Generally speaking, all problems have solutions. The first step to solving any problem lies in identifying the source of the problem. There are always external forces that cause problems, but more often than not the source of the problem, or a large percentage of it, lies on the shoulders of the individual. Let’s take, for example, the person who’s always late. When addressing the repetitive tardiness with the individual, it’s almost always someone else’s fault:
“There was an Accident.”… “I hit every Red Light on the way in.”…“My dog got out”… “My alarm didn’t go off”…
When these excuses are consistently coming from the same individual, it’s usually a good sign that the source of the problem is the individual, not all these external factors. A solution, however, can only be found when the individual accepts the fact that the problem is indeed their own.
As a manager, you are tasked with helping employees identify their problem(s) and then suggest ways to correct it. The first step in the Progressive Discipline process is informal counseling, often referred to as a “verbal warning.” You should then require the employee to create an accountability action plan, outlining the steps they will take to resolve the issue. It is highly critical that both the verbal warning and the accountability action plan be documented and signed by the manager and employee. This accomplishes multiple goals.
- It verifies the employee was made aware of the problem.
- It creates a record of the employee’s commitment to improve and correct the problem.
- It allows the employee to have input into resolving the issue. This is a very powerful aspect of this process. People respond much better when empowered to problem solve on their own rather than implementing the suggestions of another. It also helps avoid the situation where employees feel a manager who “does not understand” is victimizing them.
- It creates a paper trail. By recording both the warning and the action plan you ensure you have the documentation should you ever need it.
It’s also VERY IMPORTANT to always have a witness in the office when you counsel an employee – ALWAYS. As a company this protects you from the “Your Word vs. Their Word” scenario.
If an employee refuses to sign their write up, inform them that you are only asking them to acknowledge the meeting/conversation took place. You can also inform them of their right to create and attach a rebuttal at any time.
If an employee ever refuses to write an accountability action plan, inform them that as their manager you have the right to assign any task as long as it is not illegal, unethical or immoral. Refusing to write an accountability plan is refusing to do their job, and refusing to do their job is grounds for termination.
This initial step in the Progressive Discipline Process can be easily repeated if the problem escalates. Should you need to move from a verbal warning, to a formal write up, or suspension, simply document the counseling session, and then have the employee create and document an action accountability plan.
If you’d like more information on progressive discipline, check out our “Progressive Discipline and Avoiding Wrongful Termination” training located on www.hrfix.com and www.hrfixondemand.com. You can also view a snippet of our online training video below:
