What Are Common Employee Relations Issues?
To help companies proactively address employee relations issues, we gathered insights from CEOs, founders, and HR professionals. From preventing communication breakdowns to managing leadership perceptions, here are 12 common issues and solutions shared by these experts to create a harmonious work environment.
- Prevent Communication Breakdowns
- Address Bullying Proactively
- Combat Discrimination
- Promote Safety Policies
- Clarify Leave Management Policies
- Resolve Interpersonal Conflicts
- Manage Office Romances Wisely
- Implement Robust Performance Management
- Address Discrimination and Support DEIB
- Tackle Employee Turnover and Retain Talent
- Prevent Burnout With Work-Life Balance
- Manage Leadership Perceptions
Prevent Communication Breakdowns
One common issue that companies can proactively prepare for is handling communication breakdowns between management and employees. This can manifest in many ways, including misunderstandings about job responsibilities, conflicting expectations, and lack of feedback or recognition.
To prevent communication breakdowns, companies should establish clear lines of communication and regular check-ins between managers and employees. This can include regular one-on-one meetings, team meetings, and open-door policies that encourage employees to share their concerns and feedback.
Companies should establish clear job descriptions and performance expectations for each employee, and provide regular feedback and recognition for good work.
Matthew Ramirez, CEO, Rephrasely
Address Bullying Proactively
One common employee relations issue companies can proactively prepare for is workplace bullying. Employees who experience bullying often suffer from decreased morale, decreased productivity, increased absenteeism, and increased turnover.
Companies can proactively prepare for workplace bullying by implementing a clear anti-bullying policy, providing training to employees and managers on recognizing and addressing bullying behavior, and establishing a confidential reporting system for employees to report incidents of bullying.
It is important to take a zero-tolerance approach to bullying in the workplace to ensure a safe and respectful workplace culture. By proactively addressing workplace bullying, companies can minimize the negative impact on employee well-being and business success.
Jefferson McCall, Co-founder and HR Head, TechBullish
Combat Discrimination
One of the most common employee relations issues companies face is workplace discrimination. Despite its prevalence in the workforce, it remains one of the most complex issues to address, as organizations vary widely regarding their culture, policies, processes, and procedures.
A proactive approach to preventing discrimination starts with raising awareness among all levels of staff across the company—from management all the way down through front-line employees—of both what makes up discriminatory behavior and how it can be addressed in a positive manner.
Rick Elmore, CEO, Simply Noted
Promote Safety Policies
Promoting an adequate safety environment at work is one employee issue that is easy to prepare for. Creating and updating a safety policy regularly ensures everyone knows the rules regarding safety.
Likewise, regular training keeps everyone up to date on the latest technology to stay safe. Accidents occur, unfortunately, so having preventative measures in place is critical to being ready for them.
Max Schwartzapfel, CMO, Schwartzapfel Lawyers
Clarify Leave Management Policies
With so many types of leaves like sick leave, vacation leave, parental leave, and more, it’s easy for misunderstandings to crop up.
Here are a few things companies can do to avoid these problems:
1. Clearly define the leaves that employees are entitled to, and the terms associated with each one.
2. Ensure that employees are aware of their entitlements and any limitations to take those leaves.
3. Establish a simple process for requesting and approving leaves, so there is no ambiguity around what process should be followed.
4. Have an open-door policy where employees can discuss their issues with HR or management without fear of retribution.
By being proactive, companies can help prevent conflicts from arising in the first place and build a positive workplace culture where employee needs are respected and addressed promptly.
Johannes Larsson, Founder and CEO, JohannesLarsson.com
Resolve Interpersonal Conflicts
One of the most recurrent employee relations issues that companies inevitably encounter is interpersonal conflict. Preparing proactively for these differences can significantly improve team morale and productivity.
In my early days as a venture capitalist, I invested in a promising tech startup. However, constant bickering and disagreement among the team rapidly undermined their progress. Realizing the gravity of the situation, we implemented conflict resolution strategies, including open communication forums and professional development in conflict management.
The results were astounding—the team’s dynamics improved significantly, and the company witnessed a marked increase in productivity. It was a powerful reminder that by foreseeing and preparing for interpersonal conflicts, companies can create a more harmonious and efficient work environment.
Daniel Pfeffer, CEO, Scrape Network
Manage Office Romances Wisely
Many movies have been made about office romances, but in reality, they can be messy affairs that threaten the stability of the entire workforce.
However, with a little preparation, potential problems can be mitigated.
For starters, don’t forbid romantic relationships. It only leads to secrecy. Instead, create a policy of disclosure so you can take steps to avoid conflicts of interest.
Then brace yourself for the likelihood of a split. The time to deal with hot emotions is during a cool period. Think ahead. Can a work-from-home policy help? Would splitting up a team at the last minute be feasible?
Usually, a few weeks of accommodation is all it takes for things to get back to normal. Having a plan in place ahead of time makes all the difference.
Rob Reeves, CEO and President, Redfish Technology
Implement Robust Performance Management
Implementing a robust performance management system can help set clear expectations, provide feedback, and support employee development.
Establish goals and objectives that align with company objectives. Provide regular performance feedback and recognition to employees. Offer opportunities for skill development and growth through training and mentoring programs.
Implement performance appraisal processes that are fair, transparent, and focused on constructive dialogue. By prioritizing effective performance management, companies can enhance employee engagement, motivation, and overall performance.
Vikrant Shaurya, CEO, Authors On Mission
Address Discrimination and Support DEIB
Employees can proactively prepare for discriminatory complaints by putting a robust plan in place to train employees on unconscious bias, supporting DEIB initiatives at every level, and helping each person see their role as a viable component to the success of the organization.
Aleasa Word, CEO and Executive Coach, A. Word & Company
Tackle Employee Turnover and Retain Talent
Employee turnover can be a problem because it can slow work down, hurt team spirit, and cost money. But companies can do things to help keep people from leaving.
They can make the workplace a good place to be, where workers feel important and liked. Companies can also help workers learn new skills and move up in their jobs. Regular chats about how the job is going can help sort out any problems early.
Paying workers well, helping them balance work and life, and celebrating their good work can make them happier and less likely to look for another job.
When workers leave, companies should talk to them about why they’re leaving. This can give helpful hints about what can be done better. Doing these things can help keep more workers and save money on hiring new ones.
Irina Poddubnaia, CEO and Founder, TrackMage
Prevent Burnout With Work-Life Balance
Addressing employee burnout is a critical aspect of managing employee relations. Most of us are no strangers to burnout. It occurs when work-related stress takes a toll on individuals, leaving them physically and emotionally drained. It’s a severe problem that can significantly affect productivity and employee retention. That’s why companies must be proactive in dealing with it.
One effective approach is promoting work-life balance and offering flexible work options to employees. Encouraging them to take regular breaks and vacations is equally important. Another valuable step is implementing comprehensive well-being programs that encompass physical, mental, and emotional health.
Managing workloads, expressing appreciation for employees’ efforts, and providing growth opportunities can go a long way in preventing burnout. By taking these measures, companies create a supportive work environment where employees thrive, leading to increased productivity and job satisfaction.
Harry Morton, Founder, Lower Street
Manage Leadership Perceptions
One issue is often the ability to change perceptions or feelings toward leadership following a change of employee/leadership role.
One thing that companies can do to avoid this is to follow employee wellness strictly and retention guidelines to ensure that there are no previous negative assumptions on how leadership deals with employee development (otherwise this is something that inevitably new leadership will have to take on).
Wendy Makinson, HR Manager, Joloda Hydraroll