DISCIPLINARY ACTION MANAGER'S CONSIDERATIONS
When a member of our workforce has engaged in inappropriate behavior or conduct, it is necessary for management to take reasonable and proportionate disciplinary action. Goodstart Early Learning has policies and procedures in place to deal with employee behaviour and conduct in relation to their employment.
Termination of employment will not be an appropriate response in every case. There are other disciplinary options to consider such as counselling, written warnings, and retraining for behaviour modification.
When considering what disciplinary action to take, managers should:
1. Examine the behaviour or conduct. This involves looking at the nature of the behaviour or conduct, whether it involved deliberate or mistaken acts and/or omissions), the frequency of the behaviour/conduct and the consequences of the behaviour/conduct, for example its impact on the business and/or colleagues. It may be necessary to seek assistance from People and Culture Assist or an Investigator depending on the circumstances of the conduct.
2. Consider the context in which misconduct occurred. Has the employee received prior warnings for misconduct? If so, was the employee made aware of the consequences of continued misconduct, for example, dismissal as a consequence? What circumstances lead to the conduct? Was anyone else involved? Interview witnesses if necessary.
3. Consider whether there is a relevant policy/procedure that could have been breached by this behaviour? If that is the case then what does that policy say?
4. If the employee has breached a policy then the manager will need to consider the employee's knowledge of the policy. What is the requirement for employees to familiarise themselves with our workplace policies? If so, how is this done in your team? Is training provided by you as the manager and is that training kept up to date?
5. What about the culture of the organisation or your team? Has there been a longstanding practice of this type of behaviour (whether detected or not). Is there a history of you as the manager or the organisation tolerating or even condoning the misconduct, even if inadvertently?
6. How have other employees who have engaged in this behaviour been treated? Any inconsistent treatment of other employees guilty of similar misconduct is not vie...
