Preparation

If you have a problem at work, good preparation will be essential to ensuring you are treated fairly. This applies whether you are facing a disciplinary charge, being criticised for your sickness record or performance, or it is you who is making a grievance complaint about how you have been treated.

Why preparation is important

You can be sure that your employer will be well-prepared if there is a problem. Someone from HR will be providing expert guidance to whoever is dealing with your case. Or a solicitor if you work for a small company. So, if you want to be treated fairly, good preparation will be essential.

Your preparation will be essential to produce a detailed and effective Written Statement setting out your case when it comes to attending a Formal Meeting with your employer. This in turn will provide you or your representative with the very best chance to persuasively argue your case.

How you should prepare

Start your preparation the very minute you suspect that you might have a problem or concern that needs addressing.

You can begin by:

• Making a diary or note of everything that you think might be relevant to providing your version of events.
• Obtaining and familiarising yourself with all your employer’s policies and procedures that might be of relevance.
• Collating relevant emails, letters, meeting notes and anything else that might be useful to your case.
• Seeing whether any witnesses can verify your experience.

Routinely, you should always confirm in writing any conversations you may have with your manager or anyone else with whom you have dealings. That way, should an issue or concern arise in the future, you can produce a reliable ‘evidence chain’ supporting your case.

Otherwise, you may find that when you want to refer to something discussed previously, either the person you spoke to has moved on, or they might find it convenient to ‘forget’ what you thought you had a shared understanding on. Then, who is to say which version of events is correct if nothing is written down?

On the same basis, if you receive something in writing with which you disagree, don’t just shrug your shoulders and hope it passes. Note your disagreement by responding in writing.

Guidance on ideal preparation

We list below the types of information you should be pulling together as part of your preparation for attending a Formal Meeting:

1. Grievance, Harassment or Discrimination Meetings

• Diary of events relevant to your case
• Any documentation relating to your case
• Your employer’s relevant policies and procedures
• Names and written input from any witnesses that can support your point of view
• Your version of events that can be translated into your Written Statement

2. Disciplinary Meetings

• The Invite Letter informing you of the meeting and detailing the allegations being considered against you.
• Your employer’s Disciplinary Procedure and any other policies mentioned in the Invite Letter.
• Notes of any investigatory, informal, witness or other relevant meetings, which should have been provided to you by the Hearing Manager.
• Any other documentation relating to your case
• Names and written input from any witnesses that can support your point of view
• Your version of events that can be translated into your Written Statement

3. Performance Meetings

• Your employer’s Performance Management Policy.
• Any other policies and procedures explaining how you are supposed to be managed and your performance judged.
• Details of your performance requirements, targets and objectives; and how realistic these are.
• What you have and have not achieved.
• Your performance history over the previous 3 to 5 years.
• Any documented performance feedback; either from formal performance reviews or one-to-one meetings with your manager.
• Any awards you have received or any complimentary stakeholder feedback on your performance
• Records of any previous meetings or other documentation relating to your performance
• Your version of events that can be translated into your written statement: with a particular focus upon how reasonable your employer’s expectations of you have been; what you have achieved and what you haven’t; any impediments or barriers to your performance (work-related, health or personal); and realistically how well you feel you have actually performed.

4. Capability and Wellbeing Meetings

• Your employer’s Disciplinary Policy and any other relevant policies it might have relating to Health & Wellbeing, Sickness, Disability or Capability
• Diary of events relevant to your case
• Any occupational health reports, GP or specialist feedback concerning any disability, health or wellbeing concerns that you have had to contend with.

The evidence you have collated can then be used to prepare the comprehensive Written Statement you will need to maximise your chances of successfully presenting and winning your case.

Of course, once you do attend a Formal Hearing, it is always best to exercise your right to be accompanied. This can be either by a work colleague or representative of a union.

WRS support

Once you have completed your preparation, you can set about producing the Written Statement that will be so important to your chances of a successful outcome to your case.

WRS can assist you in important ways, by:

• Providing guidance on what preparation you need and what information is most important to your case succeeding.
• Preparing a Written Statement for you.
• Making arrangements for you to be accompanied and represented by a representative of a trade union, even if you have not previously been a union member.

Use the contact details below to see how WRS can advise, support and represent you.