Complaints Policy

At LHi Group, we are committed to upholding the highest standards of professionalism, ethics, and accountability across all our brands. As the parent company of Lawrence Harvey, Piper Maddox, SciPro, Harper Harrison, and XPS, all external complaints relating to any of these brands will be handled directly by LHi Group. We take all concerns seriously and are committed to ensuring that concerns are listened to, investigated thoroughly, and addressed fairly.

Complaints under this procedure can be made by anybody external to LHi Group who has any dealings with our group of companies. Typically, although this is not a restrictive list, we would expect complaints under this procedure to come from our candidates, contractors, clients, suppliers and/or other partners.

This procedure should not be used for complaints of bribery and/or corruption. In the case of a complaint in those arenas, please immediately raise your concerns with us via bribery@wearelhi.com. Emails to this mailbox will be regularly monitored and can be accessed exclusively by our Board of Directors.

If you would like to raise a complaint, we ask that you do so in one of the following way

Speak to your usual contact at LHi Group, using their normal contact details;

If that feels inappropriate, you are welcome to raise your complaint with LHi’s HR team via email at hr@wearelhi.com or by phone at (+44) 20 3327 3081 (European HQ) or (+1) 646-396-0402 (North American HQ);

Verbal complaints can of course also be made face to face if an appropriate situation arises. Due to the open plan nature of our office and the sensitivity of some complaints, we ask that if you intend to make your complaint in person at our office then you first contact one of the people listed above to arrange a mutually suitable appointment.

Complaints can be raised through any of the above channels or any other contact details or opportunities the complainant may have. 

No matter how we receive a complaint, we are committed to ensuring it is properly handled with care. If you raise a complaint by phone or in person, the person you speak to will:

·         Record the facts of your complaint;

·         Ask for your name, contact details (email and/or phone number) and your relationship to LHi Group (e.g. client, candidate, supplier etc);

·         Share our complaints procedure with you so you know what to expect;

·         Let you know what will happen next and how long it is likely to take;

·         In some cases, invite you to confirm your complaint in writing, so we have it documented in your own words;

Stage One: 
In many cases, a complaint is best resolved by the person responsible for the issue being complained about. If the complaint has been received by that person, they may be able to resolve it swiftly and should do so if possible and appropriate.

If you feel as though it still hasn’t been resolved at this point, please contact the HR team directly using the details in point 1b). If the person you are speaking to is unable to resolve the situation themselves, they will share your complaint with either the HR team or the most suitable person within the business within a 48-hour timeframe of it being raised, for the appropriate action to be taken. 

Complaints should be acknowledged by the person handling the complaint within 48 hours or as soon as reasonably practical if not within that timeframe.

The acknowledgement should say who is dealing with the complaint and when the person complaining can expect a reply. A copy of this procedure should be attached.

If the complaint relates to a specific person, that person should be informed and given a fair opportunity to respond.

Ideally complainants should receive a definitive reply within 7 days. If this is not possible because for example, an investigation has not been fully completed, a progress report should be sent within that timeframe with an indication of when a full reply will be given.

Whether the complaint is justified or not, the reply to the complainant should describe the action taken to investigate the complaint, the conclusions from the investigation, and any action taken as a result of the complaint.

Stage Two: 
If the complainant feels that the problem has not been satisfactorily resolved at Stage One, they can request that the complaint is reviewed at Board level.

The request for Board level review should be acknowledged within 48 hours of receiving it or as soon as reasonably practical if not within that timeframe.

The acknowledgement should say who will deal with the case and when the complainant can expect a reply.

If the complaint relates to a specific person, that person should be informed and given a further opportunity to respond. The person who dealt with the original complaint at Stage One should also be kept informed of what is happening.

Ideally complainants should receive a definitive reply within 7 days. If this is not possible because for example, an investigation has not been fully completed, a progress report should be sent within that timeframe with an indication of when a full reply will be given.

Whether the complaint is upheld or not, the reply to the complainant should describe the action taken to investigate the complaint, the conclusions from the investigation, and any action taken as a result of the complaint. 

The decision taken at this stage is final, unless the Board decides it is appropriate to seek external assistance with resolution.

The Board may vary the procedure for good reason without advance warning. This may be necessary to avoid a conflict of interest, for example, a complaint about a Director should not also have that Director as the person leading a Stage Two review.

Complaints are reviewed quarterly to identify any trends which may indicate a need to take further action.