Disciplining EmployeesThe Verbal WarningWhen disciplining employees do you issue an employee letter of reprimand or employee warning notice or do you give a verbal warning? This three step approach is recommended. Step - 1 - the informal 'chat' Each business and business owner is different, as is each employee. For that reason there will be many variances to this process when disciplining employees. The exact method and wording that you use will depend on your business and your individual circumstances.
This article focussess on step 2 of the disciplining employees process and assumes that you have already completed step 1, the informal 'chat'. The Disciplinary Process - Step by Step1) Prior to issuing an employee warning notice or employee letter of reprimand you should read more about employee warning notices, reasons for issuing them and what they should include.Then have a sit down discussion with your employee. During this discussion you should outline where you feel that your staff member is not meeting their obligations of employment. 2) If the warning is for poor performance, as oppossed to theft or misuse of company property, have you considered the possible reasons for this. Could it be due to;
3) Outline what the issue is and how it is having a negative effect on your business. Ask your employee why they think it has occurred. For example....... Tim, during the last quarter our production levels have decreased by 15%. Do you know why this may have occurred? or Sue, over the past 5 weeks we have had 3 out of our 6 staff complain that their wages have been incorrect. Can you offer any suggestions as to why?
Discussing the ProblemWhen disciplining employees try to focus your criticism on the duties being performed and not on the person. Aim to make your discussion beneficial to both parties. Ask why they think the problem has occurred and encourage feedback from your employee on how they think it can or should be resolved.Done effectively you can also use this opportunity to improve staff moral by asking for input from staff and taking on board their suggestions, where appropriate. Allow your staff the opportunity to freely discuss any problems that they may be experiencing as well as any obstacles that they may be facing. Don't get defensive. Encourage honesty from your staff. If you have followed my recruitment tips then the person sitting in front of you is more than capable of performing effectively.
If they are not then you need to find out why. And try not to jump to conclusions when doing so. There are many business management styles. Managers who encourage feedback and suggestions from their staff will get more from their staff by way of performance and attitude than those who constantly criticize. When it comes to staff it isn't always black or white so try not to jump to conclusions. In the example given above, Tim's production levels may have decreased due to constant breakdowns with equipment. Sue may have mis calculated wages because she was not provided with the correct attendance records or hours worked details.
Document Your DiscussionOnce the issue has been fully and openly discussed, explain that you will re-assess the situation in ' X ' weeks time. If your employee doesn't think that they can rectify the problem by that date then advise them that they should discuss it with you before the deadline.Then make a brief diary note for your records. Include the date of the discussion, the reasons for it and the outcome. Make a note of any deadline issued and the action that was to occur. You must document this info as you will need it later if you need to issue a written notice. When the deadline arrives, assess the situation again. If it has been resolved, great! Acknowledge the work done my your staff member to turn the situation around. Give praise where due. If the situation hasn't improved then.................issue an employee letter of reprimand.
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