06 Sep Know the details of your case better than anyone else
If you are facing a process such as a disciplinary, grievance or sickness, you need to know the details of your case better than anyone else.
Don’t spectate, participate
Please hear me, even if you have the most outstanding trade union representative or colleague assisting you; know the details of your case better than anyone else. That means, familiarising yourself with your case from start to finish, inside out, upside down and back to front. I have observed staff attend meetings in body but not in spirit, and I’ve wanted to shake them and say “wake up, this is your contract of employment.” Don’t be that person. Instead, be like the person who said, “I’m the busiest person on my behalf.”
Get organised
One of the best ways to gain an in-depth knowledge of your case is to begin to compile a timeline as soon as possible, adding to it as events occur.
- Organise all the documents you have by date and time order and put them in a folder.
- Carefully read through the papers more than once, paying close attention to details.
- Draw up a table, in one column, write the date and in the other column, event.
- Then record each event, for example:
|
Date |
Event |
|
8 August 2018; 12:43 |
Email from JM to SL (my manager) stating that I was rude to a member of the public. |
|
8 August 2018; 13:03 |
Email from SL to JM asking her to provide more details about the complaint. |
|
8 August 2018; 16:00
|
JM responds to SL providing more information about the issue. Namely, I argued with the customer and refused to process their refund. |
| 9 August 2018; 13:00 |
SL meets with me and informs me that a member of the public complaint has made about me. SL asks me for my version of events. I explain that the customer approached the cash desk, I greeted them, apologised for the delay and they started verbally abusing me because they had to wait to be served. I asked them to stop their verbal assault, and they continued and, I politely refused to help them. SL asked me to write a written statement. |
Timelines
Timelines are a significant investment in your time, but they are worth their weight in gold because they help you to:
- Organise your thoughts;
- Clarify the chronology of events, identifying gaps, anomalies, and trends;
- Assist with formulating queries or questions (including requests for additional information);
- Consolidate your knowledge of the issues;
- Inform the conversations you have with your trade union representative or colleague supporting you.
I recently used this process to support someone with a case. The timeline, alongside other material including policies and procedures, helped them to understand their situation in greater detail so they could proceed with confidence.
Familiarise yourself with policies, procedures, advice, and guidance
You don’t need to be a policy guru, but you do need to have a firm understanding of the policies and procedures that relate to your particular case so you can respond accordingly. If you have queries or questions about processes, speak with your manager, trade union representative or HR colleague. More widely, the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS), ‘provide information, advice, training, conciliation and other services for employers and employees to help prevent or resolve workplace problems.’ (acas.gov.uk)
Remember, don’t spectate, participate and, know the details of your case (including policies and procedures) better than anyone else.
© Dawn H Jones
Please note that this post does not constitute specific HR or employment law advice if you require help please contact an appropriately qualified professional or drop me an email – info@hopeplace.co.uk
Initially published 24 September 2018, revised 6 September 2020.
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