Module 5 - Discipline at Company Level

8/16/2019 Module 5 - Discipline at Company Level

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Module 5

Discipline at the Company Level


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DisciplineDiscipline is behavior and order maintained

by training and control. A disciplinary systemspells out specifc punishments or specifcinractions.

Disciplining employees is a task that mostsupervisors fnd dicult. All have a reluctance

to use discipline as an eective method ocorrecting improper employee behavior.

In all work environments--rules must beenorced and improper behavior corrected.


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very supervisor has a natural reluctance to discipline

others!that"s normal. #owever$ you do have aresponsibility to your organi%ation. Discipline and rules

are critical your department to succeed in its mission

Discipline is not necessarily synonymous withpunishment. In many cases problems with employeebehavior can be solved merely by pointing out to theemployee that his behavior is not acceptable.


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Positive and negative discipline Negative discipline involves negative behaviors&

punishment!oten harsh$ win-lose climates$ andinterpersonal resentment.

Positive discipline. A positive approach to discipline'build on mutual respect and sel-control($ treatsdisciplinary actions as a necessary educational process$is used to correct undesirable and unacceptablebehavior by letting the person know through concrete

e)perience and e)ample what is e)pected.

*ositive discipline is an attitude that must be accepted bythe supervisor as an approach and developed in thesubordinate.


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Rules and Regulations

Rules are the key to eective discipline in anorgani%ation. +ules must be thoroughlyunderstood and communicated to all employees

in the department. ,hey must apply eually to allemployees. I rules are not enorced they aremeaningless. ot enorcing rules can damagemorale and create ha%ardous situations.

/our rules should be a dynamic document--not adocument cast in stone. +ules should be updatedon a regular basis$ with obsolete rules thrown outand new appropriate rules added.


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A. Hot stove theory

1. arning.!. "mmediate.#. Consistent.$. "mpersonal.5. No apologies% no gloating.

&. Non'emotional.(. Rules are )ey to e*ective discipline i+they are,

1. -nderstood and communicated.!. Applied eually.

#. /n+orced.$. ritten.5. Needed.

C. Non'en+orcement endangers.D. Must 0e revieed periodically.

R

-L

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"mportance o+ Discipline

Discipline is important to the department in that itreinorces departmental values and relationships.Discipline osters order$ not chaos. It resolves problem atan early correctable stage and clarifes management0s

e)pectations o subordinates.Discipline sets boundaries and makes departmental goalsclear. ective discipline rewards employees or goodbehavior and can correct a problem beore it is too late.

Discipline provides the tools or a supervisor to deal with

improper behavior and increase company eciency. Itprovides the ramework or euitable and air treatmento subordinates.

Discipline contributes directly toward enhancing a powerbase and$ i properly applied$ will earn respect.


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Common violations and actions1ome violations which

are common in every

department include21. 3ardiness

!. A0senteeism

#. "nsu0ordination

$. "mproper conduct

5. 2loppiness


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It is important to note that any or all o these

e)amples might be symptoms o a more seriousproblem such as substance abuse or emotionaldisturbance. I you suspect either$ you should seekguidance rom your superior. 3ost departments

have an mployee Assistance *lan 'A*( to assistemployees with these particular problems.4sually$ the administration has much moree)perience dealing with problems o this nature.

#owever$ in all cases your responsibility as asupervisor is to takes the appropriate action as itrelates to the violation or improper behavior.


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Common Disciplinary Actions

3ost departments have a set o disciplinaryactions that vary rom ormal counseling totermination. ,erminology$ but basically theseactions are&

1. "n+ormal Discussion

!. er0al arning

#. ritten reprimand$. 6ine

5. 2uspension

&. 3ermination


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3ypical Actions Chart

7*ense 6irst 2econd 3hird

3ardiness5erbal

6arning+eprimand

1uspension

'*rogressive(

"nsu0ordinatio

n1uspension ,ermination ---

2loppy or) 6arning+eprimand7

1uspension

1uspension7

,ermination

"mproper

Conduct

6arning7

1uspension

+eprimand7

1uspension ,ermination

iolation o+

2a+etyRegulations

6arning7

1uspension

+eprimand7

,ermination 1uspension

2tealing1uspension7

,ermination ,ermination ---

6ighting1uspension7

,ermination

,ermination ---


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Progressive DisciplineProgressive discipline is a process that has the

greatest potential to correct improper employeebehavior with a minimal amount o punishment. Itis a positive corrective plan rather than a

negative approach that should be reasonable$ ftthe oense$ and become increasingly severe orrepeated inractions o the same rules.


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*rogressive discipline is reuired toimplement more severe punishment iprevious less severe punishment ailed tocorrect behavior. 3ost cases lost or reversed

on appeal were because the employee wasnever given a chance to correct behavior atan early stage.


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In applying discipline$ the supervisor mustalways be air and impartial. ,he supervisormust consider prior violations o similar rules

and whether there were any e)tenuatingcircumstances involved.

+emember the whole purpose o disciplinary

an employee is to correct improper behavior.


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3he Disciplinary

"ntervie #aving the proper setting or a disciplinary

interview is important not only or the employeebut also or the supervisor. Discipline should be a

private matter that will correct employee behaviorwithout embarrassment and with respect.


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As a supervisor$ you should thoroughly investigate what has

occurred and have all your acts ready to discuss with theemployee. ,he interview should take place where privacy isassured. 9nce the interview begins$ get right to the point.1tate your case clearly and immediately. At this point$ let theemployee respond with his side o the issue. I your acts arewrong$ be willing to change. :isten2 do not interrupt or lose

your temper. Avoid arguing and stick to the acts. ;e sureyou discuss only the improper behavior and not thepersonality.

Indicate the seriousness o the improper behavior and what

your e)pectations or the uture are. ,ry to get a commitmentto change rom the employee. nd the session on a positivenote2 never leave the employee eeling hopeless.


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3he Disciplinary "ntervie

A. 3he steps1. Prepare8"nvestigate and

gather +acts.

!. 2tate your case#. Listen

$. "ndicate seriousness

5. 2tate e9pectations

&. :et commitment to change

;. /nd on positive note.


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(. Chec)list

1. 2etting.

!. Listen.

#. Don=t interrupt.

$. 2tay calm>don=t lose your temper.

5. Don=t argue.

&. 2tic) to +acts

;. 6ocus on 0ehavior.


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C. Common errors.

1. Not 0eing clear

!. "mproper or nodocumentation.


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"mproper or no documentation is perhaps the singlemost common error a frst-line supervisor commits.Documentation should be done$ at the very least$

whenever one or two verbal warnings have not correctedimproper behavior or i the oensive is o a seriousnature. *roper documentation should speciy e)actly

what the improper behavior was$ when it occurred$ andwhat action was taken to correct the behavior.


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(i?arre 0ehavior

(i?arre employee 0ehavior in this conte)t means behaviorunusual in nature and or which there may not be rules orprocedures which cover the behavior. 1upervisor need to guardagainst reacting to bi%arreness o the incident and ocus directlyon the seriousness o the behavior. A series o uestions that willserve as a checklist to disciplinary possibilities includes&

. 6as work interrupted=

?. Did behavior create an unsae situation=

@. Did the employee know better=. Is the behavior correctable=

B. Did the behavior violate the law=

C. 6as your department0s image damaged=

. Did the behavior damage morale=


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/mployee alues

A. Di*erences in attitude% illingness% commitment.(. 3here ill alays 0e,

. Incompetent personnel.

?.*ersonnel who will not conorm.

C. 3hree types o+ su0ordinates.

. 5alues don0t match but subordinate adapts.

?. 5alues don0t match and subordinate won0t adapt.

D. Do not ignore pro0lems./. Most marginal employees can 0ecome

productive.


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-sually employees +all into one three categories.

3he @rst is the employee with positive sel-imposed discipline that matches organi%ational goalsand values$ and who has his own and the public0sbest interest at hear.

3he second category includes employees with goalsand values that do not match the organi%ation$ butwill adapt to the organi%ation0s goals and values.

3he third type will not adapt to the department0sgoals and values$ and proper steps are needed tobring the employee in line or remove him romorgani%ation.


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3ips to

remem0er 3reat every case as i+ it ill 0e appealed.

7nce discipline is given% it is over. Do not )eepre+erring to someone=s mista)es.

Apply discipline consistently% +airly% andimpartially.

Deal ith the improper 0ehavior% not thepersonality.

Never discipline hen you=re angry. Rein+orce good 0ehavior.

2et a good e9ample.

Do not save upB discipline''act as soon as

possi0le.


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Do not threaten punishment you cannotdeliver.

"+ you suspect su0stance a0use oremotional pro0lems% get help +rom themanager=s oce.

"+ in dou0t on any disciplinary action''see)help.

Do not trans+er your pro0lems solve them.

Eno your rules and regulationsthoroughly.

Praise in pu0lic''critici?e in private.

(e illing to treat an honest mista)e as anhonest mista)e.


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Module 5 - Discipline at Company Level