Discipline #3 – Hitting A Moving Target
March 7, 2012 – 8:00 am
When an employee violates department rules and regulations or personnel policies, you may need to enforce them by disciplining the employee. In order to get the maximum effectiveness from a disciplinary action, it is important to do so as close to the incident as practicable.
It’s also essential that the action you take be impartial and fair. Sounds simple doesn’t it? Keep in mind that “fairness” is an elusive concept that is largely a perception on the part of others and ourselves. This means that trying to achieve “fairness” can be like trying to hit a moving target since perceptions change depending on circumstances.
I wish I could provide a list of steps that a supervisor could take to insure that they are treating all employees fairly. Unfortunately, it is virtually impossible to come up with a generic set of instructions that will work in all circumstances. Although I cannot tell you what you should do in every circumstance, I can tell you what you should “not” do. Always keep in mind that there is nothing as unfair as treating unequal people equally. This is where you pause, back up and re-read that last sentence. In other words, when a star performer makes an error, you do not have to feel compelled to treat her the same as you would the guy who is just a clock puncher. In fact, I would contend that it is fine to let an employee trade in a few “attaboys” for an “oh crap.”
However, generally consequences should be applied evenly, so make sure that you discipline impartially. If employees see that Scott is always late but gets just a verbal warning, whereas Pam is written up the first time she shows up l0 minutes late, you’ve damaged your credibility. In addition, this type of discipline becomes a form of punishment for less favored employees rather than a tool to help maintain agency standards.
In addition, favoritism opens the door to charges of discrimination. Make sure that the rules and consequences are applied equally to all employees. If you decide to make an exception, document the reasons for your decision. If you cannot articulate a good reason for applying the rules inconsistently, you may be treating some employees unfairly due to a personal bias. This can get you into hot water on a variety of levels.
Next, make sure that the rules are consistently enforced. You are not the Pope so don’t give special dispensation to your employees. Your employees need to understand that they are expected to live up to the rules everyday. If a policy or rule is broken, enforce the consequences.
Following these guidelines will eliminate much of the need to discipline. All you need to do is establish a work environment where employees are treated as adults. If your employees are informed of the rules and held accountable for their actions, they will generally respond by adopting professional work habits.
If you would like to read the other articles in this four part series, just type “discipline” in the search box or click on the “Supervision” category in the right column.
My Essentials of Effective Supervision course includes an extensive discussion of employee discipline and a variety of other topics that will improve your supervisory skills. This four day course is pre-approved for DCJS in-service credit in Virginia so it can be conducted at any location. For more information, send me an e-mail at rich@rlsei.com or give me a call at 540.797.3853.