When I'm at work: Solving complaints - Trainer's guide
Chapters
Appendix
- Audioscripts
Topic 1
Slide 1
Hello. If you watch and listen to these topics, you will learn all about complaints in the workplace – what a complaint is, who you can talk to about your complaints, what will happen if you make a complaint.
Each topic gives you important information to do with workplace complaints, and then tells a story about it.
You can follow along in your workbook. There are some activities for you to do in your workbook if you want to. Your trainer will discuss them with you before you start.
Slide 2
Welcome to Topic 1. Let's have a look at some information about workplace complaints.
Slide 3
In this topic, we will look at these points.
- What is a complaint?
- What types of complaints are there?
- What is the difference between a grumble and a workplace complaint?
- When should I make a complaint?
Slide 4
What is a complaint?
A complaint is when you have a problem or worry about your work that you need to tell someone about.
Something or someone could be making you feel unsafe, uncomfortable, or unhappy at work. This might make it hard for you to do your job.
When this happens, you need to do something about it. You need to get help to sort it out.
Slide 5
Different types of complaints
Things that might lead to a complaint at work are:
- the way your supervisor or workmates treat you
- your pay
- your hours of work
- where you work
- the safety of your job
- being treated unfairly.
Slide 6
Is your complaint serious or just a grumble?
We all grumble about things at work now and then, but we may not need to make formal complaints about them all. Talking to a friend or co-worker who you trust can help you decide this.
There is a difference between problems that you need to make a formal complaint about and the 'grumbles' we sometimes have about work.
Here's an example of a workplace grumble
Your workplace gives all its supported employees freshly-baked scones for morning tea every Friday. You might grumble about not getting a morning tea like that every day, but this is not a problem that you should make a formal complaint about.
Here's an example of a serious complaint
You bring money to work every day so that you can buy your lunch. Twice last week, someone took the money from your locker. This is a serious problem and you would make a formal complaint about that.
How can you tell the difference between a grumble and a complaint??
Asking yourself these questions might help.
- Is it the first time this has annoyed me?
- Has this been annoying me for a long time? Is it going to keep happening?
- Is it making me work badly?
- Is it making someone else work badly?
- Is it making me or anyone else unsafe?
- Is it making me or my service look bad?
Slide 7
When should you make a complaint?
You should make a complaint when you have a problem or worry at work that you cannot work out on your own.
When you first start work, part of your induction explains how to make a complaint if you have a problem at work.
The Australian Government has rules called Disability Services Standards that tell your workplace how to do things. Standard 7 is one of these rules. It says that your workplace must help you to get something done about your complaint, if it is related to work. Ask your supervisor for a copy of the Disability Services Standards, or look for them on the Internet.
We will talk more about Disability Services Standard 7 in other topics.
Slide 8
Your trainer will discuss with you the information you have just heard and read about.
Slide 9
Let's now listen to a story about the information you have just heard. Listen and watch carefully.
Here's Igor's story.
Slide 10
This is Igor, a supported employee.
Slide 11
This is his manager, Theresa.
Slide 12
And this is Clive, another supported employee who works with Igor.
Slide 13
Igor goes to Theresa to make a complaint about Clive.
Slide 14
Clive always asks Igor the same questions, 'How are you going, Igor?' and 'Have you seen Brian O'Keefe?'. These questions are OK, but Clive asks them up to 20 times a day, whenever Igor goes anywhere near him. Clive does this with most people.
Slide 15
Clive's behaviour is really starting to annoy Igor. He tries hard to be nice to Clive, but it is not easy sometimes.
Slide 16
For a long time, people have asked Clive to stop asking these questions, but nothing seems to work for long.
Lots of people have complained about Clive's behaviour in the past. The workplace counsellor has talked to Clive about his behaviour, and even that has not helped the problem.
Slide 17
Igor tells Theresa that he is feeling very stressed because of Clive's behaviour. Igor asks Theresa to help him with getting something done about his complaint.
Slide 18
Your trainer will discuss some questions about Igor's story with you.
Slide 19
Now find the activities about Igor's story in your workbook.
Your trainer will help you with the activities.
Topic 2
Slide 20
Welcome to Topic 2. Let's have a look at some information about workplace complaints.
Slide 21
In this topic, we will look at these points.
- How can a complaint make things better at work?
- What are my rights?
- What does my workplace have to do if I make a complaint?
Slide 22
Complaints can make things better
You have the right to make complaints. Your workplace must try to sort them out quickly for you.
It is important to fix something if it is wrong. That is one way things improve and become better. That is why you need to let someone know about the problems you have.
Slide 23
Disability Services Standards
The Australian Government has rules for Disability Business Services like your workplace. These rules are called the Disability Services Standards.
Standard 7
Standard 7 is about what your workplace must do if you make a complaint. Your workplace has to give you information about how you can make a complaint, and what happens if you do. Your supervisor will talk with you about this information.
Disability Services Standard 7 says that if you make a complaint, your workplace should:
- listen to you
- be happy to help you
- help you to explain what the problem is
- try to fix your problem
- tell you about other people or places you can talk to about your complaint if you need to.
Disability Services Standard 7 also says that your workplace must keep your complaint private. This means that if you make a complaint, your workplace cannot tell anyone else that you are the person who has made it.
Standard 4
Standard 4 also says that your workplace must respect your privacy and confidentiality, and that includes when you make a complaint.
Slide 24
Your right to complain
You have a right to complain and also to know how your workplace must deal with your complaint.
It is your right to know:
- what your workplace will do to make sure that you can make a complaint if you want to
- how your workplace will look after your complaint
- who to go to if you want to make a complaint
- what information you will need to give
- how you will be treated
- how long it will take before something is done
- what might be written down about your complaint
- what you can do if you are not happy with the way your complaint is looked after.
Slide 25
Do not be afraid to complain
Remember that:
- you should not be scared to complain about something
- your complaint should be treated seriously
- you should not be treated badly if you make a complaint and tell your side of the story.
Slide 26
Your trainer will discuss with you the information you have just heard and read about.
Slide 27
Let's now listen to a story about the information you have just heard. Listen and watch carefully.
Here's Dianne's story.
Slide 28
This is Dianne, a supported employee.
Slide 29
And this is Lenny, the manager of the cafeteria at Dianne's workplace.
Slide 30
At Dianne's workplace, employees order their lunches from the workplace cafeteria. A staff member collects the orders each day and hands them out to the employees at lunchtime.
Slide 31
Dianne orders the same meal each day – sausages, gravy and chips – but by the time she receives it, at least half an hour has passed, and the food has become cold and is not very appetising.
Slide 32
Dianne wants to complain to Lenny about her cold food but she's a bit afraid to because she doesn't want to make a fuss. What if Lenny is angry with her for complaining? What if she loses her job because of it?
Slide 33
After talking to her supervisor about it, Dianne decides to speak with Lenny. He listens carefully to Dianne's complaint, and explains that the problem is the time delay between the food being cooked and Dianne receiving it. He is glad that Dianne spoke with him about this, as he didn't know the food was cold.
Slide 34
Lenny says that, from now on, he will keep the lunches warm until they are collected, so that they will still be hot when Dianne and her co-workers receive them.
Slide 35
Dianne is happy to hear this. The next day, her lunchbox is nice and warm when she receives it, so she knows that the food inside will be nice and warm too.
Slide 36
Your trainer will discuss some questions about Dianne's story with you.
Slide 37
Now find the activities about Dianne's story in your workbook.
Your trainer will help you with the activities.
Topic 3
Slide 38
Welcome to Topic 3. Let's have a look at some information about workplace complaints.
Slide 39
In this topic, we will look at these points.
- What are the steps to take in a formal complaint?
- What will I have to do if I make a complaint?
- What can I do if my complaint is not taken seriously?
Slide 40
What happens when you make a formal complaint?
You make a formal complaint about a problem at work if the problem is serious.
Making a formal complaint means that your workplace will do special things to help you sort the problem out.
- You will have to tell the whole story about the problem.
- Other people will have to tell their whole stories about the problem too.
- Someone will write down everything that you and other people say about the problem.
- You and any other people who tell their stories will have to sign what was written down.
Making a formal complaint is very serious. You have to tell the whole truth when you make a formal complaint.
Remember that if you have complained about someone else, that person has the right to know what has been said about them but they do not have to know who has said it.
Slide 41
What happens if people do not take your complaint seriously?
If you make a complaint at work, the people you talk to about it must respect what you say. They must not tell anyone else what you say.
If you feel that people do not take your complaint seriously, then you have a right to tell someone else about it.
For example, if you are not happy with the way your supervisor looks after your complaint, then you should tell your manager about your complaint. If your manager does not take your complaint seriously, then you have the right to talk to other people about it.
Your workplace must tell you who to talk to if you think that people do not take your complaint seriously. We will talk more about that later.
Slide 42
Your trainer will discuss with you the information you have just heard and read about.
Slide 43
Let's now listen to a story about the information you have just heard. Listen and watch carefully.
Here's Lisa's story.
Slide 44
This is Lisa, a supported employee.
Slide 45
And this is Sue, Lisa's supervisor.
Slide 46
Here's Dawn, another supported employee and also Lisa's friend.
Slide 47
And Peter, another supported employee.
Slide 48
Lisa approaches Sue to talk to her …
Slide 49
… about what she sometimes sees happening on the bus, on the way home from work.
Slide 50
Lisa's friend Dawn likes to sit by herself in the middle row on the bus, but is often joined by Peter, another supported employee.
Slide 51
Lisa has seen Peter touch Dawn. Lisa is fairly sure that Dawn does not want this happening, but she seems frightened to tell anyone about it.
Slide 52
Sue is not sure that she believes what Lisa is saying. Peter is one of her best workers and has never done anything wrong. Sue decides she'll ask everyone involved to tell her their stories about what's been happening on the bus.
Slide 53
Your trainer will discuss some questions about Lisa's story with you.
Slide 54
Now find the activities about Lisa's story in your workbook.
Your trainer will help you with the activities.
Topic 4
Slide 55
Welcome to Topic 4. Let's have a look at some information about workplace complaints.
Slide 56
In this topic, we will look at these points.
- What are some hints to make a proper formal complaint?
- What happens when decisions are made about my complaint?
Slide 57
Tips for making a complaint
If you need to complain about something or someone at work, you can start by doing these things.
- Talk to a friend or your supervisor if you are not sure what to do.
- Try to sort the problem out yourself if you want to, and you think you can.
When you tell someone about the problem, talk about:
- exactly what is happening
- who or what is involved in the problem
- how long this has been going on
- what it means to you
- what you think should change.
If you make a complaint, the decision will not always be in your favour. If you are not happy with the decision made, there are further steps you can take.
Slide 58
Making decisions about complaints
The people who help sort out your complaint will listen to all sides of the story before they decide what to do.
If you are not happy with what they decide, you can ask other people to help you. We will talk more about those people later.
Slide 59
Your trainer will discuss with you the information you have just heard and read about.
Slide 60
Let's now listen to a story about the information you have just heard. Listen and watch carefully.
Here's Melissa's story.
Slide 61
This is Melissa, a supported employee.
Slide 62
This is Charlie, a supported employee who works with Melissa.
Slide 63
And this is Sue, Melissa and Charlie's supervisor.
Slide 64
Melissa brings $10 to work each day to buy morning tea and lunch.
Slide 65
Charlie asks her most days to lend him $4 or $5. This has been going on for months already.
Slide 66
Melissa does not like lending him the money because she does not have enough for herself then, and also because Charlie does not pay the money back to her.
Slide 67
She is scared though, because Charlie has threatened that he will tell all the other workers something about her. Melissa is not sure what he is going to tell, but she is very worried about it.
Slide 68
Melissa feels too afraid to tell anyone about her problem but she doesn't want to keep giving her money to Charlie. She decides that when Charlie is not around, she will talk to Sue, her supervisor.
Melissa trusts Sue and thinks she might be able to help.
Slide 69
Your trainer will discuss some questions about Melissa's story with you.
Slide 70
Now find the activities about Melissa's story in your workbook.
Your trainer will help you with the activities.
Topic 5
Slide 71
Welcome to Topic 5. Let's have a look at some information about workplace complaints.
Slide 72
In this topic, we will look at this point.
- Who else can help me with my complaint?
Slide 73
Getting help from other people or services
Your workplace will give you information about how you can make a complaint. You can attend training about how to make a complaint properly.
If you are not sure about what you need to do, ask your supervisor or someone else who you trust and are comfortable with.
Slide 74
If you think you are not getting a fair go at work, your complaint has not been handled properly, or there are serious problems at work that you cannot talk to others about, you can get help with this.
People from disability advocacy organisations can help you if you need someone else to talk about your complaint for you, and sort it out quickly. People called 'advocates' can help you and speak for you if you have a workplace complaint that needs to be sorted out.
Your workplace will be able to give you the contact details if you need someone to advocate for you. Speak to your supervisor about this.
The Complaints Resolution and Referral Service (CRRS) is one place you can contact. The people there can help you sort out work problems.
If you do not think that you can do it yourself, you can ask a family member, a friend, or someone else who you trust to contact them for you. Remember, anything that you say to the people at CRRS is confidential. They will not tell anyone else about what you say without your permission.
People at the Australian National Disability Abuse and Neglect Hotline can help you if you are experiencing abuse and neglect. You can call the Hotline to talk about your problems or to find out more about what the Hotline can do to help you.
If you need support to make a complaint, people at the Hotline can find an advocate to help you. The Hotline can also make referrals to other services that can help you with your problems.
The Hotline is open from 8.00am to 8.00pm across Australia, seven days a week.
You can talk to the people at the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission if you want to. They look after your rights as a person. They make sure that your workplace is being fair to you.
You can find contact details for all these people in your workbook.
Slide 75
Your trainer will discuss with you the information you have just heard and read about.
Slide 76
Let's now listen to a story about the information you have just heard. Listen and watch carefully.
Here's Jackie's story.
Slide 77
This is Jackie, a supported employee.
Slide 78
And this is Sandra, a supported employee who works with Jackie.
Slide 79
Jackie works with Sandra.
Sandra's job is to shape dough for biscuits. She is making a lot of mistakes.
She has to take a teaspoon-sized quantity of the prepared dough, shape it in the mould, then flip the dough shape down onto the oven tray. She has to place six biscuits on each tray, with the correct spacing between each pair.
Sandra sometimes forgets to use the mould to shape the dough, and she often places the biscuits incorrectly on the trays.
Slide 80
Jackie thinks that Sandra has some personal problems but she has never said anything to her directly.
Slide 81
Jackie has given Sandra helpful reminders, told her about her mistakes when she sees them happen, and helped her to correct her mistakes.
Slide 82
Unfortunately, Sandra's poor work performance means their team rarely meets its targets.
Jackie is not sure if the team should just put up with it, or make a more formal complaint about it. She does not want to get Sandra into trouble.
Jackie decides that something needs to be done. Should she speak to Sandra herself, or should she talk to her supervisor?
Slide 83
Your trainer will discuss some questions about Jackie's story with you.
Slide 84
Now find the activities about Jackie's story in your workbook.
Your trainer will help you with the activities.