You've documented the problems, you've coached, and you've perhaps even had scheduled development meetings. But, what happens if the poor performance continues?
A formal written discipline action and improvement plan will likely be the next step. But, for many managers, this is a difficult process. How do you take documentation, guidance from human resources staff, and good advice from your supervisor and turn it into a document that can improve employee performance? Read on for one nuts and bolts plan.
Managers who are designing documents for discipline meetings will often say something like, “I really like her personally, but she’s just not doing what we need her to do.” So, why do good people not succeed? Behavior. Everyone has different learned patterns of behavior, and, unfortunately, they can change based on environment or attitude, stress or personal concerns.
Identify behavior
The key to a good plan is to review all your documentation. Likely, each piece of documentation describes an incident. Sort them into groups based on the behavior at issue in each incident. Take a look at these examples:
- Team task completed by employee with no opportunity for team input.
- Finished a task due to work team by deadline but with no communication to team, so work was duplicated by another member.
- No return phone calls for two weeks to two clients regarding progress on project.
What is the behavior at issue in these? Team work? Communication? Once the behavior is identified, use two or three examples of poor performance to document the negative behavior in the written discipline action and improvement plan.
Identify expectations
So, you’ve determined that the behavior at issue is communication, and you’ve documented examples of the problem behavior. Now, take a look at the three examples of poor performance and reframe them into positive future performance. Based on the items listed above, your expectations may be as follows:
- In team projects, ask team members to give input on your work via e-mail, team meetings or by seeking input individually from members.
- When working with others on a task, communicate at least weekly regarding progress on assigned task.
- Respond to client phone calls within 24 hours.
- Provide written client updates on project status every two weeks.
Write these expectations for improved behavior into the written discipline action and improvement plan.
Provide feedback
A plan usually gives an employee a timeframe in which to change behavior. It may be 30, 60 or 90 days. Check with your human resources staff to find out what is appropriate in your organization. During that timeframe, you will hold meetings with the employee to discuss and evaluate progress. In the written discipline action and improvement plan, document how frequently you will meet and what types of information you will each provide. For example, when you meet each Friday the employee will bring a weekly list of contacts made with clients and coworkers regarding project status as well as any written communication regarding projects that he or she receives from clients or coworkers. You will provide documentation of positive behavior changes and instances where additional correction is needed.
Use this plan, with approval from your human resources staff, to conduct the first discipline meeting. Then, make sure that you hold all the evaluation meetings, as well as provide positive reinforcement for improvements as you see them. With this basic guide, employee discipline meetings should have the structure you need to help employees make positive behavioral change.
