Employee complaints are an inevitable part of any workplace. Whether it’s concerns about management, workload or the things people do at work, how HR and managers handle complaints can have a significant impact on company culture, trust, and retention. Here’s what you need to know about handling employee concerns effectively.

1. Understand the Nature of What's Happening

Not all concerns are created equal. Some may be minor frustrations, while others could indicate serious workplace issues. Take the time to listen and clarify:

• Is the concern about policy, treatment, workload, or behavior?
• Is it a one-time issue or a recurring pattern?
• What impact is it having on the employee or team?

Encourage employees to frame concerns in a way that leads to resolution rather than venting without action. Also, be mindful of language - terms like "complaint" or "investigation" can feel formal and intimidating. Sometimes, it really is about "reviewing a concern" or "looking into an issue" rather than a formal process. Using language that reflects that can help bring resolution. 

2. Confidentiality v. Transparency

Many employees assume that concerns will remain fully confidential, but HR and managers must be clear about what "as confidential as possible" means. Some concerns - especially those related to harassment, discrimination, or policy violations - require action and cannot be kept private. Setting expectations upfront - and explaining why and when you need to involve others, and how non-retaliation works, builds trust.

3. Consider Options for Communication

In some cases, employees should be encouraged to address concerns directly with their manager, rather than HR addressing. This means thinking about the full picture, from what the topic is and how it might be received by the manager. HR’s role isn’t always to be the messenger, but when appropriate, to empower employees to resolve workplace issues. Providing talking points or coaching employees on how to address their concerns constructively can be a much-needed role by HR.

That's because some concerns may not truly require HR involvement, but instead be a form of upward feedback. Employees may be raising issues like workplace boundaries, and it’s important for managers and leadership to listen, internalize the feedback, and recognize its value - even when it’s difficult to hear. This is another helpful step from HR - to remind managers (and others) why different channels exist to raise concerns, and how important it is that people not only say they're open to feedback, but actually be open to it.

4. Be Neutral in Understanding as Much as You Can

Handling concerns requires a balanced approach. HR and managers should:

• Avoid taking sides immediately (showing empathy without jumping to conclusions, to ensure fairness)
• Gather facts and perspectives from multiple sources
• Document the concern, discussions and any steps taken to ensure fairness

5. Follow a Clear Process

A structured approach to handling concerns ensures consistency and fairness. Your process should include:

• Acknowledging the concern promptly
• Investigating or reviewing if necessary
• Determining a resolution or next steps
• Communicating outcomes to the involved parties
• Following up to ensure the issue is resolved

6. HR's Role in Coaching & Training Managers and Employees

HR plays an incredibly important (and needed) role when it comes to helping managers navigate employee concerns before they turn into bigger problems. Many workplace issues stem from simple misunderstandings, unclear expectations or a lack of communication. When managers are trained on how to give feedback, set healthy work-life boundaries, and handle conflict effectively, they’re not just avoiding complaints - they’re creating a workplace where people feel heard and supported. And it’s not just about managers - employees need training too, so they know how to communicate, ask for help and likewise work through challenges before they escalate.

7. Communication Matters: Keep Employees Informed

One of the biggest frustrations employees experience when raising concerns is feeling left in the dark. It's often terrifying to make a complaint, but then to hear just a short "We can't share anything," or even... nothing? Oof. While confidentiality must be maintained in some cases, keeping employees updated on what’s happening, even in general terms, helps maintain trust. A simple update that acknowledges the concern is being reviewed and an estimated timeframe for follow-up can go a long way in making employees feel heard and respected. When you are finished, understanding what you can share with employees (from the one who raised the concern to others) is important. Whether the consequences are "visible" (such as a suspension or termination of employment) or "invisible" (like a warning or financial penalty), failing to address the issue at all can make employees feel like the organization is prioritizing the person being complained about over them.

8. Preventative Measures: Creating a Culture of Open Communication

Encouraging open and honest conversations between employees and managers helps prevent small frustrations from turning into bigger issues. Take the example from the above roleplay video, of an employee whose manager is reaching out at all hours. A manager should know why that's a problem without anyone (including their direct report) having to tell them. But if they don’t, the employee should feel comfortable bringing it up without fear of backlash. Creating an environment where people feel like they know how to give and receive feedback doesn’t happen on its own—it takes action. Here’s how organizations can make it happen:

• Regularly check in with employees to understand their experiences.
• Train managers on emotional intelligence and communication (aka "knowing the important of encouraging employees to speak their minds, and listening to and acting on their feedback") so they recognize their impact.
• Provide anonymous feedback channels for employees who may not feel comfortable speaking up directly.
• Act on feedback to show employees that their concerns aren’t just heard - they’re addressed.

What You Can Do

Employee concerns aren’t a bad thing - really. They’re a chance to fix what’s not working, help managers grow and make the workplace better for everyone. When HR and managers handle them with transparency, fairness and a problem-solving mindset, those concerns can actually lead to positive changes... instead of just feeling like problems to deal with.

Want to help employees navigate workplace challenges? Employee Success is our all-in-one professional development course that builds skills in communication, feedback, and workplace relationships. And for HR teams, we’ve created Toolkits to make it easy to roll out across your organization - complete with resources to run cohorts, hold discussions and reinforce learning in a way that sticks.