Labor relations and HR departments do not always have the time and resources to give each grievance the serious attention it deserves. When deciding whether your company should outsource grievance handling, are you asking the right questions?
- Do you have the internal resources and expertise to respond to grievances?
- With limited internal resources, is your staff’s time better spent on other issues?
- How many unions do you have? Is it more cost-effective to outsource the work?
- How many grievances are filed monthly, quarterly, or annually?
- What is the cost of each grievance (e.g., cost of lost productivity and legal expenses, time spent by the manager, HR, and legal)?
- What are the causes of grievances? Are they supervisor errors, unclear policies and procedures, lack of management training, and lousy hiring decisions?
- What is the average time it takes to resolve an issue from start to finish?