Short answer: take it seriously, deal with it promptly, and follow a simple, fair process: ask for it in writing, meet, offer the right to be accompanied, decide in writing and allow an appeal. That's the shape the Acas Code of Practice sets out, and for a small team it's very manageable.

If someone has come to you with a concern, that's usually a good sign. People raise things with employers they trust. You're not starting from a problem; you're starting from a conversation.

Throughout this post, Code means it comes from the Acas Code of Practice or the law. Good practice means it's recommended, but your choice.

What counts as a grievance?

The Acas Code describes grievances as "concerns, problems or complaints that employees raise with their employers". That covers a lot: pay, hours, a change to the rota, or how a colleague or manager is treating someone.

Good practice: where it suits, start with a quiet, informal chat. Many concerns are settled this way, and often that's all the person wants. The formal process is there if it doesn't work, or if the issue is serious.

What should I do when I get one in writing?

Code: a formal grievance should be raised in writing, with a manager who isn't the subject of it (paragraph 32). You should then hold a meeting without unreasonable delay, and let the employee explain the grievance and how they'd like it resolved (paragraphs 33 to 34).

Good practice: acknowledge it in writing within a few days and give a meeting date, even if looking into it will take longer. Silence is what turns a small concern into a bigger one.

Can they bring someone to the meeting?

Law: yes. Workers have a right to be accompanied by a colleague or a trade union representative at a grievance meeting about a duty you owe them (Employment Relations Act 1999, section 10; Code paragraph 35). If their companion can't make the time, you must move the meeting if they propose a reasonable alternative within five working days.

How do I decide, and what happens next?

Good practice: before deciding, look into it properly. Speak to anyone relevant, check documents, and keep short, dated notes.

Code: tell the employee your decision in writing without unreasonable delay, including any action you'll take and how they can appeal (paragraph 40). An appeal should be heard impartially, wherever possible by a manager who wasn't involved before, with the same right to be accompanied, and the outcome confirmed in writing (paragraphs 41 to 45).

What if it's about me, or there's a disciplinary going on?

Code: if a disciplinary is already under way, you can pause it to deal with the grievance, or handle both together if they're related (paragraph 46).

Good practice: in a small business the grievance is sometimes about the owner, and there's nobody more senior to hear it. Asking an independent person to hear it, or the appeal, keeps the process fair and seen to be fair. If the concern involves harassment, discrimination or whistleblowing, act promptly and take advice early, because the facts change the answer.

A sensible order to do this

  1. Thank them for raising it and keep an open mind.
  2. Try an informal conversation first, if it suits the issue.
  3. If it's formal, acknowledge it in writing and set a meeting date.
  4. Offer the right to be accompanied in your invitation.
  5. Meet, listen, then look into it and keep notes.
  6. Write to them with your decision and how to appeal.
  7. If they appeal, ask someone not involved to hear it, then confirm the outcome in writing.

Why following the Code matters

Most grievances never go near a tribunal, and a fair process is the main reason. For context: tribunals can adjust awards by up to 25% where a party unreasonably fails to follow the Acas Code, and since 1 October 2026 people generally have six months, rather than three, to bring most claims. Acas consulted on an updated Code in 2026 and expects it to apply from 2027, so I'll update this post when it does.

For a printable version with wording you can adapt, get the free manager's guide to handling a grievance fairly. If you'd like someone alongside you, see Employee Relations Support.

Where this information came from

This article is general guidance for UK employers, not legal advice. Law correct as of 15 October 2026.