What to Do When an Employee Goes Over Your Head to Complain
You just found out that an employee went to your manager, HR, or the business owner with a complaint without coming to you first. Maybe they complained about how you handled a situation, or maybe they raised a concern about a workplace policy. Maybe they alleged something more serious.
Your first instinct is probably some combination of surprise, defensiveness, and frustration. Those reactions are understandable. How you manage them in the next 24 hours will significantly affect how this situation resolves.
Do Not Retaliate (In Any Form)
This is the most important thing in this post and it needs to be said first. The moment an employee raises a complaint, whether that is directly to you, to HR, to your manager, or to an external agency, they are engaged in protected activity. Any adverse action you take against them after that point can be characterized as retaliation, regardless of whether the underlying complaint has merit. If you don’t yet have an anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policy, our template is fully customizable and ready for download in Word format + polished PDF.
Adverse action does not just mean termination. It includes things like changing their schedule unfavorably, excluding them from meetings or opportunities, giving them a negative performance review that you would not have given otherwise, reducing their responsibilities, or creating a hostile work environment in response to the complaint. To state it plainly: do none of this. Treat the employee exactly as you would have treated them before the complaint.
Get Ahead of the Narrative With Your Own Manager or HR
If you learned about the complaint from someone other than the person who received it, reach out to your manager or HR directly. Do not wait for them to come to you. Proactive engagement signals that you are not defensive and that you take the concern seriously.
What to say: 'I understand [employee] raised a concern. I want to understand what was shared and how I can help address it. I'm committed to handling this fairly.'
Do not lead with a defense of your actions. Lead with openness and a commitment to the process.
Reflect Honestly Before Responding
Before you articulate a response, honestly assess whether the complaint has merit. This is hard when you feel defensive, but it is the most important step.
Ask yourself: is there any legitimate basis for the concern? Did I handle something in a way that was inconsistent with our policies? Is there a pattern in my management that this employee is reflecting back to me? Could a reasonable person have experienced my actions the way this employee describes?
You do not have to agree with the complaint to recognize that the employee had a genuine experience. Understanding that experience is the starting point for resolution.
Cooperate Fully With Any Investigation
If HR or leadership investigates the complaint, cooperate fully and promptly. Provide documentation when requested. Answer questions honestly. Do not attempt to influence other employees' responses or pre-coordinate a narrative. Obstruction of or interference with an internal investigation is a far more serious problem than whatever the original complaint contained. Handle it professionally.
Address the Underlying Relationship
Once the immediate complaint process is resolved, consider what the employee going over your head actually signals. In most cases, it means they did not feel safe or confident raising the concern with you directly. That is feedback about the relationship and the environment you have created as a manager.
Whether the complaint was valid or not, an employee who felt their only option was to bypass you is telling you something about how approachable and trustworthy they perceive you to be. That is worth reflecting on regardless of the outcome of the complaint.
Questions about this or other HR topics? Visit pragmatichrgroup.com for more resources.
