Managing a company is a challenging and demanding task that requires the employer and employees to perform their duties. However, in some instances, one of the sides underperforms and needs to be motivated. In most cases, it is a certain employee that does not satisfy the management’s needs, forcing the latter to utilize different types of employee discipline. Disciplinary measures vary in terms of success rate and efficiency, but the most prominent ones are progressive and positive disciplinary approaches.
Managing employees is a stressful process for both sides. Every supervisor is aware of the necessity for corrective actions; however, certain risks are associated with them. The message that management is attempting to convey may be misinterpreted by the worker and taken as a personal offense. The employee might even win the argument, depriving the supervisor of control over the situation. However, if the management is incapable of solving the issue, it may spread to other employees and decrease overall performance.
Progressive discipline attempts to mitigate the risks by providing supervisors with specific guidelines which include a verbal or written warning, on-the-record meeting, suspension, and termination (Leonard, 2020). If the issue is solved at any stage of the corrective measure, the process stops, and the employee continues his work. The worker will be terminated if the disciplinary action fails to bring the performance back to an acceptable level.
The positive discipline approach is a different kind of corrective measure since, rather than punishing employees for lousy performance, it rewards them for the proper completion of their tasks. The use of this model of employee discipline improves their morale and gives a sense of fairness. This method focuses on training, helpful advice, and objective criticism (Bugdol, 2018). The result of such a management approach, “Let all that you do be done in love”, is better coordination and behavior as well as improvement in the overall performance of the organization (Corinthians 16:14). A happy worker will always perform at the top of their abilities.
In my opinion, it is best to utilize both methods to make sure that employees are disciplined and coordinated. Severe cases of underperformance and toxicity should be solved using a progressive discipline approach, to keep the investigation as objective and fair as possible. Strict guidelines that come from the investigation structure will mitigate the risks associated with punishment and allow for more control of the situation. The positive approach better suits the overall policy of a company because it increases performance and makes employees perform at the top of their abilities, further improving their coordination and morale.
References
Bugdol, M. (2018) A Different approach to work discipline: Models, manifestations and methods of behaviour modification. Springer
Leonard, E. (2020). Career conversations: Progressive discipline the right way. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 59(2), 92-95. Web.
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