Progressive Discipline

When discipline is called for, managers will likely use a progressive discipline policy. Progressive discipline is a escalating series of steps that is designed to address and correct behavior that falls short of acceptable. The goal of progressive discipline is avoiding termination by providing documented opportunities for the employee to improve his or her performance.

Let’s take a quick look at the four stages of progressive discipline:
Step One: The Verbal Warning.
At this stage, managers must remind the employee of the behavior guidelines. Keep a neutral professional tone. You do not want to be accusatory but rather express your point in a factual manner. Do not attack the person, but rather point out the offending behavior. Be ready to give some actual examples of the behavior in question and prepare yourself for the range of reactions from the employee. Let the employee know what happens next if the behavior continues.

Step Two: The Written Warning. The employee, at this point, is choosing to continue the behavior in question. This choice justifies the idea behind progressive discipline policies. This second step is used in cases of a serious breach of conduct and in repeat offenses.
The formal process involves a document written before the meeting and then is reviewed with the employee one on one in a private meeting. Be sure to consult with Human Resources before you write the document and make sure to use the accepted HR form.

Step Three: Suspension.
When an employee continues to engage in the activity that caused him to receive a written warning, the manager must take more severe action. The act of suspending an employee without pay takes serious thought and serious support from the department supervisor and Human Resources. A written document should be added to the employee’s file after he has been notified of the fact and dates of the suspension.

Step Four: Dismissal. This is the last step in the progressive discipline process and should never be taken without careful thought and planning. This action can have grave consequences. Discharging the employee should occur only after gross misconduct or when he has not corrected serious, on-going behavior for which he has received previous discipline. You should analyze all of the previous discipline actions to determine that the employee has been afforded real opportunities to correct the behavior of performance.

At all points in the process, the motive behind discipline should be to allow the employee room to improve and correct his actions. When the employee decides not to avail himself of the opportunity, your only recourse to restore health in the department and order to the company may be to terminate the employment.

No matter what stage you are in, you should always be prepared to defend your actions. Ask yourself:
a)Was the employee clear about the code of conduct he violated? In some cases, the offender might not know about the rules.
b)Was the employee aware that his violation of the policy would lead to possible discipline?
c)Did the discipline match the offense? You have to consider the nature of the offense in its severity. More minor affairs should not be heavily disciplined.
d)Did you take into consideration the longevity and work record of the employee? Loyal and effective service should be rewarded with the benefit of the doubt within acceptable reason.
e)Could the employee have been provoked into his actions? Consider the underlying reasons for bad behavior.
f)Did the employee finally admit to the behavior and apologize? Sincere remorse is a good indicator of whether or not behavior will be repeated.

When discipline issues arise, the need for fair and consistent discipline is critical. No manager likes to correct employees but the reality is that even the best employee can have performance issues from time to time.

Progressive discipline should be thoroughly covered with all managers and supervisors. If you are planning a training program on this topic please take a look at my custom training cartoons to help you get your point across. Visit my website at www.WorkplaceToons.com today!