12
Problem
Employees:
Counseling and
Discipline
Starting and building a
company is like going into
battle—and I always prefer
to go into battle with a team
that is loyal to one another
and to the cause.
—Srivats Sampath, founder of
McAfee.com and CEO of
Mercora
McGraw-Hill/Irwin
Copyright © 2008 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Learning Objectives
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Identify common types of problem behavior among
employees.
Explain why and when supervisors should counsel
employees.
Describe counseling techniques.
Discuss effective ways of administering discipline.
Describe the principles of positive discipline and selfdiscipline.
Explain how supervisors can detect and confront troubled
employees.
Specify how supervisors can direct troubled employees in
getting help and then follow up on the recovery efforts.
Discuss the role of the supervisor’s manager and the human
resources department in helping the supervisor with problem
employees.
12-2
Problems Requiring
Special Attention
• Questions to help uncover the true source of a
performance problem:
• Has the employee performed better in the past?
• Has the employee received proper training?
• Does the employee know and understand the objectives he or
she is to accomplish?
• Is the supervisor providing enough feedback and support?
• Has the supervisor encouraged and rewarded high
performance?
• Are other employees with similar abilities performing well
or experiencing similar difficulties?
12-3
Absenteeism and Tardiness
• A recent survey found that absenteeism cost
employers an average of $645 per employee in
2003.
• The most common reasons given for taking
unscheduled time off are personal illness and
family issues.
• To help reduce absenteeism:
• Initiate paid time off banks
• Create a positive work environment in which morale is
strong
12-4
Why Employees Had
Unscheduled Absences
12-5
Insubordination and
Substance Abuse
• Insubordination and uncooperativeness
• Criticizing
• Complaining
• Showing a dislike for a supervisor and the organization
• Poor work habits
• Alcohol and drug abuse
• About 1 out of 10 workers abuse or are dependent on alcohol or
drugs.
• The ADA treats substance abuse arising from an addiction as a
disability.
• Actions taken with regard to the employee should focus on work
performance, not the substance abuse itself.
12-6
Workplace Violence and Theft
• An estimated 2 million incidents of workplace
violence occur each year.
• Domestic violence is a contributing factor to
workplace violence.
• The largest cause of missing goods and money for
retailers is employee theft, not shoplifting.
• “Stealing time” and Internet surfing are also
considered theft.
• Information theft is a serious and growing
problem.
12-7
Counseling
• Benefits of counseling
• Improved job satisfaction and motivation
• Appropriate times to counsel
• When employees need help in determining how to resolve a
problem that is affecting their work
• Counseling techniques
• Directive versus nondirective counseling
• The counseling interview
• Discussion of the problem
• Consideration of possible solutions
• Scheduling follow-up meeting
12-8
Directive Versus
Nondirective Counseling
12-9
Administering Discipline
• A supervisor should distinguish between discipline
and punishment.
• Punishment – an unpleasant consequence given in
response to undesirable behavior.
• Discipline – a teaching process where the supervisor
explains the significance of consequences of the
employee’s behavior, then, if necessary, lets the
employee experience those consequences.
• Administration of discipline may be dictated by
company policies or a union contract.
12-10
Employee Rights During the
Disciplinary Process
• Know job expectations and the consequences of
not fulfilling those expectations.
• Receive consistent and predictable management
action in response to rule violations.
• Receive fair discipline based on facts.
• Be able to question management’s statement of the
facts and to present a defense.
• Receive progressive discipline.
• Be able to appeal a disciplinary action.
12-11
The Discipline Process
1. Observe and understand the facts behind
problem behavior.
2. Begin the progressive discipline process:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Warning
Suspension
Demotion
Dismissal
12-12
Guidelines for Effective Discipline
• Do not wait to act.
• Focus on learning about and resolving the issue at
hand.
• Keep emotions in check.
• Make it a private matter.
• Be consistent in administering discipline.
• Keep a record of disciplinary actions taken and
the basis for the discipline.
12-13
Positive Discipline
• Effective discipline should end problem behavior
as well as prevent problems from occurring.
• Make sure employees know the rules.
• Make sure employees understand the consequences.
• Supervisors should create conditions under which
employees are least likely to cause problems.
• Be aware of and responsive to employees’ needs
and ideas.
• Punish problem behavior but also reward desirable
kinds of behavior.
12-14
Self-Discipline
• Effective positive discipline results in selfdiscipline, in which employees voluntarily
follow the rules and try to meet performance
standards.
• Supervisors can help to encourage selfdiscipline by communicating not only the
rules and performance standards, but also
the reasons for those rules and standards.
• Supervisors should set a good example.
12-15
Detection of the Troubled Employee
• If disciplinary action or counseling seem
ineffective at resolving the problem, a
supervisor may have a troubled employee.
• Look for signs of substance abuse but avoid
accusations – instead, focus on job
performance.
12-16
Confrontation of the
Troubled Employee
• Document the problem
• Confront the employee
• Review the employee’s performance, describing
the evidence of a problem
• Refer the employee for counseling
• Explain the consequences of not changing
12-17
Aid in and Evaluation of Recovery
• The ultimate objective should be the employee’s
rehabilitation, not dismissal.
• Many organizations offer an employee assistance
program (EAP).
• Types of EAP counseling:
•
•
•
•
•
Recovery from substance abuse
Financial or career counseling
Referrals for child care and elder care
AIDS education and counseling
Cultural adjustment counseling
12-18
Benefits of an Employee
Assistance Program
• Employees can find treatment for problems
affecting their performance
• Help organizations develop policies, educate
employees, and train supervisors
• Relieve supervisors who feel pressured to help
with employee’s personal problems
• Offers an alternative to firing troubled employees,
saving the cost of replacing them
• Reduction in accidents, absenteeism, and turnover
• Help maintain a drug-free workplace
12-19
Sources of Support
• Your manager
• The human resource department
• Outside consultant
• Labor attorney
• Outside human relations specialist
• Local Small Business Administration
office
12-20
Summary
• Common employee problems include absenteeism
and tardiness, insubordination and
uncooperativeness, alcohol and drug abuse,
workplace violence, and employee theft.
• Counseling helps employees solve their problems,
which enables them to perform better at work.
• Supervisors should counsel employees when they
need help in determining how to resolve a problem
that is affecting their work, otherwise refer the
employee to a professional.
12-21
Summary (continued)
• Supervisor counseling should include:
• Discussion of the problem
• Consideration of possible solutions
• Scheduling follow-up meeting
• When administering discipline, a supervisor
should distinguish between discipline and
punishment and take as many steps as necessary
to resolve the problem behavior.
• Positive discipline focuses on preventing problem
behavior from ever beginning.
12-22
Summary (continued)
• In self-discipline, employees voluntarily follow
the rules and try to meet performance standards.
• When a supervisor suspects that an employee is
troubled, he or she should document the problem
and then meet with the employee.
• Supervisors should follow their organization’s
procedures for helping troubled employees.
• A supervisor should discuss employee problems
with his or her manager and the human resources
department.
12-23