Counseling and Discipline

Counseling

Supervisors should provide early constructive feedback to employees when performance tasks or behavior becomes a concern. This feedback is usually verbal, specific, and held in a confidential setting. The supervisor should listen to the employee, and seek to understand the employee's reasons for why s/he is not performing satisfactorily. Assistance from the supervisor, further coaching, additional help, re-prioritizing tasks, or additional training may be some of the remedies required.

However, if a pattern of poor performance still continues, the Supervisor will want to document the concerns in a Letter of Counseling  (Word).

This letter will go in the personnel file, and provides a baseline for further review.

Discipline

If a pattern of poor performance does not improve, the Supervisor may want to begin the first level of discipline. Before doing so, take the following steps:

• Review and answer the Client Preparation Questions
• Speak with your appropriate HR representative or Employee Relations
• Read the Introduction and Disciplinary Alternatives sections of Chapter 22: Taking Disciplinary Action in the Guide to the Managing Resources
• Sample disciplinary letters can be found in the Disciplinary Action: Resources section of Chapter 22