As a first step in rule violations, the employee is given a verbal warning. The written warning follows if the violation or other offense is repeated. The message should be clear: Upon another repetition of the incident, the employee will be suspended or terminated, depending on the nature of the offense.
Suspension is given in the event of repeated misconduct or a serious offense. Sometimes the employee is paid while away from work, sometimes not. The nature of the misconduct determines that. The staff member is expected to use the time away to think over what happened and come back with a new frame of mind. If the problem continues, then the employee is terminated.
No consideration is given to either a transfer or a demotion. The assumption is that the employee is at fault. Depending on the misconduct, for instance extreme violation of safety rules or theft, termination may actually be the first step and not the last step in disciplining a rule violator.
Besides varying according to the nature of the offense, disciplinary actions depend on:
- The effect that the offense has on the business, including coworkers.
- The employee’s response to being called on the behavior.
- The possibility that the behavior will be repeated.
- Previous disciplinary actions against other employees for similar offenses.
For instance, a verbal or written reprimand would follow a first offense of the following kinds:
- Knowingly filling out a time sheet of another employee.
- Having one’s time sheet filled out by another employee or altering a time sheet.
- Habitual tardiness without explanation.
- Chronic absenteeism.
- Disorderly conduct on corporate property.
- Immoral conduct or indecency on company property.
- Chronic early departure from the workplace.
- Contributing to poor housekeeping.
- Malicious gossip or spreading rumors.
A repetition of such misbehavior would lead to suspension, even termination.
Behaviors that call for immediate discharge include:
- Possession or consumption of nonprescribed narcotics on company property.
- Intoxication at work.
- Instigation of a fight on company property.
- Theft.
- Intentional harassment, including sexual harassment.
- Destruction of property.
- Insubordination.
- Misrepresentation of important facts in seeking employment.
- Violation of confidentiality or sharing of trade secrets outside the business.
- Extended unexcused absences.
- Gambling on corporate premises.
Consequently, you need to ask yourself some questions before taking action.
- Is this a first offense or an habitual occurrence? Has the individual been warned before?
- Is a safety issue involved? Has the employee or other workers or customers been put at risk?
- How is the employee’s attitude in general? Have there been previous rule violations?
- Are there extenuating circumstances that need to be considered before making a decision?
- How have you responded in the past when other direct reports have committed the same infraction?
- Does your organization have a written policy that dictates action under the circumstances?
- How serious is the offense?
- Has the employee lost the company either business or profit?
The one-on-one counseling session in which the misbehavior is discussed is very similar to a counseling session about marginal employee performance.
Let’s take a look at some examples of rule violations and discuss the best ways to deal with them.
John, the productive worker who has become sloppy about safety rules, needs to be reminded that he can’t violate the rules. If you see him without protective clothing or safety goggles, you need to tell him to put the proper safety gear on immediately. If he repeats the offense, you need to warn him that continued violation of the safety rules will result in his suspension without pay. If John cannot be persuaded to comply within a reasonable (short) time, then you have to terminate him.
If a meeting with Ethel, the late arrival, reveals that she has had to take a family member to the hospital for chemotherapy treatments in the morning, then some flexibility may be called for. This is especially true if she seems apologetic and is even willing to work through lunch to compensate for lost work time.
As for Anna, the administrative assistant who failed to take the responsibilities of her job seriously, opting for a long lunch even though her work was not completed, you would have to consider her job record. Is this a first-time offense or a continuing problem? Although such rule infractions are rarely cause for dismissal, they can escalate into other instances of neglect or insubordination, which if allowed to go uncorrected can lead to termination. At least a talk is in order.
Obviously, administering discipline to employees is never a cut-and-dried procedure. But some action needs to be taken in each and every instance of a rule violation. Let me explain why.