Understanding Discipline Administration in Organizations

2. After studying this lesson successfully, you should be able to Define what discipline means. Understand importance of discipline administration Identify types of discipline. Understand hot-stove rule. Understand sandwich model and progressive discipline. Identify disciplinary offences and penalties. Understand domestic investigation.

3. Discipline involves controlling work and behavior of employees in compliance with all the relevant rules and regulations in order to achieve organizational goals and objectives. H.H.D.N.P. Opatha Discipline is the practice of making people obey strict rules of behavior and punishing them when they do not obey them. Collins Birmingham University English language Dictionary

4. Based on above definitions the term discipline involves A condition where employees conduct themselves in accordance with rules and standards of acceptable behavior To make employees obey rules of behavior To punish employees when they do not obey rules of behavior Managerial action encouraging employees to comply with standards of the organization A form of training to enforce organizational rules

5. Disciplinary Management is define as the development, implementation and maintain ace of an appropriate discipline system in the organization in order to accomplish its goals . Disciplinary management is defined as a systematic process of controlling and influencing all employees in the organization to achieve and maintain standards of behavior in order to accomplish organizational goals and objectives. H.H.D.N.P.Opatha

6. To reduce conflicts and confusions To control and manage human resources in an orderly manner To ensure the employee’s behavior in accordance with performance standards, rules and regulations of the organization To achieve organizational goals and objectives

7. Preventive discipline Corrective discipline

8. Preventive discipline is action to encourage employees to follow standards and rules so that infractions do not occur. The basic objective is to encourage employees’ self discipline. A self discipline employee has following characteristics Accept the rules which happen to face Respect the rules Observes the rules by him/her self willingly Needs no another to direct or supervise him/ her to adhere to rules

9. Corrective discipline is an action that follows infraction of a rule and it seeks to discourage further infractions so that future acts will be in compliance with rules and regulations. It involves corrective actions which discourage repetition of rule violations. Typically the corrective action is a penalty of some type and is called a disciplinary action.

10. 1.Preventive Discipline  Activities are taken before rules violated  Management action taken to encourage employees to follow standards  Purpose is to develop self discipline  Need to communicate standards 2.Corrective Discipline • Actions are taken after rules violated • Who violate rules has to be “punished” • Take disciplinary actions • Purpose is to prevent future infractions

11. Discipline Administration should have the similar characteristics as when a person touches hot-stove.

12. 1.Warning The staff is warned with rules , if they are violated they will have to be punished. 2. Immediacy There should not be a considerable time gap between the violation of rules and punishment.

13. 3.Consistency The degree of punishment needs to be equal to the degree of violating. 4.Impersonality Without considering the category of the employee status, social background etc who ever who violates rules should be punished.

14. When it happens or seems a case of serious rule violation it generally requires an investigation to determine whether there is a clear rule violation in fact. This investigation is called internal disciplinary investigation or domestic inquiry.

15. To do a preliminary investigation. 1. 2. To suspend the service pending enquiry 3. To issue a charge sheet. 4. To obtain letter of explanation and make decisions based on it. 5. To conduct a formal inquiry. 6. Determine the punishment and implement.

16. When a particular employee or employees is/ are alleged to have broken a rule or rules(more serious), to do a preliminary investigation is a must. The objective of a preliminary investigation is to ascertain whether there is a sufficient amount of evidence to support rule violation. This investigation should be done by an experienced manager in a short period of time generally within one or two weeks.

17. In case of a very serious rule violation, which leads to dismissal of the employee if proven, a need for immediate suspension of the suspected employee’ service arises. Suspension will become needed if one or two or all of the following is/ are met. If the rule violation is serious. If the suspected employee’s presence at work will disturb the on-going investigation activities. If the suspected employee may be violent or threaten witnesses or change or hide or destroy relevant documents. Generally the suspension period may be two weeks and it may go even up to the end of the disciplinary investigation.

18. Third step of the process of disciplinary investigation is to issue a charge sheet to the accused employee by the relevant authority, usually the HR director/ manager on behalf of the top management. Alternatively charge sheet is called “Show Cause letter”. The charge sheet should  Be written  Be clear and brief  Describe the rule violation  Indicate accusations for each rule violation  Ask an explanation in writing for each rule violation within a stipulated time period  Indicate how and to whom the letter of explanation should be sent.

19. Depending on the nature of the explanation sent by the accused the management has to make decisions regarding the continuity of the investigation. There are five main possible natures of the letter of explanation.  The accused accepts that he/ she is guilty of all the charges.  The accused denies all the charges with acceptable reasons.  The accused denies all the charges with un acceptable reasons.  The accused accepts that he/ she is guilty of some charges and denies other charges.  The accused does not reply.

20. No action can be taken against any employee without giving a proper chance of defense and he/she has the right to giving the evidence in this inquiry. Therefore, having formal inquiry is very essential.

21. Very important to appoint qualified managers in terms of education, experience, honesty ,confidence, and impartiality as inquiring officers. Good to have the panel consisting of three persons: - one qualified in HRM - One qualified in law - One qualified in general management Fixing a date and a place suitable for the inquiry should be done. A notice of inquiry should be sent to the accused by registered post if he/ she is on suspension.

22. To determine a penalty/ punishment/ sanction against the employee who was found to be guilty by the disciplinary investigation is the last step of an internal disciplinary inquiry. It is for top management in consultation with HR director/ manager to decide what penalty would be appropriate if the employee has been found guilty.

23. To reform the offender. 1. 2. To deter others from similar actions. 3. To make discipline effective.

24. Penalties or Sanctions refer to actions that follow rule violations or infractions. Penalties are taken under Corrective Discipline. It is possible to divide penalties into two major categories. 1. Minor- verbal warning, written warning 2. Major- Demotion, dismissal

25. Oral warning Written warning Final written warning Fining Suspension of work for two days without pay Suspension of work for four-days without pay Suspension of work for one week without pay Suspension of work for one month without pay Stoppage of salary increment 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Stoppage of applying for a promotion 11. Transfer to a difficult area/ unpleasant work 12. Reduction of seniority 13. Demotion 14. Termination of employment/dismissal

26. Serious Non serious Having come to know any rule violation, it is important for the relevant manager to decide whether the violation is serious or non serious. Serious- If a very important rule has been violated it is a serious offence. Non serious- If the rule violated is an important one (not very important) the offence is non serious.

27. Nature of job Nature of place Loss involved Frequency

28. Nature of the offence Consequences of the offence Previous offences done by the employee Whether relevant rule or rules has/have been properly communicated Job performance record Special contributions made by the employee to the organization Whether there was any provocation Whether the offender was physically fit or not Previous disciplinary actions inflicted 10. Past disciplinary actions inflicted by other organizations engaged in the same industry for similar rule violations 11. Employee’s length of service with the organization 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

29. Rule: Every worker must not leave workplace during work time without permission of his/ her superior in- charge. Time of Violation First Second Third Penalty Informal talk Verbal warning Written warning with a record in personal file One week suspension from work without pay Suspension for one month without pay Demotion Dismissal Fourth Fifth Sixth Seventh

30. In case of non- serious offence( violation of a rule that is not very important) for the first time ( or may be up to second time), a counseling approach is recommended instead of punitive approach. Examples of non serious offences o Late attendance o Failure to inform absence o Loitering o Wearing of untidy or dirty uniforms/ cloths whilst on job

31. Sandwich approach/model 1. 2. Participative/ direct approach

32. This approach does not involve a discussion and it is more one- way communication. Sandwich approach refers to that a corrective comment is sandwiched between two positive comments in order to make the corrective comment more acceptable.

33. This approach involves the following steps: Manager informally invites the offending employee to talk about an important thing. 2. Manager informs the rule violation specially with date, time , place etc. 3. Manger listens to version/ response of the offending employee. 4. Both attempt to find out what is causing the problem of discipline. 5. Both discuss to find a solution and implement it. 1.