Do you sometimes feel resistant to taking necessary disciplinary actions with employees. You're not alone. If you ignore your company's disciplinary tools (yes, "tools" because disciplinary action is not punishment) you'll tolerate many employee problems too long. Why the resistance? And how do you get past it? Disciplinary
actions must be carefully considered and clearly warranted before being
administered, of course. Doing whatever is reasonable to help an employee improve
performance should precede such measures. But they are not punishment. By setting up mental roadblocks like this one, supervisors undermine their efforts to maximize productivity. Improper
documentation, failure to follow proper procedures, or being unable to
demonstrate a good-faith effort to help the employee improve are examples of
such roadblocks. Getting advice from internal experts, such as human resource representatives is indispensable for supervisors
attempting to confront employees with significant problems. Don't go it alone if you feel some trepidation. Proper use of the consultative function from your HR department or even employee assistance program can frequently
eliminate the need for discipline altogether because a new idea may emerge in your discussions. Your emotional involvement with the
employee, particularly strong feelings of anger, betrayal, and resentment are
other common problems you may possibly face in supervision. Seek to separate yourself from emotional involvement and your supervisory role; failure to
do so frequently contributes to the likelihood of missteps with supervisors and the increase of risk to the employer. Have you seen the new supervisor tips newsletter?
