Complaints management is about understanding and improving the way workplace conflicts are addressed.

1. Complaints Management
Version 5 August 2011

2. Complaints Management
A key factor affecting the value of an employee’s contribution in work relationships is
Organisational Conflict.
Healthy value
Cooperative
Contribution Problem
Solving
Organisational
Health
Avoidance, Suppression, Coercive,
Unhealthy value “Group Think” Aggressive, Threatening
contribution Conflict Intensity
Low high
Copyright David Alman 2011

3. Complaints Management
Causes of Unhealthy Conflict Conflict Responses Consequence examples:
1. Well-being
Shock Complaint • Distrust
(Shock from violated valued (fight)
expectations) • Distress
“Moment of Truth” •2. Productivity
• Lower productivity
• Increased absence
Disengagement • Job dissatisfaction
(flight) • Lack of commitment
Stress • Non supportive work
(anxiety) behaviour
Copyright David Alman 2011

4. Complaints Management
Note: Conflict can be interpersonal or intrapersonal
Workplace Stress Factors Complaints Disengagement Factors Productivity Costs Well-being Costs
(Work safe Qld) Management
Examples
1. Work demands • Over utilisation • More errors/
exceeding a person’s •Poor work/life balance causes of accidents • Personal
capacity • Reduced effort underdevelopment
2. Low level of autonomy Poor line management Quit or
• Breakdown in
practices underperform
social development
3. Poor support from Inadequate resources Underperform
supervisor/co-worker •Physical health
4. Lack of role clarity, role •Under utilisation Underperform
•Emotional
conflict with own values • Under valued
exhaustion
5. Poor relations (inc Harassment, Poor work environment - • Underperform
friction, stressed bullying hostilities • Make errors •Depression,
relations, harassment) anxiety, and
withdrawal
6. Low levels of Fair treatment : • Poor coaching/ development • Underperform
recognition & reward (inc lack of • Lack of recognition • Reduced effort
lack of development development, • Lack of advancement • Quit
promotion appeal opportunities
7. Poorly managed Fair treatment: • Job expectations unmet • Underperform
change Role change issues • Incapable/ bypassed • Make errors
8. Organisational justice Fair treatment Lack of fair treatment Reduced effort
Copyright David Alman 2011

5. Complaints Management
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)
100
80
60 Engaged
40
20 Not Engaged
0
Actively Disengaged
Reference: Gallop Q12 Employee Engagement Poll 2008 Results
Copyright David Alman 2011

6. Complaints Management
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)
Percentage of Main Causes of Conflict
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Reference: Workplace conflict and how businesses can harness it to thrive. CCP Global, Human Capital Report July 2008.
Copyright David Alman 2011

7. Complaints Management
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
Healthy Eustress
Stress Distress
Response
Unhealthy Hypostress Hyperstress
Too little Conflict intensity Too much
e.g. Boredom e.g. Work Over load
Copyright David Alman 2011

8. Complaints Management
A key to sustaining & improving Conflict Management is Organisational Justice (sometimes
referred to Organisational Fairness).
Organisational Justice Principles cover Distributive; Procedural; and Interactional Justice.
Distributive Justice
(Fairness of decisions)
Valued
Expectations
Procedural Justice Interactional Justice
(Fairness of processes) (Fairness in interactions)
Copyright David Alman 2011

9. Complaints Management
The Duality of Organisational Justice
Legal Justice
(Legislated & Contractual)
Organisational Justice
Social Justice
(Social & Psychological Justice)
Note: Social justice is also the
foundation of Legal Justice
Copyright David Alman 2011

10. Complaints Management
Basis for Handling Complaints
showing the progression often
used in formal Complaint &
Power Grievance Processes
e.g. Determination
Rights
e.g. Arbitration & Adjudication
Interests
e.g. Conciliation, Facilitation, Mediation,
Collaboration
Expectations
e.g. Collaboration, Narrative reframing
Copyright David Alman 2011

11. Complaints Management
Example Lose/Lose Scenario
Social Unfairness & the
Legal Framework Legislative Based Dispute Resolution Agencies
Rights “settled” but underlying cause of unfairness can remain
A typical Lose/Lose Scenario.
• Unless the underlying causes
of conflict are addressed, the
conflict remains. Dispute Resolution
Process
• If complaints are treated on Individual complaint
(external to organisation)
the basis of the presenting
“events” costs of managing
complaints can be high.
• If the systemic implications of
Grievance/Complaints
issues within a complaint are Perceived Social/
Process
not addressed then other Psychological Individual conflict
similar complaints will arise Unfairness (internal to organisation)
unnecessarily.
Copyright David Alman 2011

12. Complaints Management
Employee “Rights” Employer “Rights”
(Contractual, Legal, Social & Psychological) (Legislative and Contractual arrangements)
Contractual & Legal “rights” Point of Conflict
• Employee rights & entitlements not
applied by organisation Legislative rights applied by the
• Employee rights & entitlements organisation
unfairly applied by organisation
Employee contractual
Psychological “rights” entitlements offered by the
• Informal but accepted work organisation
practices and entitlements by
employees and organisation
• Rights and entitlements assumed Employer rights not applied by
by employee but not accepted by the organisation
organisation.
Social “rights” Employer rights incorrectly
• Rights and entitlements valued applied by the organisation
outside of the organisation, and
sought.
Copyright David Alman 2011

13. Complaints Management
“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)
Copyright David Alman 2011

14. Complaints Management
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
The Organisational Justice Model
Needs &
Values
Procedural Interactional
Justice Justice
Context
Copyright David Alman 2011

15. Complaints Management
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 Legislation, Policy, Observations, goals, & Options
(e.g. Context, Interactional Justice, and Procedural
and underlying Values & Needs) Justice Issues
Management Role to transfer into new organisational Authorised Complainant’s Role to be transferred
structure Organisational to new unit in the revised organisation
Restructure & structure, and focus & duties changed
Changes insufficient to justify redundancy timetable to support new direction.
Ms B. Brave Change management process leading to WH&S Legislation No Stress Risk Management Audit
anxiety & uncertainty and resistance to relating to Stress Risk carried out
change; management refuse to consult Management
directly over role changes; lack of support requirements Focus on running to a pre-set change
management timetable
Increased alienation in work relationship New role scope and Proposed role duties become a focus of
accountability level dispute and formal complaint
issues raised
Career development opportunities ignored by Non application of HR HR Fair Treatment and EEO Polices
management (documented records). With Policy breached providing basis for formal
role change career development affected and complaint.
issue now raised as formal complaint
Copyright David Alman 2011

16. Complaints Management
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.
Copyright David Alman 2011

17. Complaints Management
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.
Copyright David Alman 2011

18. Contact Details
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.