Employee Grievance Redressal: Building a Fair Process for Indian Workplaces

Why a formal process matters

When employees do not know where to go with a problem, they either stay silent or go outside the company. A written grievance policy shows that concerns will be heard fairly and on time. It also gives HR consistent data on recurring issues such as payroll errors, supervisor behaviour or shift allocation.

Legal requirements in brief

• Under the Industrial Relations Code, 2020, an industrial establishment with 20 or more workers must have a Grievance Redressal Committee with equal representation of employer and workers, and adequate representation of women
• The committee is expected to complete proceedings within a set time, generally 30 days from receipt of the grievance
• Complaints of sexual harassment must go to the Internal Committee under the POSH Act, not the general grievance channel; see POSH compliance for employers

Confirm the current rules notified by your state with your legal advisor.

Designing the policy

• Scope: what counts as a grievance, and what goes to other channels such as POSH or whistleblower reporting
• Channels: HR desk, email, HR app and, for field staff, phone or supervisor escalation
• Timelines: acknowledgement within a few days and resolution targets for each level
• Escalation: from manager to HR to committee to senior management
• Confidentiality and protection from retaliation
• Records: what is recorded, who can see it and how long it is kept

Handling a grievance well

Listen first and acknowledge in writing. Collect facts from both sides, review documents such as attendance or payroll records, and decide based on policy. Communicate the outcome with reasons, and track whether the agreed action was taken. Many grievances relate to pay and leave, so accurate attendance and leave management and payroll compliance prevent a large share of them.

How HR software helps

An HRMS can give each employee a simple way to raise a ticket from the mobile app, route it to the right person, track timelines and keep a secure audit trail. Monthly reports show trends by department or location so management can fix root causes. Include the policy in your onboarding checklist so every new joiner knows how to use it.

ATTPL WorkforceOS HRMS

ATTPL HRMS helps Indian employers manage attendance, payroll, employee self-service and HR workflows in one place. For policy drafting and legal review, ATTPL Legal can assist.

Frequently asked questions