Business owners want their companies to be as successful as possible. Businesses should be highly functioning, efficient, and run like a well-oiled machine. Employees contribute to the efficiency and success of the business process; however, if they have short comings in their position, it can greatly impact your business. Disciplining these employees might help refocus them and return your business to a normal state. In other cases, a corrective action plan can help address the employee’s behavior and provide the employee with clear expectations. Whatever the case, you must take appropriate action to protect your business. There are going to be circumstances when the employee is so detrimental to your business you must take immediate action up to and including termination.

StaffScapes utilizes a five-point test in determining disciplinary actions:

1.       Is there a rule or specific job duty?

2.       Is this rule or job duty reasonable?

3.       Did the employee know or should the employee have known about the rule or job duty?

4.       Was the rule violated or the job duty ignored?

5.       Did the rule violation or deficiency of job duty cause damage to the company?

Some other considerations to make during the discipline process are: Where are you at in this process? Can you correct the behavior or should you terminate the employment relationship? Can training correct the issue? Is this employee impacting your customers/clients? Is the employee detrimental to your business?

All discipline action should be well documented to support the company if there is any future litigation such as wrongful termination claims or Equal Employment Opportunity Commission claims. There are different processes your organization can use. A three strike policy works well for some employers with a verbal warning, written warning and termination. Have you looked at your discipline policy lately??

A substandard employee with no willingness to change after corrective action has been taken will not change. If disciplinary action fails, the only solution is to terminate the employee. Be sure to document this process in order to avoid and potentially aid any future litigation.

 If you have any questions in regards to the disciplinary action process or termination process, please contact StaffScapes at info@staffscapes.com or 303-466-7864.