Letter of concern

[Twentyfour7]

Hi All

I need to raise an issue at work formally, but I don't want to make a full blown grievance. I have been advised by my union to write a letter headed " letter of concern " to my employer but I understand from google that such a heading is more what the employer uses when writing to an employee.

Please can you advise if it can be used both ways?

Thank you

24/7

[elanfan]

What’s the issue? You know you can tell us.

It might be something you’re better off keeping it verbal in a meeting with HR

[StevieBee]

There isn't really a half-way-house of the type you're seeking.

If you want to keep it informal then the matter needs to be raised verbally.

The minute you put it in writing, it becomes formal regardless of what the letter or email is titled as.

There's nothing stopping you from writing a Letter of Concern but this may trigger a full-on grievance procedure if the company deems it appropriate. You could ask them not to but that then begs the question as to why bother in the first place.

Whistleblowing laws protect your anonymity if that's what you're worried about.

Edited by StevieBee on Monday 4th September 10:07

[Countdown]

I'm not 100% sure whether the actual heading of the letter matters. I'm not even sure it needs to be a letter, rather than just an email. If you have a concern then I would suggest the escalation path is something along the lines of

1. raise it with your line manager
2. raise it with your Head of department
3. raise it with your Director
4. Submit a grievance to HR

[Mortarboard]

If it's not a personally identifiable concern, your union can raise the concern on your behalf. "The membership has raised a concern about X", for example

M.

[Jasandjules]

If you are raising a concern in writing, pretty much any half decent HR department will treat it as a formal grievance...... Usually step 1 is raising an issue verbally with your manager.....