The Famous Grouse
IF MEDIA reports are true (and they sometimes are), a German company has banned its employees from complaining. About anything. As part of its `stop-the-whining' policy, the company will warn an offender twice before handing him/her a crisp pink slip. So far, three people have left the firm - two who probably couldn't make their peace with the canteen sauerkraut and one who said she left because she found that she had nothing else to talk about and because the policy violated her freedom of speech and expression (they have these quaint little ideas in Deutschland - όber alles though it is).
This short parable throws up two interesting conclusions, either or both of which may be true: a. Well-intentioned as management policy may be, it can create unnecessary problems with employees, illustrating the eternal divide between theory and practicality; b. the Germans are a weird lot, constantly focussed on overwork and similar exhausting ideas. Notwithstanding an irrepressible urge to vote for the latter, most of you will agree that the former explanation is closer to the truth.
Complaining is an employee's birthright and he must, at any cost, have it. However, it is not to endorse the gratifying habit of whingeing that this article is written, but to provide an overview of its benefits and disadvantages. Why is complaining a good thing sometimes?
It gives the employee a chance to vent his frustrations.
On rare occasions it actually indicates where there is a problem.
It gives employees the opportunity to bond over something they have in common.
It symbolises a healthy communication channel between management and labour.
Sometimes, it provides a different perspective to things.
It is a valuable form of feedback.
Let us face it. People like complaining. Apparently, in some parts of the world it is something of a national pastime. It is mostly harmless but then it does have its bad points - little irritants if you will. Complaining can give rise to: a. Friction between people; b. Stress; c. Negative thoughts and vibes; d. More carbon dioxide than is strictly necessary in closed and ill-ventilated places like offices.
So what is to be done? Another balancing act perhaps - a compromise where employees are allowed to complain about only half of the things they don't like? If it were only that simple. Employees, after all, are a lot like restless children. You have to find a way to channel all that energy into something constructive. What is the best way to deal with constantly complaining employees? Arguably, the best way is to act on their complaints. Provided, of course, that they are justified.
Hardheaded managers often take a predictably harder route by punishing unhappy employees for being unhappy. They strike their names off promotion lists and hand them assignments they know they cannot finish. Or, like drunk old men in seedy bars, give them two-hour lectures - `What (or `Vat' in Germany) are you complaining about? You think you have got problems? You know, when I was your age, I had to make 5000 house calls a day, and all I had was a greasy old bicycle. I had hungry mouths to feed - a wife, seven children, parents, both sets of grandparents, etc; etc.'
The enlightened manager does things differently. He sees an employee's complaint as an opportunity to show that he cares. And that the employee's problem is the company's problem. From an employee's point of view, he has a genuine grouse. He wants to be taken seriously. So what should the enlightened manager do when an employee comes to him with a complaint? There are a couple of things:
Anticipate it: Prevention is better than cure. The best way to tackle a problem is to foresee it. If you see that an employee of yours is getting a raw deal, do something about it before he comes to you with a complaint.
Ask questions: Often, while an employee may have a legitimate grievance, it is distorted by his perception. So the best way to judge how big the problem is and how it should be dealt with is to ask questions and get your facts straight.
Keep a rein on your emotions: Be as objective as you can be. It is part of being a good manager. When you are talking to the employee, keep your emotions in check. His complaint may provoke anger, irritability, or worse, mirth. Whatever be the case, you have to respect the fact that he has turned to you for help.
Act on it: If you find that the complaint is justified and that you can do something about it, take the next step - do something about it.
Problems are inevitable and complaints even more so. Not all complaints are legitimate and not all of them have a solution. As a manager, your job is to sift through the mess and separate the genuine from the fake. Once you have managed to do that, you will know what to do next. Migrate to Germany.
PETER THUTURI
faqs@cnkonline.com
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