Is it worth raising a grievance at work?

Rightly or wrongly, we are often perceived as a nation of complainers, so raising a formal complaint at work should come naturally - but is it ever really worth doing?

The idea that Brits never stop moaning was highlighted by a survey a few years ago, which found that over half the nation (56 per cent) admitted to a daily groan, and one in five (19 per cent) moaned more than three times a day. At the time, this added up to 1,016 moans a year, totalling 169 hours. (1) [cited 16.12.25]

Given the amount of time an employee spends at work, it seems almost inevitable that they will have a work‑related grumble at some point.

While everyday complaints are part of any workplace, the bigger question is this: when something becomes serious, is it ever worth raising a formal complaint?

The typical way to do this is to submit a formal grievance about any type of unfavourable treatment that is work‑related.

A grievance is a concern, problem, or complaint linked to any aspect of your work (2) [cited 16.12.25]

Your employer should allow you to fully explain your grievance at a grievance hearing, investigate it properly, and address the issues you have raised.

Most of us will probably be fortunate enough never to need to raise a grievance at work (3) [cited 16.12.25] . But for those who feel seriously aggrieved and decide they must, it is a decision that should not be taken lightly.

The process can be daunting, stressful, overwhelming, and even frustrating. In some cases, it can make matters worse and lead to an irretrievable breakdown in the working relationship.

Here we look at everything you need to know, including when you should raise a grievance, whether it is actually worth doing, what to do if anyone retaliates, what outcomes you can reasonably ask for and what happens if it is upheld or rejected.

When should I raise a grievance?

If something has happened at work that has a serious or harmful impact on your wellbeing, your dignity or ability to perform your role and duties. In short any work-related situation that makes you feel strongly aggrieved.

It is, however, always worth trying at first to resolve a problem informally. In fact most grievance policies will advise attempting to do so and it is in fact an approach recommended by the ACAS Code of Practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures (4) [cited 16.12.25] 

You can raise a grievance if you are being subjected to any form of bullying or harassment by a colleague or manager, genuinely believe or can evidence you are being treated less well than others, or if you are unfairly denied something you are entitled to e.g. pay, annual leave or reasonable adjustments.

A previous study found that the top three reasons for employee grievances at the time were bullying or harassment (67%), relationships with managers (54%) and relationships with colleagues (49%) (5) [cited 16.12.25] . However, 37% of respondents reported pay and grading as the main cause of grievances.

You may also raise a grievance if you have repeatedly reported a problem, believe it has been ignored and nothing has changed.

A grievance is certainly worth considering when the issue you have is serious, ongoing or damaging and if you need a formal process to get the matter properly addressed.

Is it worth raising a formal grievance?

The answer should be yes, because you have the right to do so and there should be a process in place to support you if you feel aggrieved. However, there is an important caveat.

If the matter is serious or ongoing and has had, or could have, a negative or harmful impact on you, and it cannot be resolved informally, then raising a formal grievance is worthwhile. But where practical, it is always worth making an initial informal attempt to address the issue first.

A formal grievance hearing ensures your concerns are heard, then investigated, and addressed, and if your complaint is upheld it can bring about meaningful change.

However, here is the caveat: your employer could reject your entire complaint. Given that you have felt deeply aggrieved and taken the time to raise it and explain it, a rejection can be devastating, aggravating and frustrating.

The rejection of a formal grievance after a hearing and investigation, especially when the outcome feels unfair, can, and in some cases does, destroy working relationships.

A formal grievance should be seen as a last resort when no other way of addressing the issue is appropriate. So yes, it is worth raising if the problem is significant enough to outweigh the risks.

Will I face retaliation for complaining?

You should not. Your employer should take your complaint seriously, treat you fairly and protect you from negative treatment from anyone named or implicated in your grievance.

If your grievance involves any type of discrimination, harassment or whistleblowing, retaliation can be found to amount to unlawful victimisation (6) [cited 16.12.25] . If you believe you have victimised it is important to record and report it to your employer.

In fact if you face any type of retaliation – being treated differently, hours reduced, exclusion or ongoing hostility - for raising a formal grievance on any grounds, you should note the details, evidence and report it.

Retaliation is a serious matter and should be treated as such.

What can I ask for or achieve if I raise a grievance?

You can ask for whatever outcome you feel is appropriate, as long as it is reasonable.

For example, if your complaint is about the working environment, you might request a transfer to a different department or manager. If your concern is an excessive workload, you may want your duties reviewed and reduced. You might also want to see appropriate action taken against anyone named in your grievance who is responsible for making you feel aggrieved.

Grievances can also be raised during a disciplinary process if the action being taken is unfair, discriminatory, or retaliatory. The ACAS Code advises that, in some cases, it is appropriate to pause the disciplinary process to address the grievance first, and in others, for the employer to deal with both matters concurrently.

If the fallout out from your grievance is serious, then you could ask for a settlement agreement. It is a legally binding agreement that ends a workplace dispute and usually includes compensation (7) [cited 16.12.25] 

What happens if my grievance is upheld

It means your employer agrees that something went wrong.

The outcome will depend on the nature of the issue and what you want in order to resolve it.

It is also common for an employer to uphold parts of a grievance and address those, while rejecting other parts of the complaint.

But what if the grievance is rejected?

This can often happen, and it usually does because employers are reluctant to admit wrongdoing.

A rejected grievance does not mean you were wrong to raise it, and you have the right to appeal the decision. Your appeal should be considered impartially by a senior manager who was not involved in the original grievance.

If you believe your grievance was rejected unfairly and it has potential legal implications for your employer e.g. discrimination or whistleblowing, you can appeal and then seek expert or legal advice on your next steps

Finally

Raising a grievance is not always easy or straightforward, and it can be uncomfortable and stressful.

Even so, it remains one of the best and most effective ways to raise work‑related concerns and protect your rights.

A grievance creates a formal record of your complaint, promotes accountability, and can lead to real change at work.

If you feel strongly aggrieved about an issue and it is affecting you negatively or making it harder for you to do your job, and there is no other reasonable way to address the situation, then raising a grievance is worth it.