collaborative problem solving and Facilitative problem solving methodologies.

– Relationship issues can be addressed through conflict coaching, “therapeutic” mediation, and Group Work.



Summary• Social Capital i.e. the “value of the interactions between people that affects; trust, mutual understanding, and cooperation” is affected by interpersonal conflict.

• Organisations usually have a formal process to manage (conflict) complaints. If this process does not also address the underlying causes of conflict, the conflict remains.

• A conflict analysis can be used to more fully understand and address the causes of a conflict. In this respect an Organisational Justice Model can be used to carry out a conflict analysis.

• A there are a range of conflict management methodologies available to address “substantive” and “relationship” conflict issues.



Proventive Solutions is Brisbane based in Queensland, Australia.

Enquiries are welcome. For further advice please contact David Alman on 0437797362

Other contact options include:• E-mail and Skype through the Contact Page at proventivesolutions.com.au

• LinkedIn and •Toolbox for HR

Please Note: This PowerPoint provides generic advice and application can vary.

Contact Details

http://proventivesolutions.com.au/contact.html

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Better Complaints Management