Which stage of the grievance process promotes proactive communication between the manager and the employee to resolve a complaint?

The informal stage (sometimes called Step 0) encourages the employee and immediate supervisor to discuss the concern promptly and seek a mutually acceptable solution before it escalates. Early, face-to-face dialogue builds trust, clarifies misunderstandings, and often resolves 70-90 % of grievances, saving time and preserving the employment relationship.

A. Mediation occurs only after formal steps fail and involves a neutral facilitator.

B. Third-party assistance stage refers collectively to mediation or arbitration, not proactive supervisor-employee talks.

D. Formal stage requires written grievance submission and adherence to contractual timelines; communication is structured, not informal.

1. Hebdon, R. & Brown, S. (2020). Industrial Relations in Canada (5th ed.), pp. 245-247.

2. Gunderson, M. & Taras, D. (2019). Labour Relations in Canada (9th ed.), p. 341.

3. Queen’s IRC. (2017). “Effective Grievance Handling.” Course Notes, Section 2.