Effective Corrective Action: Balancing Discipline and Support in the Workplace (Full Transcript)

Speaker 1: So, when we're going into looking at corrective action, we've got all these issues, we've decided whether they're behavior results, usually they're behavior oriented. The question is, what are we going to do about it? So remember again that the purpose of corrective action, it's corrective, it's like, it's the correction system. It's not the punishment system. You see, we think of it sometimes as you're going to get it. You're going to be punished. Well, you're going to be punished really isn't the purpose of it. So your corrective options, and if you think about these as steps, comment in question. Quite frankly, that's the role of the lead hand, the working leader. Verbal warning. In most organizations now, this becomes a supervisory task. And by verbal, it means that it's probably going to be documented. Now you could still document the comment in question. It could just be, hey, notice that Mary came back from break a little bit late, just mentioned it to her. That could be all you would write down in your notebook. When you get to the verbal warning, it's probably going to be a memo to the person's file, even though it's not a written warning, because you're at least documenting it now as a disciplinary step. Then there's the written warning. That's an actual written memo presented to the employee. They sign it. And again, my suggestion is get your HR department involved when it gets to that level. Suspension. Some companies have eliminated this step, because they figure that it just encourages employees to say, fine, give me a day off. I don't care. Give me three days off. I'm good with that. I worked enough overtime. I got enough money in the bank. Give me a few days off without pay. Believe it or not, some people feel that way. So some companies have eliminated the whole suspension issue. Like your written warning, it's termination time. So then it's dismissal. And dismissal is very serious, of course. And you should know that at any point up till then, if dismissal is a possibility, it needs to be reflected. If this behavior doesn't change, and I don't suggest you start it at the comment in question. If you don't start coming back to breaks, you're going to be fired. That might be a little harsh. But as soon as it starts to get into the verbal, written warnings, you better be telling the person that if you don't change your behavior, it could result in your dismissal. Because if you don't tell people that, it's been known to be thrown out, because the person didn't know that the consequence of continuing it would be the possible loss of their job. Just trying to protect you. The last thing you want to do is to take one of your troublemakers, use the progressive discipline properly, and then have the person not be terminated. Now if you're in a unionized environment, some of you are, they have representation. All that means is you've got a rule book. And you know what? Generally speaking, the union knows the rule book better than the managers do. So know the rule book, know what your rights are, and enforce your rights. It's only by not enforcing the rights in the bargaining agreement that you basically have given in your rights as an employer. You have rights, you should use your rights. They're all spelled out in the agreement.

Speaker 2: Do you want to see me?

Speaker 3: Watson, yeah. Come on in. Pull up a stool and shut the door. I just wanted to talk with you about the job you were doing today. I noticed you were struggling a little bit with the assignment I gave you. Is everything okay?

Speaker 2: No, it's, I just have a problem, you know, keeping up the speed and making sure I do a good job at the same time.

Speaker 3: Okay. Well that's important. Here's what I want to do. All right? We've got to keep working on this. So I'm going to take some time today and work with you, and I'll retrain you on the job you're doing. All right? I don't mind doing that as long as I have your commitment that you're going to stick with it until you're successful. Can I count on you?

Speaker 4: Well, I don't know. Wouldn't it be better if I did like an easier job, you know, something I know I can do well?

Speaker 3: You know what? I know where you're coming from. Nobody likes feeling like they can't do anything right, right? But if I gave you all the easy jobs, it wouldn't be fair to everyone else in the factory, would it? So tell you what. We'll retrain, but I need your commitment that you're going to stick with it until you're successful. Can I count on you? Yeah.

Speaker 2: Yeah. You can count on me.

Speaker 3: Perfect. Great. Watson, hey, congratulations. Your quality is way up, and you're working faster than you ever have. Way to go.

Speaker 4: Thanks.