“I had no idea!”

Receiving a grievance out of the blue, or a call from ACAS, an appeal or a solicitor’s letter may be viewed cynically, particularly when it’s received in response to a challenge to an employee’s performance or behaviour.

But before you get ready for battle with your staff, take a moment to reflect on why your (ex) employee felt the need to take that action that made you angry. Is there a genuine issue here that you need to address? Did you ambush them? Were you unclear in your communications? Did you jump to conclusions and rush your HR process, or not follow one at all?

There should be no surprises when managing employment relationships. An employee facing a change to T&Cs, dismissal, a performance improvement plan, or warning should know (or at least have an idea) in advance of your conversations about the issue and what the potential outcomes of that conversation might be.

If you have messed up and it’s clear that someone is in the dark about why you have done what you’ve done, find a diplomatic way to put them in the picture as soon as possible. Communicate with each other openly and directly. You’ll save yourself hours of distraction tied up with another fight if you do.

I’ve created a guide with my Top 10 tips for employers on how to avoid pointless disputes with staff. You can get your copy HERE.