In every workplace, complaints and grievances are inevitable and it sometimes feels like all you do is adjudicate in petty squabbles between members of your team. Excruciating as it may feel at times, as a leader, handling these complaints with empathy and insight is crucial for maintaining a positive, healthy work environment.

More than meets the eye

One of the biggest challenges for leaders is understanding that they might not see everything that’s going on. When managers are around, employees are often on their best behaviour, which can make it easy to assume that everything is running smoothly. But it’s important to remember that what you see may only be the tip of the iceberg.

Sometimes the cause of the friction is obvious.  Ken is old school and likes things done the old way, whereas Finn is younger and has been trained in new techniques and is keen to experiment with alternative options.  If there is no compromise, it can be like two goats smashing into each other head first and you will need to jump in as the voice of reason and resolve the situation. 

In other cases, the issues that lead to complaints are not about what is directly visible. They could stem from team conflicts, personal anxieties, or difficulties adjusting to new responsibilities. For instance, a minor complaint about someone’s tone in a meeting might be a signal of ongoing tension within the team. Or a complaint about workload might actually be rooted in feelings of self-doubt or burnout. As a leader, it’s your job to read between the lines and recognise that sometimes a small complaint points to a bigger, unseen issue.

Tune into the noise

Sometimes, where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Complaints are like signals that alert leaders to potential issues. One complaint may not seem significant on its own, but if you notice repeated feedback or subtle trends, there’s likely something deeper at play. Listen for recurring themes, and look to identify the root cause.

Patterns can reveal important insights. For example, if multiple employees mention stress or feeling unsupported, this could point to problems with team structure, workload, or company culture. These subtle signals are your opportunity to prevent small problems from escalating into significant issues. Don’t brush aside minor concerns—treat them as a chance to explore if there’s an underlying issue that needs attention.

Again, just because you haven’t noticed the problem, or, more specifically, seen it firsthand, it doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.  It could be that the behaviour is not being exhibited in your presence. Or the complainant could be attempting to manipulate your response to someone or something they don’t like which means either way, you need to be keeping your eyes and ears open so you can truly determine what’s at play.

Build your culture

A workplace culture that encourages open dialogue makes it easier for employees to voice their concerns before they turn into major complaints. Creating an environment where employees feel safe sharing concerns is essential to understanding issues before they escalate into full blown dramas or actions that result in harm to other employees. As a leader, you play a crucial role in setting this tone and there are a number of strategies you can utilise:

• Lead by example: Model the behaviour you want to see by being honest, transparent, and open to feedback yourself.
  
  
• Encourage regular check-ins: Make one-on-one meetings a safe space for sharing concerns.
  
  
• Reinforce confidentiality: Assure employees that their complaints will be handled respectfully and, if needed, confidentially.

When employees know they can come to you without fear of retribution or even judgement, they’re more likely to speak up, allowing you to address issues early on.

Be present

One-on-one meetings are golden opportunities to listen to your employees’ concerns. However, it’s not enough just to physically show up. Being present means focusing fully on the employee in front of you, both mentally and emotionally. Put your phone away, close your laptop, and truly tune into what they’re saying.

Active listening is about more than just hearing words—it involves picking up on body language, tone, and subtle expressions that might indicate something deeper. Ask open-ended questions and avoid interrupting, even if you’re eager to share your perspective. Often, employees reveal more when they feel genuinely heard, and a complaint that might seem trivial on the surface could lead to valuable insights about broader issues that may have been on your to do list already!

Was that really a throw away comment?

It’s easy to dismiss a casual comment about “feeling tired” or “having a tough week,” but sometimes these remarks are hints of bigger problems. A comment about fatigue, for instance, could be a sign of burnout, while a joke about “not knowing what’s going on” might indicate communication gaps in the team – there is quite often truth buried in humour so listen in.

• Notice changes in behaviour: If an employee who is usually upbeat starts making offhand comments about stress or fatigue, it could be a sign they’re struggling. The stress may be driven by a personal matter, but it could be significantly impacting their productivity. 
  
  
• Follow up on concerns: If you sense that there’s more to a casual comment, ask gentle follow-up questions. “It sounds like you’ve been under a lot of pressure lately—how can I support you?” This opens the door for the employee to share more if they feel comfortable.
  
  
• Track themes over time: Even if individual comments don’t seem significant, if you hear similar remarks from multiple employees, take it seriously.
  

By showing that you’re paying attention to these small details, you communicate to your team that you care about their well-being and are willing to support them.

See the person

People are complex and as a result, every employee brings their own set of personal experiences, anxieties, and stressors to work. While some issues might seem small from a management perspective, they could feel overwhelming to the employee dealing with them. A leader who practices empathy and tries to understand these personal contexts will be better equipped to handle complaints constructively.

When an employee approaches you with a complaint, try to consider both the issue in front of you and how their personal experience may be driving the individual reaction. What may be a minor inconvenience for one employee could be a major catastrophe to another.  Responding with empathy, even if you don’t fully understand their situation, can go a long way in building trust and moving the matter towards a resolution.

To practice empathy:

• Validation: Simple statements like “I understand that this is frustrating” or “I appreciate you sharing this with me” can make employees feel heard. It doesn’t mean you have agreed with them or made any promises, but you have shown you have taken them seriously.
  
  
• Seek to understand their perspective: Ask clarifying questions to show that you’re trying to understand their side of the story. There is an old saying about there being three sides to a story – there’s, yours and the truth.  It’s not to say anyone is lying. Instead, our personal experiences and personality can shape our perspective as to what happened or is happening to cause discontent.

See something, say something

It’s important not to wait for complaints to come across your desk before you act.  As a leader, you are responsible for the physical and psychosocial safety of your team, so you need to be proactive when it comes to managing issues.  If you see something that you know isn’t right – whether it’s a safety issue on the factory floor or the way one employee denigrates another, you need to deal with it then and there. 

For those who’ve worked with HR Staff n’ Stuff for a while, you know we live by the mantra that the behaviour you walk past is the behaviour you accept. And not only do you accept poor behaviour or dangerous activity, but you are also telling your team that what is happening is OK too which can further embolden negative conduct.

Action and follow up

The final step in handling complaints effectively is to take appropriate action. It’s not enough to simply listen—you need to show employees that their concerns matter and that you’re willing to make changes when necessary.

Depending on the nature of the complaint, follow-up actions can range from addressing specific issues with individuals to making broader changes within the team or department. Whatever the case, be sure to communicate what steps you’re taking and check in with the employee afterward to ensure they feel satisfied with the outcome.

It is important to note that you can not make all of the people happy, all of the time.  Ultimately, you need to factor in the needs of the business along with balancing the needs of your employees and there will be times that some will remain unhappy with your decision. 

Take our old timer Ken who sticks firmly to his lane and he ain’t changing because that’s the way he’s always done things.  He may not be thrilled that you decide that Finn has some great ideas that should be trialed to see if they can improve productivity but the potential benefits to the business outweigh the needs of one employee who is unwilling to learn and change.  The challenge for you as a leader is how you implement and communicate that change to encourage Ken to get on board but change management is a topic for another blog!

Dealing with employee complaints is a crucial aspect of leadership no matter what size your business happens to be. By looking below the surface, listening actively, and showing empathy, you can create an environment where employees feel comfortable sharing their concerns. This proactive approach doesn’t just address current complaints—it helps prevent future issues and fosters a culture of openness, trust, and mutual respect.

Remember, your team is your business’s most valuable asset. When you handle complaints thoughtfully, you’re investing in a healthier, more productive work environment—one where every employee feels valued and heard. In the end, it’s these efforts that will drive loyalty, engagement, and long-term success for your business.