Any private or public organization has goals to be attained. According to (Dessler, 2009), it is fundamental for an organization to have clear goals such as maximizing the satisfaction of clients, increasing owners’ net assets, improving market share, attaining organizational growth, and attaining financial stability. Essentially, employee discipline is vital to attain the goals of an organization. An organization needs to be disciplined; therefore, it is necessary for the staff to adhere to the regulations and rules concerning work behavior (Dessler, 2009). It is vital to note that the primary function of discipline is to encourage workers to behave sensibly in the work environment. Sensible behavior usually implies adhering to rules.
Markedly, disciplining an employee can sometimes be difficult. I could decipher such conflict by establishing logical and transparent rules, together with a trusting atmosphere between management and the staff. According to an article on how to discipline and fire employees, any rules drafted by a firm should be reasonable, and employees should be adequately consulted prior to adopting the rules. Besides, the regulations and consequences for violating them should be well known and comprehended by all employees. To negate conflicts associated with disciplining an employee, I would try to be flexible in the enforcement of particular rules, taking into considerations extenuating factors when applicable.
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In addition to being flexible in enforcing rules, the channels of communication should be open to enable the workers to feel free to offer their insights on unreasonable regulations. In case a situation comes up in which a worker warrants punishment, I should establish a worker warning system in which its implementation takes a logical and predictable sequence, and can be easily adopted in different circumstances. For instance, I can come up with a system in which a staff member is gently reminded of organization policy on a specific problem the first time such a warning is sanctioned. A sterner warning should be given the second time, mostly in the form of a written document highlighting past warnings and performance (UBC Human Resources n.d.)). A probationary warning should be issued the third time outlining the employee performance and a clear comprehension that breaking the probation will deal to dismissal. For example, if a worker is accused of failing to follow the policies and rules of a department, he or she should be warned at least three times before being dismissed.
Secondly, discipline should not come as a surprise to a worker. There are times when employees are not aware of the dissatisfaction of their supervisors until they unexpectedly get a formal termination letter or a written reprimand. One should avoid this situation and try to often communicate problems to employees instead of waiting until the performance issues can no longer be ignored or until yearly reviews of performance are carried out. For example, if an employee is performing poorly at work, therefore, affecting the productivity of the company, the supervisor or manager should make an effort of warning and even help the employee improve his work before the performance issues can no longer be endured.
Thirdly, before disciplining an employee, a supervisor should investigate the matter that requires discipline. For instance, if an employee is accused of theft or fraud, the management of the organization should investigate to figure whether the accusation is true or not. At the same time, the management should hear the explanations of the employee facing disciplinary action (Staff Employee Disciplinary Action: When and How to Take it, n.d.). After, a choice to discipline can be made after discussing with other individuals in the management team and discussing the case specifics with the Human Resource Department.
In conclusion, the employees of an organization need to be disciplined to attain the organizational goals. Discipline is essential in an organization as it encourages workers to behave sensibly. Before punishing an employee, a supervisor or manager should warn the employee at least three times against his or her behavior. Also, investigations should be carried out before disciplining a worker. More so, organizations should formulate clear rules and policies and workers should be educated on the consequences of rule violations.
References
Dessler, G. (2009). A framework for human resource management . Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall.
Discipline in the Workplace - UBC Human Resources. (n.d.).
Management - How to Discipline and Fire Employees. (n.d.).
Staff Employee Disciplinary Action: When and How to Take ... (n.d.).
