It depends on what they’re venting about. If they’re complaining about conduct that might be illegal, such as harassment or threats of violence, you’ll need to investigate. This is true even if the employee asks you not to take action.
If the situation doesn’t pertain to potentially unlawful conduct, it can be helpful to ask the employee what they’re looking for. For example, ask “Do you just need me to listen, or do you want me to do something?”.
Let the employee share their complaints and offer suggestions as to how they might be able to work it out themselves or with the assistance of their manager. If their concerns involve their manager, you may need to act as a mediator to help facilitate a conversation.
Remember, you aren’t there to solve all the employee’s problems. But by lending an empathetic ear, you can help them learn to solve issues on their own as well as build trust, so they know they can safely bring up matters that do require your direct involvement.
This Q&A does not constitute legal advice and does not address state or local law.
Answer from Wendy, PHR
