Undisciplined behaviour of employees costs a company enormously in terms of finance and ethically. Hence, there should be no debate about handling disciplinary issues at work being essential to maintain a positive and productive environment for business results.
Even though it’s easy to not think about such problems, it’s important to be ready to deal with them if and when they arise. A great deal of misconduct and poor performance issues arise as a result of an employee struggling with personal issues such as fraud, errors, negative behaviour and financial misconduct.
Taking disciplinary measures needs thoughtful consideration and careful planning. Implementing disciplinary procedure appropriately can help the organisation to maintain a positive work culture, encourage accountability and ultimately increase productivity.
One’s approach to workplace disciplinary procedure can vary, ranging from formal warnings to gentle guidance and instruction. Before you make a plan of action, it’s essential to understand the rules governing disciplinary measures for employees in the workplace.
One has to make sure that the policies adhere to the Law, clearly define expected behaviour, maintain consistency and avoid unethical or discriminatory action. When managers fail to discipline employees uniformly, it opens the door to legal repercussions due to discrimination.
Managers must understand the importance of consistency when it comes to disciplinary action. They should also avoid making promises of job security based on behaviour improvement as this can lead to misunderstanding among employees and undermine the integrity of the whole disciplinary process.
Provide clear expectations
Despite efforts to mitigate the risk of disciplinary issues, they may still occur. After all, everyone is different, so what is acceptable to one may not be to another and vice versa. Handling disciplinary issues correctly is paramount and sets the stage for those involved including the rest of the team.
Lay out company policies, procedure, and values in an employee handbook. Be specific about what is and isn’t acceptable behaviour. Review policies with new hires and have them sign off that they understand the rules. Don’t wait until problems arise to give feedback.
Provide regular coaching and counselling to help employees strengthen performance and behaviour. Be timely, specific and focus on action they can take. Praise good work too – positive reinforcement goes a long way.
Promote open communication
Encourage employees to come to their manager if they have questions or concerns about policies or performance. An open-door policy where people feel comfortable addressing issues helps avoid confusion and conflict. Look for changes in behaviour, productivity or attitude that could signal potential problems.
Meet the employee and try to determine the underlying cause. Then work with them on a performance improvement plan to get things back on track.
The sooner problems are caught, the easier they are to resolve. With the right strategies for education, communication and early intervention, one will well on the way to a harmonious, high-functioning team. Discipline issues don’t stand a chance!
Be consistent and fair
After the problems are addressed with an employee, appropriate discipline must be taken. Whatever action is taken, it must be fair and consistent with how similar issues have been handled in the past. Favouritism breeds resentment and hurts the company culture. Consider the severity and frequency of infractions when determining disciplinary measures.
For minor first-time issues, a verbal warning may suffice. Written warnings, suspension or termination may be necessary for repeat or more serious offences. Disciplinary action can trigger strong emotions, such as anger, fear or guilt, in the employee and the manager. These emotions can interfere with the communication and the resolution of the issue. To manage emotions, one should adopt a calm, objective and empathetic approach.
One should acknowledge the employee’s feelings, but also focus on the facts and the solutions and avoid personal attacks, accusations, or threats and use positive language and tone. Managing emotions will help reduce stress and conflict and foster constructive dialogue.
Corrective action
The final challenge of disciplinary action is to implement corrective action that has been agreed upon or imposed. This action may include training, coaching, counselling or other intervention to improve the employee’s behaviour or performance.
To implement corrective action, one should set clear and realistic goals, timelines and set a measure of success. One should also monitor progress and provide ongoing support and feedback. If the employee fails to improve or repeats the offence, disciplinary action should be increased accordingly.
Taking corrective action will help achieve positive and lasting changes in employee relations. Although the disciplinary process aims to address poor performance and/or conduct, it should not be seen by the employee (or an independent third party) as ‘corporal punishment’.
Empathy and human centred leadership goes a long way in motivating employees to the right behaviour and conduct. The keys to tackling discipline issues effectively in the organisation have now been discussed. Remember, focus on being consistent and fair, address issues promptly and have clear policies in place.
Make sure to investigate thoroughly and listen with an open mind. Look for the root cause that led to the unwarranted behaviour and see if there are ways to support the employee to avoid future problems. Discipline may still be needed at times, but approach it with empathy and care.
Keep communication open and follow up to check on progress. Managing discipline effectively is challenging but with the right mindset and techniques, a stronger, more cohesive team could be built. With a thoughtful, caring process, discipline can become an opportunity to strengthen the team and build trust in the workplace.
The keys are open communication, fairness, support and follow through. Stay calm and remember why this employee has a value – with the right approach, they may become the strongest team members yet.
