Does Anybody Care About Disciplinary?
????♀? Szilvia Olah
Fractional HR Senior Leader | Award Winning HR Solutions | Organisational Psychologist | Standardising HR | Two Published Books | CliftonStrengths Facilitator
If you paid attention to generational differences you would have put half of your HR policies and procedures in the bin but you didn't so you are trying to influence people's behaviour
As studies and observations from teachers are coming out, it is becoming clear that Gen Z and Alpha do not care about authority. They will challenge, expose, and question
Needless to say, I always hated this process despite understanding its purpose. I think we went overboard with it and used it wrongly especially when HR acts as a school principal, summoning you to the office for disciplinary.
But, it doesn't work on Gen Z so what do we do instead? How do we keep the new generation at bay? Disciplinary action doesn't scare them it is not a deterrent because they would rather leave. I have seen Gen Z walking out on HR in the middle of the disciplinary LOL. I laughed for weeks-))) They don't take threats very well.
Design your employees' experiences including disciplinary:
The whole structure of disciplinary is not easy to solve. As I said, we need it when things get really bad but its overuse made it a joke process and we should use it only in serious cases.
In 2013 (I know but I couldn’t find a more recent study!) Personnel Today published “11 most common issues raised at a disciplinary”
1.????General Misconduct; like "insubordination" personality clash etc. We shouldn't be using disciplinary because Robert and Szilvia had a good argument. Treat them like adults and tell them to behave like ones. Then offer help to sort their differences out. Slapping them with a disciplinary will not solve the problem.
2.????Poor performance/capability; What does performance have to do with disciplinary? I just leave it at that. Seriously?
3.????Poor timekeeping; If you know what your performance expectations
4.????Unauthorised absence; Do we need a disciplinary here or it is again performance related?
5.????Misuse of email, internet or social media
6.????Bullying & Harassment; 100% investigation and disciplinary as appropriate based on the intention and circumstance.
7.????Theft or fraud; 100% investigation and disciplinary as appropriate based on the intention and circumstance.
8.????Health and safety breaches; 100% investigation and disciplinary as appropriate based on the intention and circumstance.
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9.????Violence in the workplace; 100% investigation and disciplinary as appropriate.
10.?Substance misuse; 100% investigation and disciplinary as appropriate.
11.?Discrimination; 1100% investigation and disciplinary as appropriate based on the intention and circumstance. However, I would first look at the culture because if the culture tolerates such behaviour disciplining one sounds stupid. In many cases, the culture allows subtle discrimination but disciplines one who goes just a tiny bit too far.
Disciplinary actions are extremely tricky because they serve a good purpose but I don't think HR knows how to use them. Issuing warnings for every small thing is when the process goes wrong. I would always ask these questions:
Intention, circumstances, and/or context! These are crucial and this is what HR doesn't bloody get!
But most importantly, HR doesn't understand that just because they have the right to issue a disciplinary it doesn't mean they have to. I have heard them saying "He is a good guy but broke the rule so I have to." No, my lovely, you don't! You could but you don't have to. The same principle applies in court. The judge has the right to apply the full force of the law and appropriate punishment but they can also decide not to based on the circumstance, context, and the intention behind the action.
I have seen many "unfair" disciplinaries being issued where all we should have done is "Hey, you cannot do that" and the people would have apologised, understood and moved on. No, we had to issue a warning only to make them bitter and hate HR going forward.
I have never given a formal disciplinary to my staff. I talked to them, I told them off, I punished them, I guided and coached them but never made it formal. They appreciated it and that shaped their behaviour. Once, a very good staff of mine with serious attendance issues said, "I don't think I can do this job" after having conversations about her lack of attendance. She left on a positive note without me putting her through the process. I also know that there are pain-in-the-ass employees, then you go ahead and apply the full force of your processes. But don't go there first, see what happens. Not everyone is a criminal who commits a crime. People, not only Gen Z, will appreciate this approach.
PS: I couldn't care less about a piece of paper placed in my file. This is not what is going to stop me from doing things if I really want to do them. I guess, I am not the only one with this.
Designing employees' experiences
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Computer Engineer focused on Human Resource Process Improvement | SQL | Spring (Java) | Power BI | Lean Six Sigma | ERP | Data Analyst
1 年Leaders have a hard task ahead. If there is a disciplinary process, then there is no long a trust relationship.
Suicide survivor,Humantian Award winner for work done in Mental Illness & Suicide prevention. MH Advocate. Media, Publishing & Commercial experience in the Sports industry, Consumer & Business brand strategies
1 年I remeber giving a written warning and we had to have HR with us and every employee knew there was an official repremand coming or a promotion. I personally don't agree that HR do the actual disciplinary process, that has to be left to a line manager. But for all legal and policy areas, HR there to make sure they are followed. As a certain person said to me, everyone thinks HR do everything and they shouldn't. This is an example of what they don't do but are part of the process. (In my humble opinion)
Restaurant Manager | Bar Manager
1 年????♀? Szilvia Olah sending you encouragements ????your timings of publishing valuable HR article surprised me. It’s like we are thinking and working on same subject ?? I’m on it, under construction ???
Owner and Head of Coaching and Training, KSG Wellness Coaching and Training LTD (UK) and FZE LCC (UAE). Improving wellbeing for individuals and organisations, step by step.
1 年A great post Szilvia. Agree totally, until we are aware of the reasons for an employees actions, why are we going directly to discipline? It becomes over used and meaningless. As you say, most are happy to take a talking to, when there are serious breaches and will also accept when discipline procedures are used as a tool to implement safety for themselves and others. Keep preaching to the choir.
Pay as you go HR | HR with a Heart | De-mystifying HR in the UAE | People Passionate | Putting the HUMAN into HR | Springboard your business growth with HR | HR Support & Guidance | HR Advice | CIPD
1 年This is so true! In the UAE there is a culture of the 'sent to HR for a disciplinary' and used as a form of almost corporal punishment, as well as the departmental disciplinary record which HR never sees the details of until that fateful day when the HOD comes to us with 'we need to terminate Jonny, he's got really bad attitude/attendance/made too many mistakes'. This drives me insane and frequently push back on managers who use these methods, they are never fair nor constructive! I believe there is a need for a disciplinary process and structure within organisations however it needs to be a framework to support the performance management of individuals. There are occasions where it needs to be implemented and having a framework ensures that it's handled the same way for everyone, removing partiality in such situations. We need to remember that we are dealing with humans, not robots and as such we make mistakes, so long as it's not catastrophic and is without malicious intent, whilst we can't over look continued repetition in many cases, we can be empathetic and compassionate in our approach and handling of situations. disciplinary should not be a threat or the rod held over individuals to make them perform!