How to Properly Express a Complaint at Work

How to Properly Express a Complaint at Work There will probably come a time that you want or need to lodge a complaint at work. There are levels of complaints, with some being what would be considered ridiculous, while others are very legitimate.

When is it Appropriate to Complain?

The first consideration is, to consider whether or not someone will be in danger if you don't speak up. Nurses are mandated to speak up if someone is facing potential harm or injury. A complaint regarding a patient's safety, needs to be made, it should take top priority, with no hesitation.

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When considering making a complaint, there are some things to consider prior to speaking up.  Is it a topic or subject worth complaining about? Sometimes tensions can run high, or we may have one of those days that everyone annoys us. This may be a situation that requires a waiting period. Maybe the complaint can stay with you until the following day. That would allow a little contemplating time to make sure you want to move forward with the complaint.  Will this complaint make a difference? Is it likely to get results if you do bring it up? An example of this would be as follows: For years parking for employees had been an issue. Nurses were forced to park at a distance from the hospital entrance, while the doctors had spots at the door. A new parking section was added, although with limited spaces for nurse parking. After a vote of all nursing staff, it was decided that the spaces would be assigned for a 3 month period, and then alternate to permit all nurses to have a close parking spot several months out of the year. Everyone appeared to be satisfied, with the exception of one person. So she complained. And complained, and complained. The hospital stood firm that the majority vote made the unanimous decision, and yet she continued to complain. Her complaints were never successful, and ultimately everyone tired of hearing about it. Was this a justified complaint? That really is a matter of opinion, however, it went on, and ultimately labeled this particular, very good nurse, a troublemaker. This complaint was essentially doomed from the start, and consumed entirely too much time of everyone.  Is the complaint intended to improve circumstances or a situation?

When making a complaint, the verbiage can make or break the response. Do you have an idea that could provide a solution to the problem? If so, be prepared to share ideas so that it demonstrates

your willingness to help, and not simply complain.

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Directing a Complaint A complaint should always be directed to the appropriate person or persons.

Voicing a complaint to someone that is unable to help is a waste of time. A complaint needs to be considered, to ensure of its legitimacy, and if it is legitimate, then try to think of some potential solutions on your own.

Finally, decide who exactly can make a change, that is whom the complaint needs to be addressed with. Many times this will involve your human resource department, so ask in advance if they have a time you could meet with them to discuss a concern. When addressing the concern, be factual, and explain why you feel this is worth discussing. Make your point, and if appropriate offer to be part of the solution, then walk away.

People that complain unnecessarily can be viewed as a problem employee.

The old saying, “the squeaky wheel gets the oil�, does not always hold true.

In, any cases that annoying squeaky wheel gets replaced with a new wheel.

Justified Complaints Of course, there are times that you need to speak up, and it is your duty to do so. Some things may never change or improve unless it is brought out into the open, and you may feel obligated to do so. Nurses should feel empowered to voice their opinions, questions, concerns, and suggestions, there is a lot of valuable input that could come from it.

Simply by considering your complaint, and feeling as though it is legitimate, and not just an annoyance with a coworker, can make you successful in achieving results. Wording your complaint in a professional manner will gain the deserved attention. Finally, offer to be part of the solution if possible.

By doing this it is less like you are dumping the concern in the lap of the listener, and offering to be a team player to make an improvement. If you never bring it up, it can't change, be diplomatic and you will be more likely to have success.

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