Preparing for a Workplace Grievance Meeting
How to prepare effectively for a formal workplace grievance meeting, including your rights, what to bring, and how to present your case.
Overview
A workplace grievance is a formal complaint you raise with your employer about something that has happened at work — such as bullying, harassment, discrimination, a change to your terms, or a management failure. The ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures (2015) sets out minimum standards. An employer's failure to follow the Code can result in a 25% uplift in any subsequent Employment Tribunal award. Under s.10 of the Employment Relations Act 1999, you have the right to be accompanied at any formal grievance meeting by a colleague or trade union representative.
Step-by-Step Process
Submit a Written Grievance
Before the meeting, submit your grievance in writing to the appropriate person (usually your line manager or HR). The written grievance should set out: what happened, when, who was involved, and what resolution you are seeking. The employer must then invite you to a formal grievance meeting, giving you reasonable notice. Keep a copy of your grievance letter and note the date of submission.
- Under the ACAS Code, the employer must hold a meeting without unreasonable delay after the written grievance
- Be specific about the incidents and dates — vague grievances are harder to investigate and resolve
- If the grievance is against your line manager, address it to HR or their manager instead
- A written grievance is the starting point for any subsequent Employment Tribunal claim if the matter is not resolved
Gather Your Evidence
Collect all documentary evidence supporting your grievance: emails, messages, meeting notes, policies (grievance, equality, anti-bullying), payslips, or any other relevant records. Review the company's grievance procedure (it should be on the intranet or in your employment contract). Note the specific policy provisions or legal rights that have been breached. Make a chronological list of the key incidents with dates, times, and witnesses.
- Keep copies of emails at home — you may lose access to work systems during or after the grievance process
- Contemporaneous notes made at the time events occurred are more credible than retrospective accounts
- If you have reported similar issues in the past (e.g. to HR or a manager), include records of those reports
- Be organised — bring your evidence in a logical order to the meeting
Know Your Right to a Companion
You have a statutory right under s.10 Employment Relations Act 1999 to be accompanied at any formal grievance meeting by a single trade union representative (including a union official) or a colleague employed by the same employer. The companion can address the meeting and confer with you — but cannot answer questions on your behalf. Request a companion in advance and ensure they are available on the meeting date.
- Even if you are not a union member, you may be able to request representation from a union if your employer recognises one
- A companion can present your case more effectively than you might alone — especially if you are nervous or distressed
- If your chosen companion is unavailable, you can request a reasonable postponement of up to 5 working days
Prepare What You Want to Say
Write a brief structured account of: (1) the specific events you are complaining about; (2) the impact on you; (3) the specific resolution you want. Focus on the most important points — meetings can be limited in time. Be prepared for questions from the person hearing the grievance. Think about what the employer might say in response and how you would answer.
- The ACAS Code says the employer must give the employee the opportunity to set out their case and have it fully considered
- Ask for the meeting to be recorded or minutes taken — this creates an accurate record
- Request a copy of any notes or minutes taken at the meeting
- You are entitled to a written decision following the grievance meeting — with reasons
Follow Up After the Meeting
The employer must write to you with their decision following the grievance meeting. If you are dissatisfied with the outcome, you have the right to appeal (ACAS Code, para 39 — the employer's procedure should set out the appeal process). An appeal should be heard by a more senior manager or director. Raise any failure to follow the ACAS Code at this stage. Keep all correspondence for potential use in Employment Tribunal proceedings.
- The appeal should be heard by someone not previously involved in the grievance
- Note that a grievance outcome that does not resolve the matter does not prevent you from also raising a tribunal claim about the same matter (though you may need to exhaust the grievance process first for some claim types)
- If the employer's grievance process was seriously flawed, note this — the tribunal can uplift any award by up to 25% for an employer's unreasonable failure to follow the ACAS Code
Costs
Important Warnings
Raising a grievance does not automatically stop your employer from continuing disciplinary proceedings against you if those are genuinely separate matters.
A grievance is not a magic shield — it does not prevent dismissal, but any dismissal during or shortly after a grievance process may be viewed as suspicious by a tribunal.
If you resign during the grievance process and claim constructive dismissal, you will need to show the employer fundamentally breached your contract — a badly handled grievance can contribute to this, but simply receiving an unfavourable outcome does not automatically amount to a breach.