When employee behavior does not meet company standards or expectations, it has a direct impact on profitability. There are many ways to keep your employees focused and prevent unproductive behavior, but not all actions are possible in all businesses. If you are unsure about what to do when faced with an employee-related behavioral problem, this article will help you.
We have asked our experts to share their advice on how to deal with disciplinary issues in the workplace and put them on your behalf below.
Here are the top 21 employees disciplinary information from experts.
1. Point to a specific exampl. When dealing with negative behavior.
As a manager, you know how to deal with negative or destructive behavior of your employees in a constructive way, but at the same time it’s important to reinforce the severity of the problem. Specific behavior is important when dealing with employee behavior. This could even mean providing physical evidence of an employee’s behavior (or lack thereof) if he or she is defending. Depending on the seriousness of the challenge, it is advisable to meet with other senior officials in the company in the in-house space. This helps to emphasize the seriousness of the problem without saying anything, and you can explain why an employee’s behavior (or lack of it) has harmed both himself and his fellow employees in a calm and easy way to understand.
2. Solve small problems before they become big problems.
Lisa Sansom, Positive Arbitrator, LVS Consulting
When there is a small problem, the right course as soon as possible in a kind, mentoring manner. Behavior that the business operator ignores is essentially tolerated and approved behavior.
There are “formulas” that small business executives should follow when fixing small issues. Have a conversation and make sure you are in a good place, a quiet and private place, and state your actions that are virtually wrong and your preferences. Ask if there is. Finally, monitor and praise appropriate behavior.
3. Work regularly one-to-one with reports.
Eng. Cristian Rennella, CEO and CoFounder, elMejorTrato.com
In our company, we meet twice a year with our supervisors so that all employees can handle disciplinary issues and routine issues in their work. We also recognize the importance of how to constantly communicate, communicate and share ideas with our team. Because of this, we were able to find a solution in a timely manner, successfully dealing with unwanted employee behavior. In addition, this strategy has allowed us to improve the retention of company employees. In short, if you want good business discipline, you have to invest your own time as a host, boss or leader with your employees.
4. Lead for example.
Rudeth Shaughnessy, editor-in-chief, resume copy
When working in tech start-ups, I was amazed at the fields presented by the CEO. The office was modern with glass walls and large open spaces, allowing employees, project managers and CEOs to all interact at the same level. The CEO was also disciplined for being in the office in front of most of the other employees, leaving exactly at 6pm every day. I asked him about this once and said the staff didn’t want him to feel pressured to work late because he was there. By starting at 6 o’clock every day, he wanted to set a precedent. The combination of transparency and leadership, for example, is a way for companies to establish employee discipline without saying anything verbally.
5. Add physical activity to your daily schedule.
Alessandra Sollberger, Founder and CEO, Evermore
I’ve found that starting the day with a mix of productivity and stamina is helpful when it comes to driving employee attention and maintaining discipline. For example, we have our team squat against the wall and reach their daily, weekly and monthly goals. Physical exertion increases concentration/will power and releases endorphins! The team loves it. I actually developed this as the Fitness + Purpose method, so here’s more info on science.
6. Let your employees see what their colleagues are working on.
Fiona Adler, Founder, Action-Improving Team Productivity
It’s far better for an employee to do the right thing the first time, than to take disciplinary action when something goes wrong. A simple system where team members can see what their colleagues are doing every day can work like magic. First, it helps everyone ponder their day plans so they can be productive and focus on what matters most. Secondly, this method puts positive peer pressure on the workplace. No one wants to be the one who disappoints the team. So when people are transparent about their work, this usually puts a little pressure on everyone who is very motivated. This method can be done by everyone in the same office or on a whiteboard using an online tool for remote teams.
7. Follow legally sound guidelines.
David Miklas, Employment Attorney, David Miklas Law Office, PA
When disciplining an employee, there must be at least two executives present and, in general, there must be at least one manager reviewing the supervisor’s decision before the employee is dismissed. Make sure you have considered options other than dismissal such as resignation, transfer or relegation. Documents supporting termination should be reviewed. The ending earlier judged that it was sufficient. You also need to prepare and follow the script while leaving the employee. Maintaining employee dignity and confidentiality during discharge without engaging in long-term conversations or obtaining too many details about the reason for discharge.
Suitable for reading Small Businesses’ Guide to Employees More Do’s and Don’ts.
8. Apply the rules consistently.
Damon Burton, President and Founder, SEO National
Before taking any action, make sure the problem is not solved by talking to the employee in a private place. Stick to your behavior professionally, tell them what you are seeing, and ask yourself why they behave that way. It is also important to provide clear feedback, elaborate on expectations, and honestly communicate specific results on a deadline if expectations are not met. Best of all-be consistent! If you decide on a specific behavior that violates the rules, follow the instructions. Inconsistent management is perceived as unfair and can create additional problems for workforce.
9. Adjust your approach to the nature and severity of the problem.
Mirande Valbrune, Senior Employee Relations and Compliance (ER) Specialist
Employers must match their approach to the problem in question and the level of the severity (and nature) of the disciplinary problem. For example, performance management issues can require a lot more correction, encouragement, and guidance methods as opposed to deliberate misconduct that may require final warnings or discipline. Additionally, small businesses should be aware that employee complaints may arise after disciplinary action. Employees sometimes use complaints as a means to prevent them from taking more jobs because retaliation is illegal after taking protective measures. Small and medium-sized businesses are advised to have strong, documented evidence of issues leading to disciplinary action so they can effectively protect against unexpected legal claims.
10. Establish your operational workflow and monitor it regularly.
Jason Patel, Founder of Transizion
To keep your employees disciplined and focused, it’s important to have a workflow with clear intermittent final deadlines. It is also important to check the team members in the ongoing project. The workflow should be split into two parts: process and date. Every few days, make sure that the process (task) and team members are good to meet deadlines. Integrate your workflow into an application like Trello or another project management platform like Slack. This feature provides real-time updates to you and other team members who rely on other colleagues to meet project deadlines.
11. Define the problem in a simple way.
Monica Eaton-Cardone, Co-Founder and COO, Chargebacks911
If you describe the problem more clearly, you will get better results. Try to be as concise and transparent as possible to define offensive behavior and consequently the business impact. Simple and unambiguous language helps employees understand why the behavior is unacceptable and helps employees take ownership of problem solving. Whenever possible, I try to approach disciplinary issues with ideas that improve positive performance (as opposed to focusing on punishment for negative behavior). I have found that this method consistently yields better results than the so-called “progressive training” system I have used in the past.
12. Offer a free lunch to minimize overly long vacations.
Jennifer Mazzanti, co-founder and co-founder of eMazzanti Technologies
We run an IT service company with a humble support team. When money is soaring, we don’t know when. Staff leaving the building for lunch will diminish their ability to answer all calls within 5 minutes. Also, people often disappear beyond the allotted time. So, we stock up on staff for lunch! A person orders one or more team members from a nearby restaurant and delivers lunch to an employee’s desk. Employees love the benefits and can get more calls at noon.
13. Write coaching/counseling notes.
Robin Schwartz, Managing Partner, MFG Jobs
The employee disciplinary process can be confusing. Develop a coaching/counseling note or tool documenting the first steps taken in the process to formalize the process and ensure proper documentation. In the memo, it should be clear the areas of concern as well as expectations for improvement of the problem. This allows business owners to quantify the location of their employee discipline processes and keep records when needed in the future.
14. Rely on the company culture.
Kean Graham, CEO of MonetizeMore
When an employee violates one of our rules, underperforms, or acts against the interests of the company, the company communicates with us. We mention how they coped with the company culture, and if faced again in a similar situation, someone who endorsed the company culture would have acted. If the infringement is significant enough, it will give you a warning. It ends after the third warning.
15. Encourage disciplinary action through participation
Ian Heslip, Inbound Marketing Specialist at Dominion Systems
A key method of employee engagement is to hold employees on a weekly or daily status report. As a former remote worker, I had to file a daily progress report on the major work I did that day. By taking responsibility for my business ethics and habits, it was easier for me to do key tasks and meet deadlines. Weekly status reports take precedence over daily listings as daily updates can appear to be microcontrolled.
16. Treat friends at work like everyone else.
Having a friend at work has advantages, but it can also cause drawbacks, especially at the point where you need to take disciplinary action. The key is to maintain a healthy manager-reporting relationship so you can minimize awkwardness when giving negative feedback. Don’t be tempted to postpone disciplinary meetings with friends/employees. It’s also best to prepare details in advance, such as the relevant personnel policy, and organize the goals of the conversation to keep the meeting going. Give them the opportunity to present their ideas and share how they can overcome performance issues, and encourage them to talk to the HR department if they feel they need to talk to others.
17. Choose the right mindset.
As an employer, taking the right mindset about employee discipline creates an overall positive atmosphere at disciplinary meetings. It should be clear that employee discipline is different from punishing an employee. Expecting negative penalties that lead to positive outcomes is similar to treating employees like children. Try to approach the disciplinary process with an open mind. Listen to your appeal or complaint and be prepared to deal with it professionally. Proving that you are ready for hearing and helping you overcome cheating can help you get a better response from the wrong employee.
18. Clarify the policy in the employee handbook.
In order for an employee to know about any violation of company policy, it must be clearly stated and explained in the employee guidebook. Most often this is the first step in preventing unwanted behavior in the workplace. Clearly define what the company considers sexual harassment. List policies on the use of technology and information security. Describe your expectations of absences, tardiness and timeliness, as well as the responsibilities and responsibilities you have set for each employee. Don’t assume the employee will know. Include even the most obvious policies in your handbook. Make sure that even the contracted employees are authorized to read and understand their respective policies and guidelines.
19. Handle allegations of employee theft fairly.
Employee theft problems can also occur in the best companies. That’s why companies should have a clear policy when it comes to preventing and dealing with stolen claims by their employees. Establish clear written guidelines describing the procedures and practices for handling company assets (cash, inventory, equipment and supplies). See how importantly you place the equal importance of company assets. Employees found to have been stolen often start with small things, assuming no one knows that they are gone. Take the time to explain and train your staff with instructions and results. Give them ample opportunity to ask questions and clarify any part of the policy that may be confusing to them. Finally, make sure you have fair and equitable procedures in place when conducting an investigation into alleged theft.
20. Reach the source of employee absenteeism.
Business managers should be aware of the many factors that lead to employee absenteeism. It is important to come up with something permanent, not a temporary solution. Sometimes it’s just a patch that’s rough enough for people to get out of work and appreciate the support. Consider organizing a small childcare, carpool, or small, quick loan opportunity for an employee in need. If everyone is encouraged to participate, you won’t have to spend a lot of money on your company.
21. Resolve workplace conflicts based on the cause.
Work conflict must be handled differently depending on the cause. When conflicts arise over limited resources, create an awareness of abundance. For example, if two departments fight with a small training budget, HR can do in-house training, so you can benefit from both. Arguments resulting from differences in perception can be addressed by developing mentorship relationships among employees. Problems arising from conflicting assumptions and tolerance can be solved through team building activities. In addition, responsibilities and responsibilities must be established to ensure that roles are well established and communicated. This helps to avoid disagreements about who is the final decision maker.
Helping employees become better employees is the goal of employee discipline. Knowing how to discipline your employees will ultimately affect your company’s performance and productivity. If you feel there is room to improve the process, try one of the expert tips above. Or, if something else is affecting your productivity, consider offering an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to help your employees manage personal issues that affect their work.
