Case Study - Investigation used to settle widespread staff dissatisfaction 

Background

A small organisation with a high public profile and only 2 Human Resources personnel received notification from the union representing staff that they would be going on strike if member complaints regarding their treatment by a new manager were not taken seriously.

Following a crises meetings with the union and staff WISE Workplace Investigations were contracted to help advise on how the situation could be resolved.

WISE advised that the complaints raised by staff should be given a full and proper hearing and the actions of the manager scrutinised for fairness.

Objective

WISE were contracted to identify the underlying issues raised by staff in the work area and find solutions to the differences between staff and the manager.

Approach

WISE conducted wide spread interviews with all staff in the work area affected over a two day period. Harriet Stacey and Jo Kamira conducted the interviews taking notes and identifying the sources of major complaint along the way.

To afford procedural fairness to the manager, her actions that had led to the complaints were documented and presented to her for comment during her interview.

The manager was able to present the difficulties she had been experiencing and offer insight into her own actions.

WISE presented a report for managers on the cause and effect of certain decisions and approaches to workflow that had caused the staff unhappiness to aid discussion between management and the unions.

Strategic outcomes

Management and the unions were able to sit down and discuss the outcome of the report and make constructive progress towards settling the dispute. No strike action was taken and no further productivity lost.

Performance management processes were commenced with several members of staff to assist in the management of new work processes.

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