No one likes being the negative Nancy who files complaints and gets HR involved at the drop of a hat, but some coworkers can be abrasive enough to push anyone to the limit. Writing a formal complaint letter about a difficult coworker is often the best course of action, putting the issues down clearly with care to ensure that there is a formal record of the growing concerns.
Writing a grievance letter doesn’t come easily to everyone, as there are always chances of the frustration taking over and blurring professional lines, but it’s a skill that’s worthy of mastering. Let’s break down how to write a complaint letter about a coworker.
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When Should You Write a Complaint Letter About a Coworker?
A formal complaint letter about a colleague is not one that gets written after a minor disagreement or when one dislikes some arbitrary quality of the other. A complaint letter against a coworker is typically penned when they are responsible for turning the work environment hostile, either for the entire team or for a specific individual.
Cases of harassment, discrimination, and abuse are best documented on paper, ensuring that all the details are recorded for further consideration. Managers and coworkers who make the workplace unsafe or uncomfortable for the workers can be difficult to have around, which is why it’s best to write a complaint letter to ensure that management is forced to acknowledge the issue.
Even if the coworker isn’t responsible for attacking any protected characteristics but has made it difficult to get your work done, it is often acceptable to write a grievance letter. It’s best to first approach the colleague and attempt to resolve the problem one-on-one. But if this is not an option, and the coworkers are too hostile to approach, then writing a letter addressed to HR or the employer might be the only way to bring attention to the issue.
How to Write a Complaint Letter About a Coworker?
Written complaints are harder for organizations to ignore or dismiss, making them an important solution to addressing the tensions within the workplace. Using a template to write a complaint letter about a coworker can help ensure that your perspective on the matter is straightforward, coherent, and collected, with all the necessary details in one place.
Rather than relying on your memory to remember all the relevant points during a conversation on the same issue, a letter ensures that the necessary information is collected in order. When formulating a complaint letter regarding the workplace or its people, there are a few steps to keep in mind:
- Try to communicate with the coworker and resolve the issue with them directly first
- Document the conflict and the information at your disposal to ensure you can pass it on to concerned authorities
- Identify the right person to address with the email to ensure it reaches its target, rather than going from inbox to inbox
- Focus on providing a clear explanation of what happened, why, and the people who were involved
- Don’t allow for the letter to turn too emotional or wordy—be objective and focus on the impact without letting the emotions paint you as someone who is overinflating the issue
- Don’t make assumptions or add your own suspicions into the letter, as the conclusions are for the investigating team to draw
- Mention how you responded and who else has been alerted to the problems that occurred
- Mention what your intention is with writing the letter, or the response or action you’re looking for as a result of the letter
- Ensure your letter is properly formatted and there are no grammatical errors or poor language
- Make a copy of the letter so you have your own record of what was said with regard to the matter
Template for a Complaint Letter About a Coworker
Whether you’re complaining about a coworker who has been spreading rumors about you or one who has been behaving in inappropriate ways, it’s important to strike the right tone in your letter. The key is to be confident and assertive about your experiences, while also leaving room for the HR team or employer to navigate the issue.
You can make requests on how you would like to proceed, such as action against such behavior or your own reassignment to a different team, but making demands isn’t the right way to go about it. There are many ways to write a complaint letter about a coworker that focuses on the facts and acknowledges the core of the problem at hand. Let’s look at some sample complaint form templates.
Sample Complaint Letter Against a Coworker for Unprofessional Behavior
Subject: Formal Complaint Regarding Coworker Behavior at Work
Dear [Manger/HR leader],
I hope you are well. I’m writing this letter to bring to your attention some issues that have arisen with [Coworker name]. Since the team meeting was conducted last month, [describe the behavior]. This has made it quite difficult for me to approach the other department, and I have also lost access to the resources I need to conduct my work.
I have tried to bring the issue up with [Coworker], but the attempts to start a dialogue have been met with resistance. Due to the lack of options, I am writing this letter to request that the matter be handled by HR. I would appreciate it if something could be done to address the issue, as it has been very disruptive for me and my team.
Thank you for your time and patience.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Designation]
Sample Complaint Letter About Harassment at Work
Subject: Formal Complaint Regarding Workplace Harassment
Dear [Manger/HR leader],
I would like to report an issue with my colleague [Name] that has been escalating over the last month. I have received multiple emails and texts from my colleague that are inappropriate for the workplace. [Describe the start of the issue and how matters escalated].
Despite my repeated requests to maintain professional boundaries and operate according to the rules of the workplace, the behavior has not stopped. This has made it quite difficult for me to come into the office or focus on my work. I have attached relevant documents that highlight some of the behavior that I described above.
I value the company’s commitment to building a safe and hospitable workplace, and would appreciate it if this matter were taken seriously to ensure that the culture is preserved. I’m willing to speak to the concerned parties to ensure the severity of the problem is conveyed and action is taken at once. Please let me know if there is anything else I can do with regard to this issue.
Thank you for your time.
Regards,
[Your Name]
[Your Designation]
Sample Complaint Letter About Lack of Cooperation at Work
Subject: Formal Complaint Regarding Workplace Performance
Good morning Ms.[Name of Manger/HR leader],
I hope your week is off to a great start. I would like to take a moment of your time to express concern regarding the communication challenges that have come up with [Coworker’s Name]. While we have collaborated on previous projects successfully before, this time they are [describe the problem]. Not only are they hard to reach during work hours, but there have been limited contributions from them on the project, holding up work for the rest of the team.
For example, [describe how the behavior interfered with the team performance.] These sorts of interruptions are not only disruptive, but they also create an unpleasant work environment for the entire team.
From experience, I know that [Coworker’s Name] is quite capable of handling the job, but they do not appear open to feedback or communication this time around. Maybe a conversation with HR might help uncover what the problem is, so they can get back on their feet and join the project with renewed enthusiasm. I’m willing to help further the cause in any way that I can, so please let me know how I can contribute.
Best Wishes,
[Your Name]
[Your Designation]
Be Professional and Let the Complaint Letter Get the Word Across to Your Boss
It can be tempting to use the complaint letter to air out all your grievances against every single colleague who has ever wronged you, but this will not lead to any concrete results. It is always best to have a calm but honest conversation with your colleagues to resolve the problem without escalation. If this is unsuccessful, it’s best to turn to honesty and action and address the problem at hand.
Your workplace is your space for productivity and career growth, and ensuring it is free from complications when possible is always in your best interest. Writing a complaint letter about a coworker may not solve your problems each time, but in many cases, it doesn’t hurt to document your story with the HR team so the blame cannot be shifted if matters escalate.
If you don’t know where to start, you can also talk to your HR team first to check if there is an internal complaint form available for you to use, rather than relying on these complaint letter templates. There is a solution waiting for you, right around the corner.
Have you ever written a complaint letter about a coworker? Let us know how it went. Subscribe to The HR Digest for more insights on workplace trends, layoffs, and what to expect with the advent of AI.