Grievances happen in every workplace — and golf clubs are no exception. Whether it’s a row in the bar, a falling out in the greenkeeping team or an awkward comment from a club member, knowing how to handle complaints raised by your staff is vital. A badly handled grievance can quickly lead to low morale, resignations or even an employment tribunal. A well-handled one can build trust and show your team that you take concerns seriously.
Here, from Carolyne Wahlen of Golf HR, is what you need to know to deal with staff grievances confidently and legally — whether the complaint is about another employee or a club member.
What counts as a grievance?
A grievance is any concern, problem or complaint that an employee raises with you. This could include:
Working relationships (such as feeling bullied, excluded or undermined)
• Terms and conditions
• Health and safety concerns
• Discrimination or harassment
• Treatment by a club member
• Grievances can be raised informally or formally. You’re expected to try to resolve things informally first — but once a formal grievance is made (usually in writing), you need to follow a fair process.
Step-by-step: Handling a grievance about another staff member
1. Try informal resolution first
Please note that if the complaint is about discrimination or sexual harassment, there is no ‘informal resolution’. You will need to skip straight to the formal stage.
Encourage the employee to speak to the colleague directly, if appropriate. In small teams (like pro shops or greenkeeping crews), issues are often better resolved quietly with a calm conversation and perhaps a bit of mediation.
If they’re uncomfortable doing that, you can step in informally to help both parties find a resolution without jumping into formal procedures.
If this is the third, fourth or more time that you have had to intervene, the informal stage is not working, so you will need to escalate to the formal stage.
2. If it becomes formal, follow the ACAS code
If the employee puts the grievance in writing, this triggers a formal process. You should:
Acknowledge the grievance in writing.
Invite the employee to a grievance meeting to explain their concerns.
Investigate the situation fairly — this may involve interviewing the complainant, the person the grievance is about, and any witnesses, review any evidence, including CCTV recordings and so on.
Keep clear, confidential documentation of everything you do.
3. Decide the outcome and communicate it
Once your investigation is complete, let the employee know the outcome in writing. Be clear about what you’ve found, what action (if any) will be taken, and why.
The thing to remember is that you are not deciding ‘beyond all reasonable doubt’. In a grievance, just as with disciplinaries, you are deciding on a balance of probability whether the incident occurred.
Make sure your actions are proportionate and based on evidence that will stand up to third-party scrutiny.
4. Allow a right of appeal
Employees are allowed to appeal a grievance outcome within five working days of receiving the outcome. Someone who was not involved in the original decision should hear the appeal, maybe a trusted club committee member or a more senior manager.
What if the grievance is about a member?
This is where golf clubs face a unique challenge.
If a staff member complains about a club member’s behaviour — for example, sexist or racist comments, shouting, undermining staff or inappropriate touching — you have a duty of care as an employer under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 to protect your employee’s wellbeing. You also have to follow the Equality Act 2010 and ensure your workplace is free from harassment.
Here’s what to do:
Listen carefully and take it seriously. Even if the member ‘meant no harm’, the effect on your employee is what counts. In discrimination cases, the onus is on the defendant to prove their innocence, not the accuser to prove them guilty. Do not assume that the employee has made it up just to get attention. We have never found this, in 13 years working in the golf industry. Every single time the complaint has been justified and true.
Protect your employee. This may require the member to be suspended while you investigate the situation. Or you may need to adjust shifts or change duties temporarily for your staff to avoid contact while things are being looked into.
Investigate the incident — just as you would if it involved a colleague. Take statements from the employee, the member, any witnesses, and other evidence (for example CCTV, screenshots, emails and so on).
Refer to your club’s rules or code of conduct. Most golf clubs have rules about member behaviour. These usually allow for a warning, suspension or expulsion depending on the severity.
Take formal action against the member, if needed. That might mean speaking to the club committee or using your club’s disciplinary procedure for members. Always be firm, fair and professional. Clubs are social spaces — but they are also workplaces.
Top tips
• Have a clear grievance procedure in your employee handbook
• Make sure all staff know how to raise a concern
• Don’t ignore informal complaints — they often turn into formal ones
• Keep good notes — if it’s not written down, it didn’t happen
• Treat everyone with fairness and respect — whether staff, members, or management
Final word
Staff grievances can feel personal, especially in the close-knit world of golf clubs. But if you respond with care, structure and a fair process, you can protect your team, your reputation and your peace of mind. Handling things properly isn’t just about ticking legal boxes — it’s about making your club a place where people want to work.
For advice on this or any staff or member issue affecting your golf club, please contact Carolyne Wahlen, Golf HR, on cw@golfhr.co.uk or 01491 598 700
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