HR MANAGEMENT - What Are the Most Common Discipline Problems in the Workplace?

Can you name the most common discipline problems in the workplace? These include:

• Attendance
• Performance/behavior
• Safety
• Harassment
• Equipment/materials
• Substance abuse
• Theft
• Violence/threats

In a BLR webinar titled "Fix or Fire Your Worst Workers: How to Confront, Correct, and Cut Your Losses With Problem Employees," Cathleen Snyder, SPHR, outlined these common discipline problems you may face with your worst workers. Unfortunately, you’re probably already familiar with most of these:

• Chronic attendance problems and lateness are a frequent cause for discipline. And rightly so, since poor attendance and tardiness affect productivity and the morale of co-workers.
• Poor performance and inappropriate or unacceptable behavior in the workplace are also common reasons for imposing progressive discipline.
• Safety violations are another common cause for disciplinary action. Employees who take risks with their safety and the safety of co-workers must be corrected quickly to avoid an accident. Safety violations include rule infractions, carelessness, risk-taking, horseplay, and so on.
• Harassment, whether sexual, racial, or ethnic, is another situation in which discipline is frequently required. Compliance with discrimination laws requires you to act swiftly and effectively in these cases, stop the harassment, and deal appropriately with the harasser.
• Another common discipline problem is the abuse of equipment and materials. For example, an employee may repeatedly damage equipment or materials because of carelessness or inappropriate behavior, or use equipment without authorization.
• Substance abuse on the job is another common disciplinary problem that must be dealt with promptly and effectively to protect the safety of co-workers and the employee in question.
• Theft of the organization’s property or of co-workers’ property is another issue that requires disciplinary action. Depending on the situation, it might also involve criminal prosecution.
• Finally, violence, or threats of violence, and fighting must be dealt with swiftly and decisively through the disciplinary process. Depending on the severity of the offense, disciplinary action might rise to the level of suspension or even termination.