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

Chapter 12

Copyright © 2010 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

McGraw-Hill/Irwin

Learning Objectives

1. Identify common types of problem behavior among employees.

2. Explain why and when supervisors should counsel employees.

3. Describe counseling techniques.

4. Discuss effective ways of administering discipline.

5. Describe the principles of positive discipline and self-discipline.

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Learning Objectives

6. Explain how supervisors can detect and confront troubled employees.

7. Specify how supervisors can direct troubled employees in getting help and then follow up on the recovery efforts.

8. Discuss the role of the supervisor’s manager and the human resources department in helping the supervisor with problem employees.

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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?

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Problems Requiring Special Attention

Questions to help uncover the true source of a performance problem:

• 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?

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Problems Requiring Special Attention

• Absenteeism and tardiness

• Insubordination and uncooperativeness

• Alcohol and drug abuse

• Workplace violence

• Theft

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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.

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Why Employees Had Unscheduled Absences

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Absenteeism and Tardiness

• To help reduce absenteeism:– Initiate paid time off banks– Create a positive work environment in which

morale is strong

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Insubordination

• Insubordination

– the deliberate refusal to do what a supervisor or other superior asks

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Insubordination

• Insubordination and uncooperativeness– Criticizing– Complaining– Showing a dislike for a supervisor and the

organization– Poor work habits

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Alcohol and Drug Abuse

• 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.

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Workplace Violence and Theft

• Security managers say that workplace violence is their number one security threat

• An estimated 2 million incidents of workplace violence occur each year.

• Workers who abuse alcohol or drugs or who have psychological problems may be more likely to engage in violence at work.

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Workplace Violence

• Domestic violence is a contributing factor to workplace violence.

• Domestic violence is behind millions of days of absences each year, and millions more in lost productivity

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Theft

• 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.

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Average Amount Lost per Employee Theft

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Counseling

• Counseling– the process of learning about an individual’s

personal problem and helping the employee resolve it.

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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

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Counseling Techniques

• Directive counseling – An approach to counseling in which the

supervisor asks the employee questions about the specific problem; when the supervisor understands the problem, he suggests ways to handle it

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Counseling Techniques

• Nondirective counseling– An approach to counseling in which the

supervisor primarily listens, encouraging the employee to look for the source of the problem and propose possible solutions

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The Counseling Interview

• Discussion of the problem

• Consideration of possible solutions

• Select a solution

• Scheduling follow-up meeting

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Discipline

• Discipline – Action taken by the supervisor to prevent

employees from breaking rules

• Punishment – an unpleasant consequence given in

response to undesirable behavior.

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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.

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The Discipline Process

• Observe and understand the facts behind problem behavior.

• Meet with the employees involved

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The Discipline Process

• Warning

• Suspension

• Demotion

• Dismissal

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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.

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Positive Discipline

• Positive discipline – Discipline designed to prevent problem

behavior from beginning• A supervisor can administer positive discipline

by working to create the conditions under which employees are least likely to cause problems

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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.

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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

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Aid in and Evaluation of Recovery

• Employee assistance program (EAP)– a company-based program for providing

counseling and related help to employees whose personal problems affect their performance

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Aid in and Evaluation of Recovery

• Types of Employee Assistance Programs:– Recovery from substance abuse– Financial or career counseling– Referrals for child care and elder care– AIDS education and counseling– Cultural adjustment counseling

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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

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Benefits of an Employee Assistance Program (cont.)

• 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

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Sources of Support

• Your manager

• The human resource department

• Outside consultant

• Labor attorney

• Outside human relations specialist

• Local Small Business Administration office

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