Grievance Procedures - Definition & Meaning

Published in Human Resources Terms by MBA Skool Team

What is Grievance Procedures?

It is the formal process by following which, an employee can get his/her complaint addressed by the organization. The process differs from organization to organization. Every organization documents the procedure in atleast one of the following:

  • Intranet
  • HR Site
  • Employee handbook
  • Employment contract

The employees should first try to solve the issue informally. In cases where it does not work out, the employees can follow the step by step grievance procedure as prescribed in their company.

Generally, two types of systems are observed in organizations:

Open Door Policy: In this case the employees are encouraged to walk into the top management’s rooms and get their grievance addressed directly. It builds trust between the employee and the organization. But, it is difficult to be implemented effectively in large organizations. Also, it is difficult to be implemented for employees like labourers, as they are generally not very comfortable talking to the top management themselves.

Step Ladder Policy: In this case, an employee raises his concern to his supervisor. In case he is not satisfied with the decision of his supervisor he can put his problem in front of higher officials.


This article has been researched & authored by the Business Concepts Team. It has been reviewed & published by the MBA Skool Team. The content on MBA Skool has been created for educational & academic purpose only.

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