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discharge
Manager's role in disciplinary program:
responsibility ultimately lies with the manager, who must:
- be disciplinarian
Unfortunately, many are thrust into this role without training,
and what may happen is situation in which manager doesn't act
because s/he thinks discipline only kicks in after violation
of a specific rule, or because s/he is uncomfortable in this
role. It requires training.
- counsel and coach employees
Coaching requires helping employees develop on a daily basis,
through positive reinforcement and feedback. Counseling involves
focusing on potential or existing problems.
- clearly communicate the disciplinary
program and organizational goals.
Managers must transmit work rules and standards clearly, before
employees can be expected to meet them. Managers should act as
role models.Must also be consistent in application of work rules
and disciplinary measures.
Principles of an effective disciplinary
program:
- Fair
must be firm but fair: strike balance between organization's
needs and worker's. "all rules (should be) non-confrontational
and written with the employee's welfare in mind." Offenses
should be graded in terms of degree of seriousness, and penalize
workers for accumulated rule infractions, not for single acts.
- Procedural guidelines
Make certain due-process is followed, including right to:
- notice
- hearing
- representation
- review evidence
- call witnesses
- cross-examine
- written response
- appropriate level of discipline
offenses that are seen
as minor shouldn't be punished as severely as serious ones. "...corrective
actions taken by management must be tied to the offense and not
to the employee."
- Documentation:
must be thoroughly and
properly documented to establish clear, concise chain of evidence.
"a general rule of thumb is that if the activity was never
documented, it never happened."
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