Steps for Effectively Disciplining Employees
Disciplining employees is a necessary matter in every organization, albeit an unpleasant one. Effective discipline can help to correct employee behavioral issues and can increase productivity. Effective discipline will also help to protect your company against wrongful termination lawsuits.
Traditional discipline minimizes communication and employs threatening language at every stage. For those of you not in HR, progressive discipline is often a four-step process (verbal warning, written warning, final written warning or suspension, and termination), and HR professionals are trained to end each step with the not-so-hopeful refrain: “Failure to correct the problem may result in further disciplinary action, up to and including possible termination.”
Step 1: Oral Reprimand
Oral reprimands should be given as soon as a manager or employer notices an issue with an employee’s performance or behavior. Oral reprimands should be given tactfully so that employees understand that reprimands are constructive criticism and not personal attacks. It may be helpful for employers or managers to design a verbal reprimand form so that written documentation can be kept in oral reprimands.
Step 2: Written Warning
If an employee does not respond to a verbal reprimand favorably or begins to exhibit further behavioral or performance issues, it may be necessary to issue a written warning. An effectively written warning should detail exactly what the undesirable aspects of the employee’s behavior or performance are, how the employee should correct these issues, and what will happen if the employee does not correct these issues. Employees should be given a copy of the written warning that has been signed by a manager, a witness, and the offending employee.
Step 3: Final Documentation
If an employee continues to exhibit poor performance after receiving a written warning, managers should issue final documentation. When final documentation is given, employees should be shown all other times that reprimands have been given and documented, while managers pointedly explain how they were instructed to act and how they failed to meet the expectations. Employees should understand that they may face termination if the behavior continues, but should still be given a chance to meet the expectations.
Step 4: Suspension of Probation
If an employee still continues to fail to meet expectations after final documentation has been given, you may wish to give the employee one final chance in the form of a suspension with a subsequent probationary period. The probationary period may include a dock in pay, continuous supervision, or retraining efforts. Before an employee is suspended, HR professionals should be consulted.
Step 5: Termination
If an employee continues to exhibit the same behaviors after the suspension period or does not respond favorably to retraining, it is, unfortunately, time to move on to termination. When an employee is terminated, the final meeting should be in person and the employee should be given documentation and an explanation as to the exact reasons for the termination. If all behavioral issues have been documented every step of the way, the employee should not be able to collect unemployment or file a wrongful termination lawsuit.
Conclusion
It is important to have a strategically designed discipline policy so that your employees know what is expected and what will happen if they do not meet expectations. Having this degree of consistency will provide your organization with a sense of stability that all of your employees, managers, and HR personnel will appreciate. Using the following steps for disciplinary action can make it easy for you to meet this ideal.
Information Source:
