Abstract
The paper examines how employees articulate and take action on their work-related complaints and with what effects. Two kinds of issues are distinguished and examined in a sample of employees from five American organizations—individual issues, generally falling within existing conflict-handling procedures, and policy issues, which fall outside these procedures. The individual complaints tend to reflect difficulties with supervisors and work groups. The policy complaints are associated with general disagreement with organizational goals and policies. Steps taken by employees and the eventual resolution of employee issues are also examined. Steps associated with successful resolution are reported, as well as some consequences of unsuccessful resolution.
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