Using Progressive Discipline

Progressive discipline, if used appropriately, is an effective management tool. For most employees, a disciplinary warning and the potential consequences of further discipline will act as a deterrent, and result in immediate and improved performance and behavioural change. For other employees who continue to challenge authority, this first warning can be used to build a history of poor performance. By using progressive discipline, management can respond to an employee’s repeated misconduct with a more severe form of discipline. For chronic poor performers, management now has the option to terminate employment for ‘just cause.’ Learn how progressive discipline is the TOOL to use to deter, correct or when necessary, terminate employment.

Program Content

• Principles of progressive discipline
• How to prove poor performance
• Discipline versus coaching – deciding when to use each
• Mitigating and aggravating factors
• Effective use of the disciplinary process checklist
• Identifying ‘management is at fault’ issues
• What is the culminating incident?
• Determining the harm of the infraction
• What are disciplinary themes?
• Learning how to determine the correct level of discipline

Quiz

1. Why is documentation important?
2. T/F: The employee’s age ought not be considered in disciplinary issues.
3. What are some ways that an employee’s conduct can harm the organization?
4. T/F: You need a witness in disciplinary situations.
5. T/F: Performance issues are more difficult to prove than behavioural issues.
6. List some of the negative effects of an undisciplined workforce.
7. T/F: An employee’s performance history can be an aggravating or mitigating factor.
8. Why should employees be disciplined for the theme and not the act?
9. T/F: A culminating incident is the straw that breaks the camel’s back and need not be a large misconduct.
10. Under what circumstance is termination the only appropriate action?