Employers often face diverse challenges that require unique expertise and skills to resolve, such as disciplining employees. It can be a sensitive topic, mainly if no established standards or policies exist. As an employer, maintaining balance and fairness are top priorities crucial to preserving employee morale and respect in the workplace.
There can be many ways to achieve these objectives, such as implementing progressive discipline. It is a process that provides multiple steps in addressing employee offenses based on severity. This structure often has the following parts:
- Verbal warnings
- Written warnings
- Disciplinary actions, such as suspensions
- Further recommendations, if needed, such as termination
- Opportunities for the offending party to appeal if appropriate
Employers can create variations depending on the offense’s details. Minor violations can have multiple levels of verbal and written warnings based on seriousness and whether there are repeat offenses. Meanwhile, severe incidents can escalate more quickly, warranting immediate suspension or termination based on the situation.
Providing employees chances to correct themselves
This discipline scheme can be beneficial because it allows employees to correct themselves instead of forcing harsh penalties for their mistakes. It can be a more tedious way of managing violations, but it can help maintain fairness because the escalation is proportionate to the violation’s severity.
Still, this arrangement might only yield benefits depending on the circumstances. Sometimes, a company could be too small to use this policy. However, it can be helpful if the organization aims to grow significantly within a specific period. Timing can also be a vital factor when preparing guidelines concerning employee discipline. Still, a clear structure can help set expectations for current and new employees, preventing disputes in the future.