Nobody wants to write a complaint letter about an employee, but it is one of those occupational hazards that one may come across. So be prepared and know how to write a complaint letter about an employee. The complaint letter is, most of the times, a last option one has to resort to. It is never easy to formally write a complaint about a fellow employee or subordinate, worst of all, that person could also happen to be friend, but what has to be has to be done.
Complaint letters are official and have to be carefully worded, because this letter is then kept in the employee file as a record. Since the letter is not a pleasant one, get straight to the point. State the complete name and designation of the employee in question. Also mention who is the immediate head of the person. State the problem clearly. Make sure you have all the facts rights. If you have to mention any incident, know the correct dates and give in detail what had happened. Though, there is no need to get emotional, you can mention your reluctance, but be strong in the letter overall. The letter has to be strongly worded and concise in its matter.
Finally, give a small anecdote of your opinion, but in a subtle manner. You are writing this letter only because everything else has failed to get through to the employee. If there have been any formal complaints about the employee before, mention those complaints in detail along with complaint numbers. Also if the employee behavior can jeopardize the company reputation, then mention it in the letter. But do not make any decisions of your own; leave the final decision upto the Human Resources department, because once this letter is sent it becomes their issue.
These kinds of letters are not a treat to write, but you should know how to write a complaint letter about an employee. Most of the time, this letter is regarding a subordinate, so the sample we are giving you is also about a subordinate, with many kinds of problems. Most companies have a set format for complaint letters against employees, but if not, then you can use this format. Go through it for better understanding.
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Neville Jones Sales Manager Human Resources, Manager G.T.A. Technologies, Amnesty Road, 41515, Newark, New York, USA. To,
Dear Mr. Steward, With lots of reluctance and a heavy heart, I am writing this letter to you as a final resort. This letter is regarding a formal complaint against one of our employees named Jacob Steven. Mr. Steven works in the sales department under my supervision, and has been an employee of the company for the past two years. The complaint against him is that he is lagging far behind in his work regarding sales targets, and it is neither within an acceptable range. For the past six months, he has failed to meet targets and has shown no improvement. His work ethics seem to be poor as he has paid no heed to the previous letters sent to him. His work continues to be the same. Failure to meet deadlines and not filing in proper reports are just some of the few complaints against him. Another incident I would like to bring to your notice is, of inappropriate behavior with a co-worker. On the 14th of March 2010, Mr. Stevens made a pass at another female employee of the company at the office party. The matter was taken up with me, and I was able sort out the matter by making Mr. Steven apologize to the employee. Such incidents make the company prone to sexual harassment lawsuits. I have spoken him to him personally also, but his attitude has been dismissive. Though, he has been a loyal employee of the company, such kind of behavior is unacceptable for the high standards our company has set. I suggest that he receive a formal letter from the Human Resources department, regarding his performance at the company. If possible have a personal meeting with him, and please find out if he is suffering from any personal issue. Mr. Steven used to consistently deliver sales targets and he was a good employee, but his performance has drastically fallen in the last six months, and so has his behavior with the other employees. I would be of the opinion that Mr. Steven should be given one final chance to improve in all accounts, then it is your prerogative whether to continue with his employment or not. I wish your urgent attention in this matter as efforts from my side have gone in vain. Yours Sincerely,
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We have provided you with a sample of how to write a complaint letter about an employee. This format is about a subordinate, in case you have to write a letter about a fellow colleague, you can use the same format, but make sure to make all the right changes. This letter cannot be used in the case of a complaint against your superior.