Human Resources

Employee Relations and Grievance Handling

Workplace disputes, grievances and disciplinary issues must be handled fairly, consistently and lawfully. This course covers employee relations fundamentals: building positive relations, handling grievances, conducting investigations, running disciplinary hearings, managing appeals, documenting decisions and preventing escalation to tribunals.

5 days Classroom or live online English

Smart Horizon Certified - Global Leadership Consultants

Take the course details with you.

Download the full standard outline: why attend, methodology, objectives, audience, competencies, the daily outline and current plans.

Download course PDF

Why attend

From knowledge to real-world impact.

Poorly handled grievances damage trust and create legal risk. You will learn fair, structured processes that resolve issues early.

Workplace challenges

Professional Problems This Course Is Designed to Solve

The programme explores practical approaches to the following challenges. Results depend on how the learning is applied in your organisation.

Difficulty translating subject knowledge into practical workplace decisions.
Inconsistent approaches to the activities covered in the course outline.
Lack of a structured plan for applying and reviewing new skills.

Course methodology

How you will learn.

Case scenarios, investigation practice, hearing role plays and documentation exercises.

Course objectives

What you'll take away.

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

Explain employee relations principles
Handle grievances fairly and promptly
Plan and conduct workplace investigations
Run disciplinary and appeal hearings
Document decisions properly
Prevent and resolve disputes early

Target audience

Who should attend.

This course is suitable for:

HR officers and managers
Employee relations specialists
Line managers
Investigators
Union and staff representatives

Target competencies

Capabilities you will build.

Participants will develop competencies in:

Grievance handling
Investigation
Hearing management
Documentation
Dispute resolution

Course outline

Your learning journey.

A focused, practical outline with time to explore, apply and reflect.

Day 1Employee Relations Foundations

09:00–10:08Positive employee relations
10:08–11:00Legal principles
11:00–11:30Coffee break
11:30–11:45Legal principles (continued)
11:45–12:53Policies
12:53–14:00Exercise

Day 2Grievances

09:00–10:08Grievance process
10:08–11:00Informal resolution
11:00–11:30Coffee break
11:30–11:45Informal resolution (continued)
11:45–12:53Meetings
12:53–14:00Role play

Day 3Investigations

09:00–10:08Planning investigations
10:08–11:00Interviewing witnesses
11:00–11:30Coffee break
11:30–11:45Interviewing witnesses (continued)
11:45–12:53Evidence
12:53–14:00Practice

Day 4Disciplinary Hearings

09:00–10:08Hearing procedure
10:08–11:00Decisions and sanctions
11:00–11:30Coffee break
11:30–11:45Decisions and sanctions (continued)
11:45–12:53Appeals
12:53–14:00Simulation

Day 5Prevention

09:00–10:08Early intervention
10:08–11:00Mediation
11:00–11:30Coffee break
11:30–11:45Mediation (continued)
11:45–12:53Reporting trends
12:53–14:00Action plan

The timings provided are estimates and may vary depending on the number of participants and the discussions taking place during the sessions. They are indicative only and do not constitute a binding commitment.

Dates & venues

Find a session that works for you.

Confirmed dates accept registration requests. Tentative dates are enquiry only.

Good to know

A few things to know.

How is the course delivered?

Our classroom programmes combine facilitated discussion, case studies, exercises and reflection. The precise format will be confirmed before enrolment.

Can you deliver this programme for our team?

Yes, you can enquire about a tailored programme. Share your goals, group size and preferred dates with our learning team.

Will I receive a certificate?

Participants who complete the programme receive a Smart Horizon certificate of attendance. Smart Horizon programmes are not externally accredited and do not award a professional qualification, licence or designation. Where a course title or outline refers to a professional certification (for example, AACE International's Certified Cost Professional), the programme supports learning and preparation only; the credential itself is awarded solely by the relevant professional body under its own application and examination requirements.

What should I confirm before booking travel?

Please confirm the session, exact venue, accessibility arrangements, fees and any visa requirements with the team before arranging travel. Tentative dates are not confirmed sessions.

Keep exploring

Your next horizon awaits.

All courses

The full course agenda and dates are available above. Use the session links in Dates & venues to choose a session. Registration and quotation forms require JavaScript; you can also contact our learning team directly.