Tips For Employers On Carrying Out Effective Discipline

When employees fail to adhere to the reasonable standards of behaviour expected by employers, one response is to take disciplinary measures. While it is certainly possible — and appropriate in some circumstances — to combine discipline with performance management, in fact, discipline and performance management are distinct.

Employers should not issue discipline for non-culpable behaviour, and as such, employers would not find a proper rationale for discipline in an inability to perform the job related to an illness, disability, or lack of training.

Discipline – Purpose and Behaviours Requiring it

Discipline in the workplace serves a specific purpose, i.e., on the one hand, to correct behaviour on an individual level, and on the other, to reinforce expectations and standards on a general level, specifically in the context of certain behaviours and conduct that require it. Below are three typical examples.