As a business owner, it is expected that your client may have to make changes to their organisation from time to time for a variety of reasons. However, these changes may not always be well received by their workforce which may require them to manage the situation in a more tactful manner.
Given that your client has noticed signs of discontent they are strongly encouraged to hold an informal meeting with any affected staff. It is important that they make a concerted effort to tackle employee unrest at the earliest possible opportunity before it is afforded the opportunity to spread.
During this meeting, your client should explain their concerns to staff and encourage them to disclose any issues they may have. Your client would do well to enter into these discussions with an open mind as it may be that their employees’ unhappiness is not related to any recent organisational changes and they should ensure these are investigated further where necessary.
Alternatively, if the employees confirm their discontent is due to recent changes within the business your client will need to consider whether these are truly necessary. It will be important to assess their employees’ comments and weigh up whether the changes disproportionately impact certain staff, as this may qualify as indirect discrimination. They may still be able to justify their actions in this situation providing they can demonstrate that it is a reasonable means of achieving a legitimate business aim.
Once your client has assessed the situation they will be in a good position to make a decision. They should ask themselves whether the positives of the change outweigh the negative impact on their workforce, and should consider the potential impact on morale and retention if they ignore employees’ concerns.
This is not to say that your client is simply unable to proceed as they wish, only that they should give due consideration to the impact it could have on their organisation. Rather than revoke the change altogether your client could decide to amend certain aspects to be more accommodating to staff and it is advisable to inform their workforce when they come to a decision.
Ultimately, how your client handles this situation is likely to have a significant on employee relations going forward. Whilst your client may be concerned that reversing their original decision could set an unwelcome precedent, they should consider how continuing on regardless in the face of such unrest could be detrimental in the long term.
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