Why workplace communication matters

Here at Hello People Solutions we like to give you the insights that make a positive impact on your business. An area that we’ve seen a substantial rise in over the last 18 months has been in grievances that have mostly arisen due to poor communication.

So, this insight is a long one, but it’s been designed by our HR experts to give you an understanding of how to make the best improvements within your SME for communication.

Workplace grievances have long occurred across organisations of all sizes, and it’s been reported that they usually stem from a breakdown in communication rather than genuine misconduct. The Hello People Solutions team are seeing a growing number of cases where issues could have been resolved much earlier, or avoided entirely, if professional communication channels had been better established and supported.

Whether it’s an informal concern left unaddressed or a minor misunderstanding that escalates into a formal grievance, the costs including emotional, operational, and legal are significant. In 2025, research by ACAS found that conflict at work often arises between colleagues or between staff and managers, and that nearly half of conflicts are resolved through open discussion with managers or informal talks; highlighting just how critical everyday communication is.

Grievances stemming from workplace communication issues

We’ve outlined the workplace communication issues that commonly lead to grievances and practical strategies managers can use to support open, respectful dialogue in your teams.

Communication breakdown

Unclear expectations and vague language

Even well-intentioned language can create confusion. ACAS has warned that vague or euphemistic expressions like “a quiet word” can lead employees to read negative meaning into routine conversations, undermining trust before issues are fully understood.

Failure to take informal concerns seriously

ACAS guidance stresses that many workplace concerns should be resolved informally, we support that totally. You should take any employee concerns seriously even an initial chat can help prevent escalation. Failure to do this often results in formal grievances and a strained working relationship at the very least.

Lack of respectful and professional communication

Poor tone, dismissive responses, or failure to genuinely listen can break down trust. We can’t emphasis enough that respectful communication supports safe, effective dispute resolution and that hostile or aggressive behaviour only makes constructive dialogue harder.

Poor follow-up and feedback

A consistent feature of disputes is that employees feel left in the dark. Not responding promptly, failing to follow up on promised actions, or ignoring employee concerns creates frustration that can turn into serious and formal grievances.

Communication failures leading to legal risks

If grievances escalate to formal procedures or tribunals, failure to communicate effectively, or to follow fair procedures, it can cost employers. An Employment Tribunal may increase compensation by up to 25% where an employer has unreasonably failed to follow the ACAS Code of Practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures.

Supporting good workplace communication

Effective communication doesn’t happen by accident, it needs intention, skill, and supportive leadership.

Here are practical strategies managers can adopt:

Encourage early informal conversations

Make it very clear that employees are actively encouraged to raise concerns early before they escalate. We have seen regularly that many problems can be resolved through informal chats if both parties take the issue seriously and engage with respect.

Our tip: create regular check-ins that are framed as safe spaces, not performance reviews, where employees can share worries without fear of repercussion.

Practice clear and respectful language

Avoid jargon, euphemisms, or ambiguous phrasing that may be misinterpreted. Being clear, transparent and empathetic builds trust and clarity.

Our tip: instead of saying “let’s have a quiet word,” say “can we have a 10-minute conversation about [issue] so we can align on expectations?”

Listen actively and validate concerns

Listening is more than being silent; it’s about showing understanding and summarising what the other person has said. Acknowledge their viewpoint, even if you need to investigate further.

Our tip: active listening enables you to repeat what’s been said so your colleague knows that you understand their point of view. Make sure you summarise their concerns at the end of the conversation.

Set clear expectations and follow-up

Never leave an employee wondering what happens next. Summarise next steps, agree timeframes, and follow through, then check back in. Good follow-up prevents uncertainty, which is a breeding ground for conflict.

Our tip: book a date in as soon as possible so no one is left wondering about what happens next.

Train your team on conflict awareness

Communication skills don’t come pre-installed. Training on active listening, empathy, and conflict awareness equips managers to handle sensitive conversations professionally before issues escalate.

Our tip: book in team sessions for this training so that everyone within your SME has the same foundations and understanding. It also helps with team building to do onsite training with colleagues all together.

Record agreements

Even in informal resolution, note down what was agreed and share it with the employee. This creates mutual accountability and prevents misunderstandings.

Our tip: never shy away from sharing documents that you have created as it’s better to have full visibility for all concerned.

Use mediation early

When conversation stalls or personal feelings are high, mediation can provide a neutral space for dialogue. ACAS supports mediation at any stage of a dispute and finds it often leads to positive outcomes without formal escalation. Your outsourced HR partner can also support you in this area too (we often help clients here).

Our tip: bring in mediation as soon as possible, don’t let conversations become too heated before doing so.

The legal and business case for better workplace communication

The ACAS Code of Practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures is more than just guidance — tribunals take it seriously, increasing awards where employers fail to follow fair procedures. This means:

• Poor communication isn’t just bad for culture - it can have tangible financial consequences.

• Early, respectful dialogue lowers the risk of formal grievances and reduces the likelihood of tribunal claims.

While most cases never reach tribunal, often thanks in part to ACAS Early Conciliation services and mediation from experts within the outsourced HR sector, unresolved workplace issues are costly in time, well-being and productivity.

Some examples of grievance cases to take note of

1) In a case highlighted by Flint Bishop LLP, an Employment Tribunal found that an employer’s poor communication during planned changes, including not telling an employee about changes to job share arrangements, failure to explain position changes, shouting, and threatening disciplinary action when the employee asked for clarification, contributed to a constructive dismissal finding. The Tribunal emphasised that poor communication damaged the working relationship and undermined trust.

2) In an EAT (Employment Appeal Tribunal) decision (Gallagher v McKinnon’s Auto and Tyres Ltd), the claimant argued that a protected conversation and subsequent offer were presented in a misleading way, including giving an unusually short timeframe to consider a settlement. The case shows that where communication around sensitive legal processes is poorly handled, employees can challenge the process itself.

3) A recent employment tribunal involving an employee dismissed for gross misconduct after an accidental email mistake highlighted how informal or unclear communication channels can worsen outcomes. The tribunal focused on whether the dismissal was fair and the case underlines that poor communication around behavioural expectations and the disciplinary response played a significant role.

Build communication into your culture

Your outsourced HR partner can help play a critical role in shaping how communication happens across an organisation. While managers are often the first point of contact for employees, your HR consultant can help set the tone, framework and confidence for those important conversations to happen well. Where communication breaks down, HR advisors are essential to help with managing the consequences including grievances, disciplinaries, absence, disengagement and, in some cases, tribunal claims.

By taking a proactive approach to your communication as an SME you can move from reactive grievance management to preventative, people-centred communication.

Here’s how Hello People Solutions support businesses with workplace communication:

Setting clear expectations around communication

We ensure that the following is clear:

• What “professional” and “respectful” communication looks like in practice

• How concerns should be raised (informally and formally)

• How managers are expected to respond when issues are raised

When expectations are unclear, employees fill the gaps themselves, often assuming the worst. As your external HR partner we’ll support by embedding communication standards into:

• Policies (e.g. grievance, dignity at work, conduct policies)

• Manager handbooks

• Induction programmes

• Leadership values and behaviours

Crucially, these standards should be practical and human, not just legalistic. Employees need to understand how to speak to each other, not just what procedure to follow when things go wrong.

Supporting managers to have confident conversations

Many grievances escalate not because managers don’t care, but because they lack confidence in handling difficult conversations. Fear of “saying the wrong thing”, making matters worse, or triggering a formal process often leads to avoidance which in turn increases employee frustration.

We’ll support managers by:

• Coaching them on how to hold informal conversations safely and professionally

• Providing conversation frameworks or prompts for common issues

• Reinforcing that early conversations are encouraged and supported

• Reassuring managers that HR will back them when issues are handled reasonably and fairly

When managers feel supported rather than judged, they are far more likely to address concerns early before positions harden and trust breaks down.

Promoting informal resolution as a positive first step

As your outsourced HR we are uniquely placed to normalise informal resolution and remove the stigma that often surrounds it.

Employees sometimes fear that raising an issue informally means:

• They won’t be taken seriously

• There will be no record

• Nothing will change

We can counter this by:

• Clearly explaining informal resolution options

• Ensuring concerns raised informally are still acknowledged and followed up

• Helping managers document outcomes appropriately without over-formalising

• Reinforcing that informal resolution is not about minimising issues but resolving them effectively

This aligns closely with ACAS guidance, which encourages employers to deal with issues informally wherever possible to prevent escalation.

Acting as a neutral and trusted sounding board

A key part of our value lies in being accessible and trusted by all of your team from the bottom up.

Employees are more likely to raise concerns early if they believe someone will:

• Listen without judgement

• Maintain confidentiality where possible

• Explain options clearly

• Not automatically push issues into a formal process

By positioning HR as a problem-solving partner, rather than a compliance gatekeeper, organisations create a culture where concerns are shared earlier when they are easier to resolve.

Embedding communication skills through training

Good communication is a skill and like any skill, it can be learned and improved.

We can support better communication by:

• Delivering or commissioning training on difficult conversations, active listening and conflict awareness

• Including communication skills in leadership development programmes

• Running refresher sessions for managers who regularly handle people issues

• Using real-life workplace scenarios rather than abstract theory

Importantly, training should be ongoing. A one-off session is rarely enough to change behaviour without reinforcement and follow-up.

Ensuring consistency and fairness across the business

Inconsistent communication is a common grievance trigger. When employees see similar issues handled differently by different managers, trust quickly erodes.

We can help by:

• Providing consistent guidance to managers

• Quality checking how grievances and informal concerns are handled

• Spotting patterns across teams or departments

• Intervening early where communication styles are causing repeated issues

This consistency is not about rigid scripts it’s about ensuring fairness, clarity and respect across the company.

Encouraging reflection and learning from grievances

When grievances do occur, a business doe have a valuable opportunity to learn and not just resolve. It’s not a great place to be but it is an opportunity to make real and impactful changes.

Instead of treating grievances as isolated incidents, we can:

• Identify recurring communication themes

• Feed insights back into manager development

• Review whether policies or guidance need updating

• Support leaders to reflect on how communication could be improved going forward

Handled well, grievances can become a catalyst for positive change rather than a purely negative experience.

Make workplace communication happen with support

Hello People Solutions as your outsourced HR partner provides:

• Independent perspectives

• Mediation support

• Manager coaching

• Policy reviews

• Practical, real-world advice grounded in employment law

This external support can be particularly valuable during periods of change, growth or increased employee relations activity.

At Hello People Solutions, we support employers and HR teams to create cultures where communication is proactive, not reactive. When employees feel heard, respected, and informed and when managers are confident in handling sensitive conversations the need for formal grievance procedures drops significantly.

Investing in communication is investing in a happier, more productive workplace and avoiding grievances is just one outcome of that investment.