Disciplining employees isn't a favorite part of owning a business but one that may be necessary from time to time. What is important is how you go about it. There are effective measures that can be taken so that it is handled properly. Make sure you have clear policies and procedures in place. Every employee should get a copy of them that they must read and sign upon starting the job. That way they can't come back later and tell you they didn't know what the rules were.

There needs to be clear information on what the consequences for such actions will be as well. That way when the disciplinary action is being taken they will know what to expect. Consistency is very important because if you show any favoritism other employees will find out. The moral of your entire business will drop and that can have profound negative effects in the end. Make sure any type of disciplinary action takes place in private. It is unprofessional to do so in front of other employees.

Of course there are times when the circumstances surrounding the situation warrant some compassion. For example if you have a policy that someone must call in at least two hours before their shift if they can't come in and they don't there could be a good reason. What if they are involved in a car accident and have to be taken to the hospital? It just may not be possible for them to contact you in time.

Since you do want to keep your good employees because it is costly to train new ones you need to have fair disciplinary actions in place. For example you can make the first action a sit down discussion of the matter. A written documentation of the event can go into the employees file. Should the action continue or they go against other policies they may face suspension. Finally, termination may need to be considered if they are risking the safety of other employees or they simply aren't interested in doing a good job.


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