Despite taking precautions to ensure a smooth workplace, it sometimes feels inevitable that a dispute between an employer and an employee will take place. When a conflict arises, it is important to have a clear resolution process in place so that both parties understand what will happen and how the matter will be handled. As an employer, you want to make sure that you handle any disputes in a timely and professional manner to return the working environment to normal and resume productivity.
At NetPEO, our PEOs work to provide employers with important human resources and accounting services. Backed by more than 200 years of combined industry experience, the professional employer organizations in our nationwide network can help employers and business owners by drafting and implementing workplace policies to prevent disputes and handle conflicts that arise.
Communication Is Vital
The first step in resolving potential arguments between employees and employers is by opening up the workplace to clear, honest communication. Allowing employees to have their concerns heard can make all the difference in these situations. Sometimes, employees merely want to be assured that management and business owners are thinking about policies that work well for the employees and staff. Even if the dispute goes beyond a simple venting session, allowing free communication can help you understand the position of the employee and sets you up to work out a solution for everyone.
Discuss the Issue and Its Source
Many times, issues may be simple in nature and require a similarly simple solution. For example; disputes over pay can be resolved by checking employment records, timestamps, or other evidence. However, some disputes are more complicated. Sometimes, disputes about a specific issue actually stem from some other workplace problem that is causing the underlying distress. By discussing the problem and listening to each other, the employer and employee can better understand the source of the issue and work to correct it.
Agree When Possible
Another tip to resolve employee vs. employer controversy is to try to keep things positive. Focus on areas about which both parties can agree, such as worst-case scenarios, the definition of the issue, the procedure for solving the issue, or others. As the employer, it is a good idea to find at least a small area of agreement to show that you are listening and are dedicated to providing a safe, improved environment for your employees.
How a PEO Can Help
Professional employer organizations help employers by providing much-needed HR services. Human resources, of course, often deals with handling disputes between employers and employees. Even better than handling disputes when they arise is preventing disputes before they happen. This can be accomplished by PEOs in a number of ways.
Handbooks and Policies
In addition to the aforementioned anti-harassment policies and policies for dispute resolution, PEOs can write and distribute employee handbooks and new hire orientation forms. These works help employees understand the company’s procedures right from the get-go, so the risk of misunderstanding and conflict is lowered.
Risk Reduction Measures
Some disputes may arise from employees feeling unsafe in their working environment. PEOs have experts in the HR industry who may be able to help employees by improving safety protocols and handling workers’ compensation issues. This can prevent disputes from arising and provide efficient avenues for resolution if they do arise. Plus, lowering a company’s risk profile is useful in attracting top talent and boosting profit, which helps keep employees happy.
Ensuring Compliance
A baseline for preventing employee vs. employer disputes is to ensure that the employer operates in accordance with all applicable labor laws and regulations, both at the local and federal level. While understanding all of these requirements may be difficult for business owners dedicated to the day-to-day operation of their company, the HR experts at PEOs make their living by knowing and adhering to these laws.
Providing Benefits Packages
One of the ways to attract the best employees on the market, retain them for a long time, and lower the risk of conflict is to provide them with the best possible benefits packages. Since PEOs can add the employees of their client companies into their overall employee pool, they have access to higher-tier benefits and can lower the cost of those packages by spreading it across more employees. This is just one of the ways that employees benefit from the work of PEOs.
Work with a PEO Today Through NetPEO
If you are a business owner or employer, your best option for resolving disputes may be to bring a PEO into the mix. At NetPEO, we work as a brokerage service to pair you with the perfect PEO for your company’s needs. We start by building a profile of the services your business requires, pair you with several potential PEO candidates from our nationwide network, and then let you choose the one you want.
To start your journey toward the perfect PEO, fill out the form on our contact page and one of our representatives will be in touch soon. If you prefer over-the-phone communication, call us today at (678) 376-1212.
