Strategy for Human Resource Management Lecture 9 HRM 765

Last Lecture Basic rights of employees Honesty/Drug Tests Whistle-blowing Employee Monitoring and Workplace Security Theft Revealing of trade secrets to competitors Using the customer database for personal gain Workplace Romance The Employment-at-Will Doctrine Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins

Topic Employee Rights and HR Communications (Part 2) Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins

Learning Outcomes After reading this chapter, you will be able to Define discipline and the contingency factors that determine the severity of discipline. Describe the general guidelines for administering discipline. Explain the elements of the Hot Stove Rule and their application to discipline in the workplace. Identify important procedures to follow when firing an employee. Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins

Discipline and Employee Rights Discipline A system of rules of conduct or method of practice. The trait of being well behaved. –A condition where employees conduct themselves in accordance with the organization’s rules and standards of acceptable behavior. Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins

Discipline and Employee Rights Factors to consider when disciplining 1. Seriousness of the problem (dishonesty vs twenty minutes late) 2. Duration of the problem (1 st time vs 5 th time) 3. Frequency and nature of the problem (continuing pattern) 4. Extenuating factors (the death of her grandfather vs overslept) 5. Degree of socialization (an earlier effort to educate the person 6. History of organization’s discipline practices (past practices) 7. Management backing (need data to back up the necessity) Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins

Discipline and Employee Rights The most frequent violations requiring disciplinary action involve: –Attendance –On-the-job behaviors –Dishonesty –Outside activities Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins

Discipline and Employee Rights Disciplinary Guidelines –Make disciplinary action corrective rather than punitive. –Make disciplinary action progressive; i.e. verbal warning, written warning, suspension, dismissal. Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins

Discipline and Employee Rights Disciplinary Actions –Written verbal warning –Written warning –Suspension –Dismissal Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins Less SevereMore Severe Verbal Warning Written Warning SuspensionDismissal

Discipline and Employee Rights Disciplinary Guidelines The stove is red so be careful. Warning is issued so no chance of another violation. Follow the Hot-stove rule; i.e. immediate response; ample warning. Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins

Employee Counseling Direction or helpful suggestions regarding a decision or future course of action. This approach is most appropriate when a performance problem is not amenable to training and development or mentoring and coaching. Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins

Employee Counseling Listen to the employee to uncover the reason for poor performance. Focus on performance-related behaviors Get the employee to accept the problem, and work to find solutions. Managers are not expected to solve employee’s personal problems Employee Assistance Program Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins

Using Employee Communications to Enhance Employee Rights Why Use an Employee Handbook? –Helps employees learn about the company –Provides central information source concerning policies, work rules and benefits. –Helps ensure that HRM policies will be fair, equitable, and consistently applied. Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins

Using Employee Communications to Enhance Employee Rights Why Use an Employee Handbook? –Creates sense of security and commitment –Can be used to provide information to new employees. –Must be seen as useful, concise, well-organized and must be continually updated. Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins

Using Employee Communications to Enhance Employee Rights Using Information Technology for Employee Communications –Provides greater flexibility and timeliness of information. –Networked communication - , instant messaging, voice intranets and extranets, and the talking Internet. –Wireless communications - microwave signals, satellites, radio waves and radio antennas, and infrared light rays Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins

Using Employee Communications to Enhance Employee Rights Complaint Procedures –Step 1: Employee-supervisor –Step 2: Employee-employer relations –Step 3: Employee-department head –Step 4: Employee-president Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins

Using Employee Communications to Enhance Employee Rights Why Companies Support Suggestion Programs –Allow employees to tell management what they perceive they are doing right or wrong –Connected to other management systems, such as continuous improvement processes –Suggestions must be acknowledged and employees recognized for their efforts Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins

Summary Discipline Factors to consider when disciplining The most frequent violations requiring disciplinary action involve –Attendance –On-the-job behaviors –Dishonesty –Outside activities Make disciplinary action progressive; i.e. verbal warning, written warning, suspension, dismissal. Hot-stove rule; i.e. immediate response; ample warning. Employee Counseling. Why Use an Employee Handbook? Complaint Procedures