Employees deserve a workplace that is safe from both physical hazards and harassment. Among its many roles, the HR team ensures worker safety and well-being by communicating employee rights, expectations and company policies. HR also disciplines employees who do not meet expectations or go against company policies.
A well-run HR department will have policies and procedures in place for how to handle disciplinary issues and they should be written in a formal workplace disciplinary action policy. Different types of issues may be handled in different ways, depending on their severity and legal implications. The best way for a business to avoid a lawsuit is to ensure that disciplinary issues are handled in a fair and timely manner, in accordance with company policy and labor laws.
Top 4 Workplace Disciplinary Issues
Performance/productivity
At the end of the day, what is most important is that employees are performing their jobs in a productive way. When one employee is the constant cog in the wheel or is not performing at the level of their co-workers, it may be time for a performance review to let them know you’ve noticed their performance isn’t meeting expectations. Setting goals and finding ways to motivate them may be all that’s needed to get them on the right track.
Bullying and harassment
Unfortunately, bullying and harassment is common in workplaces. More than 90% of employees say they’ve been bullied at work. If even one team member engages in bullying or otherwise inappropriate or disrespectful behavior toward their co-workers, it can ruin the environment for everyone. This type of negative behavior needs to be nipped in the bud and dealt with right away to protect your other employees but also to prevent an erosion of workplace morale and an expensive lawsuit.
Misuse of emails, internet or social media
The internet is a big part of most people’s lives and it isn’t possible to completely separate our online life from our work life. When employees post or send violent or inflammatory language, it can have a negative impact on a business unless they take swift action. Another issue that comes up is employees sending emails to clients or coworkers that violate company policy. The appropriate response depends on the severity of the infraction.
Timekeeping and absenteeism
A fair sick leave policy is a great thing to offer employees; no one should be expected to come into work when they are not feeling well. On the other hand, there are employees who abuse the trust given to them by calling in sick when they are not, wandering off for frequent, extended breaks when they are supposed to be working or consistently showing up late or leaving early. If you have an employee that is not as productive as they should be because of consistent disregard for when they should be working, it’s time for the HR manager to step in and talk to the employee about expectations.
Need help writing your workplace disciplinary action policy or handling disciplinary actions? We’ve got you covered through HR outsourcing! When you partner with Makai HR you can get on with the business you are trying to grow while we take care of your employee needs from payroll to taxes, health insurance/benefits and worker’s compensation. You also gain peace of mind that you are in compliance with all of Hawaii’s employer laws (if you’ve ever looked you know that the list is very long). When choosing a PEO to partner with, there are many things to consider including cost, services and technology solutions.
We know how important it is to keep labor costs in line with revenue. Our plans are priced competitively and include value-added services like time-in/time-out systems. Our three tiers of PEO service plans are tailored to the size of your business and specific needs. We offer a 100% paperless solution which means that your employees can manage their needs through a computer, tablet or phone. We can truly improve your employees work benefits while freeing you up to run your business.
What are you waiting for? Companies that partner with a PEO benefit from 7-9% faster growth, 10-14% lower employee turnover; and they are 50% less likely to go out of business. Contact us today to get started!