DEALING WITH EMPLOYEE MISCONDUCT

1
DEALING WITH EMPLOYEE MISCONDUCT

• for Tomorrows
• Information Technology Professionals

2
Dealing With Employee Misconduct

• Culpable Conduct
• vs.
• Non-Culpable Conduct

3
Culpable Conduct

• conduct that is within employees control
• lateness
• insubordination
• substandard performance
• AWOL - looks like 3 days does it unless it is
  different in a contract - voluntary resignation

4
Indications of Culpable Misconduct

• drop in performance
• improvement after warning, then backward slide
• deliberate slow down
• failing to perform tasks without unreasonable
  explanation
• negative responses

5
Addressing Culpable Misconduct

• dont accept poor performance
• address by
• performance appraisals
• counseling/training
• discipline
• termination as a last resort

6
Addressing Culpable Misconduct
Effective Employee Discipline Fairness is the
key! 1. Provide a clear explanation 2. Take a
counseling approach 3. Exhibit positive
non-verbal demeanor 4. Ensure privacy 5. Provide
employee some process and outcome control 6.
Non-arbitrary and consistent
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Non-Culpable Misconduct

• beyond control of employee
• incompetence/lack of ability
• absenteeism
• long term absence eg. illness
• irregular attendance eg. ongoing episodic health
  problems

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Indications of Non-Culpable Misconduct

• consistent level of substandard performance
• failure or inability to improve
• willingness to improve
• physical or mental impairment or disability

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Addressing Non-Culpable Misconduct

• incompetence
• communicate performance standards
• clearly identify performance problems
• offer assistance/training
• provide reasonable opportunity to improve
• give a final warning
• if no improvement, try to transfer employee to
  another position
• terminate as a last resort

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Addressing Non-Culpable Misconduct

• absenteeism
• employee has obligation to attend work regularly
  absenteeism frustrates the contract of
  employment
• 1. long term absence -may qualify for long term
  disability plan
• 2. irregular attendance -accommodate if due to
  disability

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Addressing Non-Culpable Misconduct

• -otherwise --gt assess impact on workflow
• -counsel/offer assistance
• -warn
• -terminate as a last resort

12
After Thoughts

• Not heartless - we are dealing with problem
  employees here
• best managers are firm but compassionate
• a good employee can burn out - need down time
  after large projects or many small ones
• look at overall output and quality
• management has discretion - equality is key