Documentation is especially important for legal reasons if termination does become necessary. Depending on the location, companies may be required to show just cause for termination and thorough documentation will help companies prove that justification. If employees see the disciplinary system applied unevenly, morale can suffer. Employees will think that favoritism is involved or fear that they may not be allowed the same opportunities as other employees. At the same time, the system must also be flexible to be effective.
More serious offenses may need to start with more serious consequences, such as fewer written warnings, or starting directly with a PIP. The important thing is to be consistent with how the disciplinary system affects all employees.
The same rules should apply to everyone equally and change only for the nature of the offense rather than for the person or position. In order for progressive discipline to be effective, communication must be clear. Employees must know exactly what is expected of them every step of the way. Similarly, the steps of progressive discipline should also be clear about what the consequences will be if the employee does fail to improve.
The progressive discipline system itself should also be clearly communicated to employees. They should know from the beginning what will happen if they ever have any performance or behavioral issues in the workplace. That way, employees will be less stressed about making a mistake. Is your company looking for a HRIS to manage employee documentation?
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What you will learn in this article What Is Progressive Discipline? What Is Progressive Discipline? Benefits of Progressive Discipline Progressive disciplinary systems offer many benefits to companies.
Provides Clear Expectations One advantage of progressive discipline is that it provides all employees with a clear outline of what to expect if rules are not followed or if performance is not up to standard.
Offers Coaching and Learning Opportunities Progressive discipline provides a way for employers to address employee behaviors and performance issues in a way that will command their attention.
Creates a Paper Trail Progressive discipline automatically creates a documentation trail that can be very helpful if the coaching and disciplinary action do not help to correct the behavioral or performance issues and the employee has to be terminated as a result.
Cons of Progressive Discipline Despite its many benefits, progressive discipline also has some downsides. May Appear Unfair at Times Every incident and every employee is different, so sometimes what may seem like the same behavior or performance may actually warrant very different consequences. Can Be Impractical For some companies, progressive discipline is just too time-consuming or all-around impractical.
Steps of Progressive Discipline One of the main features of a progressive disciplinary system is that there are steps of increasing severity of the problem continues. Verbal Warning The first step in progressive discipline is typically a verbal warning. Written Warning A written warning is more formal than a verbal warning.
Final Written Warning If an employee has already received at least one written warning, but the behavior has not improved, the next step is a final written warning. Performance Improvement Plan If written warnings have not solved the behavioral or performance issue, creating a performance improvement plan , or PIP, is the next step.
Termination Termination should be the last resort for disciplinary issues. Communication with Employees In order for progressive discipline to be effective, communication must be clear.
About the Author. Share this article! Progressive discipline is a workplace disciplinary concept that uses a graduated system to inform employees of issues in their behaviors and performance. The purpose of progressive discipline is to provide employees with a reasonable opportunity to correct and improve problems related to their overall job performance, while at the same time providing fair notice of the consequences of not correcting the issue s.
The exact disciplinary measures taken depend on the severity and frequency of the issue. However, this practice should be applied consistently. Progressive discipline is important for several reasons, including the following:. While each organization uses different steps when practicing progressive discipline, the following are the most common steps:.
A verbal warning or verbal counseling is when a manager notifies the employee of the need for improvement verbally. The manager may schedule a one-on-one meeting with the team member to discuss what the issue is and how the employee can fix it. The manager should ensure the employee fully understands the expectations going forward and maintain written documentation of the issue for future reference.
A written warning is when a manager gives the employee a notice in writing that their performance has not improved after a verbal warning. The written notice includes all pertinent details related to the issue as well as previous attempts to inform the employee of the need for change.
A PIP is a formal written plan that entails how long the employee has to fix the issue or change the behavior and the consequences if the issue is not resolved. For example, a PIP may state that an employee has 60 days to meet performance expectations or the employee will be terminated. The PIP should include specific details as to what improvements need to be made and how the employee can make them. Additionally, it should include any training that is needed and check-in meetings on progress.
It is an opportunity for both the manager and the employee to determine if the organization and role are going to be a good fit.
Depending on the organization, this period will often last 30, 60 or 90 days. During this period, the manager should check in frequently with the employee to ensure they understand what is required and expected of them and also be available to answer the employee's questions.
Managers should also closely monitor employee's work and course-correct as needed and provide feedback. Towards the end of the probationary period, the manager should evaluate if the employee is the right fit for the role.
If it's not a good fit, the manager should determine if they need to terminate or extend the probationary period if there is potential for the employee to be successful.
Suspension is outdated as a form of corrective action. You may see it used in smaller organizations or start-ups, but it's not effective as a form of corrective action as it can cause more of a burden on staff that remain working. Additionally, it is viewed as more punitive than corrective. It would be best to follow the progressive discipline policy to manage performance. However, suspensions are helpful and should be used when performance, conduct or safety incidents are so problematic and harmful that the most effective action is the temporary removal of the employee from the workplace pending an investigation.
In most cases, the suspension period is paid while under investigation. This is also best practice, but employers should check state law requirements to ensure compliance when implementing this action. The manager should also consider partnering with human resources to ensure compliance with legal and regulatory obligations when terminating employees. They want to know that you're taking the matter seriously and working to correct the behavior. Nothing hurts the morale of your contributing employees more than seeing no action taken to correct the actions of poorly performing employees.
The impact of their poor performance is always noted—and never appreciated. They want their employer to take action to improve the situation. You can't share what you're communicating because of employee confidentiality, but here's how you can approach the conversation with the non-performing employee. Discipline is best when you have personally witnessed the behavior, so make a genuine effort to that end. Keep in mind that your presence can change the employee's behavior and so you may never see the actions that the coworkers see.
His or her coworkers will appreciate any action you take to correct the problem. You can tell coworkers that you've addressed the problem—nothing more—but sometimes they need to know that their complaints were at least heard and heeded. Revisiting the subject of employee discipline, specifically progressive discipline, this revised disciplinary action form is straightforward and addresses employee actions in behavioral terms.
Managers receive guidance via the questions on the form to provide actionable performance feedback and suggestions for improvement to the employee.
The first step in communicating disciplinary action is to take the employee to or set up a meeting with the employee in a private office. If you anticipate difficulty, and always at the stage of the written verbal warning, it's smart to ask an HR person or another manager to sit in on the meeting so that there is a third party witness present. In a union-represented workplace, the employee may also ask his union rep to attend the meeting.
The rep is usually a second onlooker but may ask questions to clarify or for examples that illustrate the behavior. In a nonrepresented workplace, an employee can request that his own witness, possibly a coworker friend, also attend. Telling an employee, "You have a bad attitude," gives the employee no information about the behavior you want to see the employee change or improve.
Say, "When you slam your parts down hard on your workbench, you risk breaking the part. You are also disturbing your coworkers. The noise bothers them and they are concerned about their safety if parts fly through the air. Loud noises are disturbing in the workplace. Your coworkers feel the need to find out whether they are in danger when strange sounds happen near their workstations.
I can understand that the work sometimes frustrates you and that you let pent-up impatience out by slamming parts down on your workstation. But, the behavior needs to stop because of its impact on your coworkers. The next step following this meeting is that I will document that I gave you a verbal warning and I will ask you to sign the document.
Your signature doesn't mean that you agree with the document. At the point of the formal written verbal warning, the company will decide whether you are interested in changing your behavior. If the answer is, not likely, we will terminate your employment. Do you understand?
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