Experiences of NHS staff involved in employee relations processes: a qualitative study

Background/Aims Employee relations processes are established to ensure that conflicts are managed in a fair, equitable and consistent manner. This semi-quantitative and qualitative study aimed to explore the experiences of NHS staff members involved in formal employee relations processes in an ethnically diverse trust, to inform potential interventions to reduce or eliminate avoidable harm in these processes. Methods This service evaluation used a survey and semi-structured interviews to collect data from employees at one NHS trust. Participants included those who: had made formal complaints about colleagues; served as witnesses to a formal investigation; participated in a formal investigation as the case investigation officer or case commissioning officer (case manager), or chaired the panel of a formal disciplinary hearing. Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire, with free-text comment boxes attached to all questions. Semi-structured interviews were then conducted to explore this feedback further. Thematic analyses were conducted with interview data and survey free-text responses, while descriptive statistics were used to analyse quantitative data. Results A total of 33 staff members responded to the questionnaire, with 10 participating in the interviews. Seven themes emerged: lengthy processes and delays in timescales; lack of standardised processes and materials; lack of adequate administrative support; lack of timely and adequate communication; perceived lack of training; lack of support from human resources staff; and impact on staff members involved. Conclusions Findings from this study highlight the impact of employee investigations on individual NHS staff members. The results indicate potential changes that could be made to improve the experience of staff involved in these processes, to minimise or eliminate avoidable harm in future. Implications for practice Improving employee relations processes would likely require dedicated resources, better time management and provision of psychological support for all staff members involved, where needed. Timelines should be reviewed to define an acceptable and achievable time period for these processes. Changes should be co-designed by all stakeholders, using evidence-based frameworks.