Discipline is one of the most basic and important supervisory roles, yet it is often handled poorly, sometimes with disastrous results. What goes wrong?
How many times have you encountered these mistakes:
- Employees disciplined for doing something they have a legal right to do—like take intermittent FMLA or make an EEO complaint
- Inconsistent discipline that appears to be discrimination
- Discipline without hearing the employee’s side of the story
- Overly harsh discipline to show “who’s boss”
- Overly lenient discipline for a well-liked worker
- And—just as bad—failure to discipline when it is clearly called for.
All these mistakes are understandable in untrained supervisors, but that doesn’t mean the mistakes aren’t expensive. Attorney Donna Ballman has basic tips for supervisors that make discipline easier to manage from day one.
Ballman, lead partner in the Fort Lauderdale law firm Donna M. Ballman, P.A., bases her tips on the “Eight Rules” proposed by Joanne Sujansky, Ph.D., founder and president of the consulting firm KEYGroup.
1. Be specific
If an employee has been consistently late, specify the number of times (frequency) or amount of time (intensity). Avoid exaggerated statements (“He’s always late.”).
If the same type of poor performance has been a problem in the past, remind the employee of the times you have previously pointed out the offense.
Remember, adds Ballman, you are disciplining to improve performance, not to set people up for firing.
2. Focus on the performance required for the job
Give examples of what is right, says Ballman, and be helpful. For example, if someone is consistently late, try to offer a constructive way to fix the situation, for example, by offering a bus schedule.
3. Consider the needs of the receiver
If the employee is not too bright, says Ballman, maybe you need to spell it out for him or her. Make clear what the expectation is and why it is important (“We can’t start the line until everyone is here.”)
Using the “hope” system to avoid lawsuits? (We “hope” we’re doing it right.) Be sure! Check out every facet of your HR program with BLR’s unique checklist-based audit program. Click here to try HR Audit Checklists on us for 30 days!
4. Focus on performance over which the receiver has control
Every day she sees people written up for something that’s not their job, says Ballman. She had a client who was a head chef who was written up for not serving customers.
Also, Ballman says, avoid assigning impossible tasks—”Make 1,000 calls today or you’re done.”
The point is that poor performance isn’t always the result of an employee’s carelessness, says Ballman. If an employee hasn’t reached goals because he or she has not conducted the required number of activities, work with the employee to identify things the employee can do that will help him or her make the necessary progress.
5. Give timely feedback
If people still aren’t getting it, tell them right away. Don’t give someone 90 days to improve and then wait until the 88th day to tell them they haven’t improved.
6. Check for understanding
When you are dealing with a person who doesn’t understand something, any write-up that the person gets on that issue is a waste of time. Supervisors don’t like to be specific, so you must train them to do it, Ballman says.
Find problems before the feds do. HR Audit Checklists ensures that you have a chance to fix problems before government agents or employees’ attorneys get a chance. Try the program at no cost or risk.
7. Keep a paper trail of your discussions
Even when you give “oral” warnings, put a note in the file, says Ballman.
8. Use the ABC format for giving feedback
That makes it easy to remember. Here’s how the format breaks down:
- A is for accurate. Be accurate by reflecting an objective description of what occurred.
- B is for behavioral. State the problem in performance terms (what was seen or heard).
- C is for consistent. Be sure to include what was done, the impact, and how it will be eliminated (negative) or repeated (positive) in the future.
For sure, don’t let supervisors do nothing. Train them in what to do, and let them know if they are ever confused or unsure whether to take action, they should come to you.
In tomorrow’s Advisor, we’ll find a detailed checklist for evaluating your discipline program, and we’ll take a look at a unique checklist-based audit system for all your HR responsibilities.