WHAT DO YOU CHOOSE TO WRITE UP AN EMPLOYEE FOR?

From: Holly Elissa
Email: hollyelissab@comcast.net
Date: May 23, 2007

Comments

You are raising such great questions!

I love Head Start's adage: "If it isn't documented, it didn't happen."

The question is, how soon and/or how often and for what do you call the employee in to for a disciplinary discussion?

In a way, this is like picking your battles. In a way it isn't. Every infraction, small or large, may well warrant a documented note in the person's file. "Jasmine arrived at 6:35 this morning. Her start time is 6:30. I advised her verbally that she needs to get here before 6:3o to be ready to start." For this, I would not call a meeting. The courts call this the "Informal alert".

Next time Jasmine is late, I again document that. And i would likely call her in. I'd give her the facts about her 2 late arrivals, tell her what i expect, and ask her what she will do to make sure she arrives on time. Hopefully, that frank, respectful conversation will heal the matter. If not, we move to the next step of progressive discipline.

Progressive discipline, which most programs have in their policies, is the "3 strikes and you're out" practice.

1. Verbal warning (a misnomer because you have documented the event).

2. Probation, if the behavior isn't corrected.

3. "You're fired!"

Now, back to the question of what to write up a staff member for. Here's one thought: document everything. Talk daily with your staff and let them know what you appreciate and what needs to change for the better. Pick your battle. If a staff member is not performing well in a number of areas, select the area in which s/he is clearly in the wrong. Take the employee through the 3 steps for that behavior.

Hopefully, going through the process for to correct her lateness, will help her see that you are going to hold her accountable for other inappropriate, unprofessional behavior as well, such as gossip. Since gossip is often "hearsay", gossip can be harder to document. Go with your strongest case.