
The biggest mistake employees make in the workplace when they are having problems at work is their failure to report or complain about it. Just as big of a mistake is that those who do manage to report the problem fail to write written objections to actions taken against them in the workplace.
Written complaints and observations are key to a successful tenure in the workplace. Although many employees are fearful to complain, they do not realize that their managers have been trained to document.
Whenever a supervisor or a coworker engages in an activity which an employee may find to be objectionable, discriminatory, or harassing, most employees fail to make a written record by documenting effectively.
This is key.
We will examine the best ways to go about documenting any type of complaints.
First and foremost e-mail is the best way to document problems in the workplace. Often an e-mail outlining the nature of the problem and the parties involved in the incidents are enough to put human resources on notice to instigate an investigation.
Always request a specific action be taken by human resources. For example, request an investigation, that the harassment be stopped, that you be given time off, or all of the above.
Make your memo or your e-mail short and to the point. The purpose of the e-mail is to notify human resources not to tell your entire story. People tend to ignore emails if they seem like a novel.
These tips should help keep your rights as an employee safe and help any illicit activity from happening in your workplace.