Everyone deserves to feel happy and safe in their working environment, no matter what industry you work in, from healthcare to construction or teaching. However, unfortunately, that isn’t always the case. If you feel that you’ve been treated unfairly at work in any way, here are 3 steps you should take to protect yourself, from documentation through to working with solicitors like Bond Turner who can support you through this difficult time, both emotionally and legally.
Document Everything
The first step you should take is to document everything you can in terms of the treatment you’re experiencing. Whether it’s from management or other employees, keep note of any call recordings, exchanged messages and emails, along with written reports of any in-person experiences that weren’t right, including other members of the team who were there. Without this it will be hard to take action, so this is really important as a first step. Even if something feels insignificant but it’s related to the incidents, keep hold of it, as you never know what might come in useful.
Try Informal Resolution
Once you’ve collected any relevant documentation, you should try an informal resolution. Speak to your manager and a member of HR (as long as neither of these people are involved in the concerning behaviours), explain how you’re feeling and present the evidence. See how they respond, which should involve a formal meeting with the person/people involved in the mistreatment, along with an investigation.
If there isn’t sufficient action from an informal resolution attempt, then you should raise a formal grievance using the company’s complaints policy. This should include all the related documents that you sourced as the first step. You should also request specific actions within this depending on the situation, such as an apology, compensation or a hierarchy change (e.g. you reporting to a new line manager).
Contact A Solicitor
If your complaint still isn’t taken seriously, or you are unfairly dismissed as a result of the ongoing discussions, get in touch with a solicitor. Try to do this as close to the incident as possible to maintain accuracy, then the solicitor can guide you through the process and let you know if you are likely to have a successful claim. If you’ve had to endure ongoing unfair treatment that has resulted in trauma of some kind, you may be able to make a psychological injuries claim. The details will be highly specific to your case as to whether this is something you can claim for, however the impact that ongoing unfair treatment can have shouldn’t be underestimated.
Final Thoughts
Unfair treatment at work should never be accepted or swept under the rug, so if you feel as if anyone’s behaviour isn’t normal towards you, make sure to take the steps above towards making change. People should be held accountable for their actions, no matter their role or seniority within the company, and by following the right procedures or worst case scenario, getting legal support, you can get the change or compensation you deserve.