Brand Beckham

27th February

It would be hard to have missed the rumours of the rift in the Beckham family which have been rumbling on in the tabloid press for some time, but, for anyone who had remained blissfully unaware of the alleged fall out, Brooklyn Beckham’s recent Instagram posts may well have rectified that!  While the wisdom of airing grievances on social media is up for debate, one thing’s for sure, there can be no doubt that battle lines have been drawn!  Although this recent drama may be primarily familial in nature, Brooklyn’s recent statement suggests that it has also extended into the Brand Beckham business.  Inevitably people who spend a lot of time together, be that at home or at work, may disagree from time to time, but when those disagreements are in the workplace, an employer needs to know when it should intervene, to what extent and in what way.

Stay sharp

Although it is not possible for employers to be aware of every little thing going on within the business, it is important to be alert to potential issues, even if nobody is making specific complaints.  If there are rumours of discourse, employers should be paying attention.  While they should not be acting on every titbit of gossip they happen to overhear, employers do need to be cognisant of situations where intervention may be required.  If Dave is annoyed because Vicky used his coffee cup and didn’t wash it, this is probably a situation where, if needed, a general notice to all employees about kitchen etiquette will suffice.  If, however, Dave is annoyed because Vicky, his manager, made a derogatory comment about his performance in front of the entire team, this is likely something that should be investigated further.  

Act when approached

If an employee comes to a manager or to HR with a concern about a disagreement or conflict in the workplace, this is something that should not be ignored.  The manager and/or HR should discuss with the employee what action they would like taken.  It may be that they simply wanted to alert somebody more senior to the situation so that there was a record should the issue escalate, they may wish for someone to mediate between them and the other party or they may want their complaints dealt with as a formal grievance. Be mindful that even if the complainant doesn’t want any formal process to be initiated, in some cases the behaviour that is reported may be such that the employer will have no option but to commence grievance or perhaps even disciplinary proceedings.  If this is the case, discuss this with the reporting employee and try to find an approach that ensures the employer is upholding its obligations but that the employee also feels comfortable with the proposed course of action.  

Follow procedure

Ensure that any process followed is in line with the company’s grievance or disciplinary policy and provide training for managers on what type of complaints should always be escalated, for example where discriminatory behaviour is alleged.  Also provide managers with training on how to spot potential issues, how to nip issues in the bud where possible and how to mediate between team members where appropriate.

It’s next to impossible for everyone to get on all of the time, but when issues arise, dealing with them appropriately and swiftly can help to avoid them mushrooming into bigger problems or long-term rifts!  Whether those issues relate to stealing someone’s thunder on the dance floor, letting them down to such an extent that they must hurriedly procure a Valentino couture gown, or the more junior members of the team becoming fed up with the founders’ forever micromanaging the photography/catering/hot sauce department that they’re supposed to be heading up, getting in early to resolve the problems before they start to fester can be invaluable, both in fostering harmony and contentment within the wider team and in avoiding the headache of a full-blown feud that has the potential to be played out very publicly!