Principles of disciplining employees, consequences of enforcing discipline without prior information?

Explain the principles of disciplining employees. What are the consequences of enforcing discipline without prior information?

Explain the principles of disciplining employees. What are the consequences of enforcing discipline without prior information?

Dear Balasubramanian,

What are the objectives of enforcing discipline? The objectives are:

a) Enforcing the principle of equality

b) Bringing uniformity in the execution of the systems and processes

c) To bring psychological pressure on the minds of employees on the importance of orderliness and timeliness

Discipline brings an organized way of working in one's personal life as well as professional life. Nevertheless, to control the deviation or to restore the laid-down processes, sometimes a disciplinary action is required to be initiated. However, while doing so, there is no need to give a shock to the employee. It is important to follow the "Principles (or the steps) of Progressive Discipline."

While enforcing negative discipline, it is important to ensure that the deviant employee corrects his/her behavior. Punishments are the means to make one realize the importance of adherence to the rules and regulations. However, while doing so, his/her motivation level should not go down.

Enforcement of the negative discipline demands adopting coercive methods as well. However, coerciveness should also have limits, and in a zeal to enforce discipline, employees should not be thrashed. It will send a wrong signal to other employees, and they should not work constantly under fear.

Thanks,

Dinesh Divekar

Dear colleague,

Organizations need to put in place effective and workable policies that help promote positive discipline first in the workplace. Positive discipline aims at creating and encouraging willing acceptance for disciplined working. Positive discipline is reinforced and promoted when bosses themselves follow them and manifest regard for it every time by setting an example.

At the same time, fair and equitable rules need to be put in place to deter infractions, habitual, and deliberate with punishments in proportion to the gravity of the offense but with progressively higher quantum. It must be ensured that the policies are widely known and accessible, and have to be administered in a transparent manner.

Here, the approach has to be to find out what went wrong and not who was wrong in order to fix the root cause and not the person. Skilled counseling in privacy will enable bringing about a mental change in the truant employee. Here also, the goal is to "correct" the behavior and not to "punish" the truant employee. A punitive approach becomes an effective tool in cases of habitual or obstinate offenders but has to be preferred as a last resort after a couple of opportunities are given to improve. However, in fitting cases, like in any surgery, the first-time offenders need to be dealt with severely to deter potential offenders.

Regards,

Vinayak Nagarkar

HR and Employee Relations Consultant

Dear Balasubramaniam,

The replies of the above two learned friends inspire me also to join the discussion.

So far as I am able to understand, in general, discipline is an individual's state of mind reflected through his/her conduct in the social setup within which he/she lives. In other words, it is doing only what is prescribed as well as refraining from doing what is prohibited. That's how the rule of law takes precedence in the system of the administration of justice.

Applying the same analogy to employment, discipline is the predetermined set of values to be reflected in the behavior of the employees of an organization as its members.

Therefore, basically, discipline is the positive aspect of employment, and every employee is expected to observe the rules of discipline on their own. However, since no one is infallible at all times, the need to lay down the rules of discipline and the consequences of their transgression becomes inevitable. At the same time, as the zone of employment occupies only a limited space in an employee's life, the employer cannot engage in moral policing all the time. Hence the necessity for defining misconduct, its classification, and the negative consequences to be faced arises in the realm of employment. That's one of the objectives behind the framing of service regulations or the laws like the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946, as the case may be.

At the same time, it is irrefutable that disciplining employees has its own negative connotations. Thus enters the application of the Principles of Natural Justice to the act of disciplining misconduct.

Excess of enthusiasm, at times, becomes an inherent aspect of power to control in tune with the saying "Power corrupts man and absolute power corrupts absolutely." That's where the concept of proportionality of punishment to the gravity of misconduct comes into play in disciplinary proceedings. It is always important that what is punished as a deterrent is only the act of misconduct and not the individual.

Dear Colleagues,

I absolutely agree with the principle of having discipline in both personal and professional fronts. It works as a silent disguise in building up your persona as well as professional character.

However, ensuring effective discipline takes a good amount of energy and is a gradual process, as human beings are different and they show multiple reactions in various conditions.

I believe the principle of "5E" will be a great tool in ensuring discipline at workplaces. In major corporations, it has brought about significant results and motivation.

5E - Engage, Enable, Empower, Execute, and Evaluate

Engage - Select the right person with the right skill sets or train them to gain adequate skill sets.

Enable - Provide them with the support and tools needed to perform.

Empower - Allow them to take control of people and situations. Involve them in decision-making.

Execute - Assign them projects to execute independently or in teams.

Evaluate - Conduct periodic evaluations and provide proper feedback.

It is a way to bring about discipline and transformation.

Thank you; hopefully, you all like it.

Nihar Ranjan Panigrahi
HR Professional

In which industry are you currently working?

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I have corrected the question and added proper formatting between the paragraphs. If you need further assistance, feel free to ask.

With capable leadership and an understanding of personnel policies, most employees work responsibly and productively. Nevertheless, reasonable standards of conduct remain necessary to provide a common understanding, to protect the rights and well-being of each employee, and to ensure the orderly conduct of the company's business as well as the security of its assets.

The discipline policies that are set forth in the Code of Conduct in the Company Employee Manual are intended as a uniform basis for these standards. However, the company must, in the last analysis, depend upon the judgment of the individual to act and work with integrity and the highest business ethics.

Since it is the employees who are the source of this favorable reputation, it is vital that we maintain the highest standards of conduct in all activities. These Employee Conduct and Discipline standards must be such as to avoid even the appearance of impropriety to those with whom we deal and to the public at large. To help implement this policy, the company has adopted the Policy Guide for Business Conduct. Copies must be available from the HR Department.

Employees may, depending upon the position he/she holds, be required to complete a Business Conduct Certificate. Employees will be informed if this practice applies to him/her.

Best regards to all CiteHR Members,

John Chiang