Employee discipline is something everyone in any organization wants to avoid. Obviously, discipline is a negative experience for the employee subject to discipline, but it’s also one of the least favorite parts of the job for managers and HR professionals as well.
One of the best ways to avoid employee discipline is to have clear and well-communicated guidelines on what are proscribed behaviors and actions. Here are some of the most common causes of employee discipline.
Knowing what these causes are is the first step in educating staff on what is not permitted. Focusing on the most common issues will also help reduce potential disciplinary matters.
General Misconduct
This is a bit of a catchall, and it isn’t extremely helpful in terms of identifying specific issues to focus on; however, it’s instructive in the sense that HR professionals should carefully document what constitutes misconduct so they can back up an assertion of general misconduct by reference to company policies and the employee handbook.
Poor Performance
Poor performance doesn’t necessarily mean doing anything malicious or breaking the rules. But employers should be clear on what the expectations are for a position, and employees should expect to be held to those standards.
Poor Timekeeping
Employees’ failing to show up to work or report to meetings on time, or getting assignments completed on time, is an infraction that is fairly high on the list of issues that could—and should—lead to discipline.
Unauthorized Absence
According to one expert survey, seven out of ten respondents said employees’ taking leave without permission was either a frequent or occasional issue.
Misuse of E-Mail, Internet, or Social Media
Obviously, the Internet has been a great boon to business. It can also be a big time-waster for employees who misuse it, turning their attention away from their assigned work tasks and responsibilities.
Other top sources of discipline from the survey that ranked lower than those discussed above included bullying and harassment, theft or fraud, health and safety, violence, substance abuse, and discrimination.
Employers and employees alike hate to deal with disciplinary matters. Knowing what the most common issues are is a great first step in developing and communicating clear policies to prevent them. Keep in mind that employment laws might protect some behavior that could seem to some as grounds for disciplinary action. Consult an HR professional or employment law attorney in case of doubt.